Another thing to think about is a quote that Parelli didn't invent, but uses regularly. This applies to any sport and most every hobby or...

Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

If you continually allow imprecision and lackadaisical responses, your horse's performance will reflect that. There is no one else to look to but the rider for this.

Then, when you really need precision, your horse has no concept of complying with you since you don't ask for it in a training situation.

After today, it is more evident than ever that Joe Paterno is right.

I'm thinking of making his quote my battle cry. Those of you who don't scroll down a bit here, the quote I'm refering to and paraphrasing is, 'Most have the will to win, few have the will to prepare.'

Why, why is sort of, kind of, close enough, oh well, whenever, whatever, hmmmm, maybe tomorrow, good enough???

I've really buckled myself down for some exceptional results lately. Close is not EVEN close enough and the results and fun have grown exponentially. Of course, we, me & horse, have had some time where we disagreed on the outcome of a request. Of course, horse expects to get his  way and I expect to get mine. Of course, one of the two will come out with the better outcome. Will it be you?

Has horse been winning these bracing battles for the last dozen years?

If so, you can't expect to win everything back in just an hour or two, but if you never jump into the skirmish, there isn't one because horse has already won. Once you start becoming aware of how mental bracing causes physical bracing and how this applies to darn near every single task or request you have of your horse, you'll probably be amazed at the points, skirmishes, battles and eventually the war that your horse has been winning and you thought you were just going for a ride.

People frequently tell me that horse was great when they first got him. But, a year or two later, they're pondering getting rid of horse or don't want to ride because they're afraid of what may happen due to misbehaviors of horse now.

Yes, over time, horse is very good at assessing your skills, or lack of them, and taking, for him, appropriate action.

If you honestly consider your horsemanship skills and the training level of your horse, which are you closer to:  A pencil drawing around your hand and fingers that you make a turkey out of? or a Monet?

NOW time frames. As in your own. Keep doing the same type of work with your horse and getting results that you think are a bit of give on the part of your horse and not saying to yourself, "What would I have to do and how long would I have to do it to get my horse to understand that that just isn't enough anymore?"

Honestly, it will boil down to the person. Does the person have enough stick-to-it-ivness to see it through and ask for it in a certain way NOW. The response doesn't need to be good the first time or even the fifth time. Of course, horse will protest the new manner. But, if you don't stick with it, ya got nothing.

10 years of having horse get his way or 2-7 hours of the two of you learning that you can have things your way, too. Enjoy! Get the struggle over (between you and yourself and you and horse) if you're always 'non-confrontational' with horse...you've already lost.

NOW time frames - sounds pushy, doesn't it. Until you really need or want your horse to do something (like turn left) and horse says, "Um, I'm reading the last chapter of Black Beauty. Check with me later."

Unless horse understands the concept of when you say now you mean now, don't expect any great result for any task. You may have mediocre results or less than you like, but you're willing to accept it results, or darn, I wish my horse...    but until you do something about it, too bad.

Do your homework at home so it works a bit better when you're not at home. Put your horse in positions where you would like him to comply and see if he does. See HOW he does. Willingly, 15 times in a row. Or does he do it sort of once and then says, "I'm done with that."??? And are  you done with that?? Because he said so? Because you won't persist longer than he?

I heard a quote the other day from Joe Patino - I'm paraphrasing sort of but...   Most everyone has the will to win. Few have the will to prepare.

Time frames - I'm so pleased with my Peka girl. It's amazing what 7 days in a row of riding her will do. I am delighted with our progress. We've been working so hard at maintaining position, giving to the slightest degree of request or pressure and getting better and better at putting her where I would like her. Moving it up to walk, trot and canter and backup without changing her head position and not bracing,  maintaining the same pace, moving in and out without changing anything.

Everyone I'm working with is working on the same stuff. I'm on a tear! My leg is getting better all the time and it's time we all buckled down and got this done. There is nothing that needs to happen for exceptional horsemanship more than your horse willingly moving forward, backward, left, right, up, down or standing still. Everything...everything falls under this category. It may be jumping a 3'6" fence, barrel racing, competitive trail obstacles...everything falls under this category. So, we may just as well get on with getting it done.