From a teacher’s point of view, one of the hardest things to teach is FEEL: Closing one finger at a time, starting with Phase 1, allowing the horse to drift, giving the horse more rope, having hands that open quickly – and release pressure!

Your horse will only be as light and responsive as you allow him to be. I like to remind my students to “start with your dream”: How little does it take? How light can you, can your horse, can it be?

So, start with your dream-version of a suggestion and then follow through with your phases.

Challenge yourself with this: can your current Phase 1 become your new Phase 4!?

Here’s to no brace, no tension and no struggle!

There are always options – or, as Caton Parelli would remind me after a disappointing run at a cutting competition: “there will always be another cutting”!

If you are not getting a response to your dream, to your Phase 1, there are other options, aka Phase 2, 3, 4.

Or if plan A doesn’t work, do you have a plan B, C and D!?

If the first arrow you throw at a “problem” doesn’t fix it, do you have other arrows in your quiver to pull out?