Don’t do it if you’re not 100% into it.

Imagine you can’t talk and you can’t understand all the noises around you – ever. Apart from routinely instigated ones – like food time or being allowed out of stable.

Then imagine someone getting onto your back, asking you to do something – but in a half hearted way – without clear instructions. You try. But then they hit you, shout at you, jab at you because you didn’t understand. You didn’t understand their half hearted attempt at telling you what to do.

Now imagine you’re at home, you speak the language around you, and you can understand what’s going on in your surroundings. Someone has asked you ‘please can you get me a glass of water’ – sure, you oblige. Passing it to them, you get a glare and then you get shouted at.

‘That wasn’t the right glass’ ‘it’s not cold enough’ ‘try and get it right sometimes’ ‘I don’t know why I bothered asking you’ ‘you’re rubbish’.

You understand these, you understand that it’s through poor communication and that’s why you didn’t get it right.Your horse doesn’t understand why they get it wrong. Your horse doesn’t comprehend why today you’re angry, you’re jabbing them in the body for trotting at the speed that you ‘asked for’. Imagine you didn’t know what was going on and someone tried to get at you for something you don’t comprehend. You don’t know why, or how to rectify it.If your mind isn’t in the game, don’t bother. You’ll only end up with a confused horse, and yourself being frustrated. Why didn’t they do what I wanted? Why did they prat around? Why did he bronk when I whipped him for the 3rd in a row?

Think of life as him. He was clear instructions. With clear instructions, he knows what you want.Don’t risk it all because you ‘have to’. No one says you have to ride. You don’t have to school your horse – you can leave him to be a horse or you could just go for a hack.

Short term love and consideration = long term success!!

Now… think long term rather than short time. Love rather than fight!