Having a great deal of information on horses, it can be easy to get stuck looking for perfection. Remembering progress with horses takes time can help us work through bit size pieces each day and move on. Building in those little bite sized progression add up to big change over time.

Far from an association with punishment, Mikal and Noel talk largely about self discipline and how it relates to time with horses.

Time with horses is not just a physical endeavour, it is also cerebral. Sharpening our mental game is an important element for improvement. Quiet confidence may be a valuable thought point to help boost our mental game.

When we apply an aid, are we trying to tell the horse “no” or are we offering a redirection. While subtle, these two options tend to lead to lead to different results.

Horses, like humans, are individuals. Therefore, when educating, we must have a broad approach with a willingness to be flexible. Flexibility of mind helps to allow one to see the opportunities in every situation. It also gives the horse respect and empathizes with their struggles. This gives us the ability to recognize opportunities of growth.

Mikal and Noel try something different in the first “Bridging the Gap Great Debate” with each of them debating both sides of ripping the bandaid off. Should you just rip or should you take time pealing it off. An interesting conversation to force one to look at both sides of a concept.

Being proactive can play a big part in creating a more harmonious relationship with our horses. That leads to the horses offering us more of their athleticism through increased trust. Mikal and Noel discuss and try to better understand what being proactive looks like when it comes to leadership with horses.

Learning about horse education is a life long pursuit. Once we recognize just how much there is to know and do, it can become daunting. Just as with most other arenas in life, chipping away and laying one brick at a time is how we work towards our dreams. Mikal and Noel discuss how this concept helps keep things in perspective and moving forward with their horses.

In every situation that arises there are multiple directions it could go. If we only look at one side of a situation, we may be ill prepared for many possibilities. In one of their more free flowing discussions, Mikal and Noel start with the simple concept of the two sides of the coin and follow where the discussion leads.

Intitially, whenever we take a horse out of their environment or when we ask something new of them, there is some stress associated. Small stressors are an essential part of progress but require appropriate support. Mikal and Noel discuss how this relates to educating horses.