The reason why we have been able to work and exploit horses for our benefit over millennia is that they evolved to be highly trainable and compliant. We don’t ride grizzly bears, and we don’t plough fields with giraffes for good reason.
Some people believe that to make a horse safe to ride, they need to get the “freshness” out through exercise. This is not true. So-called “freshness” is the result of a lack of focus and anxiety.
Waiting has always been a challenge for me. I think those early years of learning to be effective also taught me that horses were meant to be on my schedule, not me on theirs.
