| Remember the Three Little Pigs and their houses? | | | | to replace the training that you do for your |
| The house of straw, flimsy and unstable, ready to | | | | discipline; instead, it will help you to build a solid |
| blow away with a gust of wind; the house of | | | | foundation with your horse in order to assist you |
| sticks, built with a little more stability, but still | | | | in any area of horsemanship, from the hunter |
| unreliable when the chips were down. The ultimate | | | | jumper show ring, dressage arena, fox hunting |
| house, the house of bricks, was ready for | | | | field, to the trails. You can benefit from working |
| anything, solid and dependable. | | | | with your own horses, or hand in hand with your |
| Wouldn't you rather have a horse of brick than a | | | | trainer to maximize your efforts. If you work on |
| horse of straw or stick? You've seen the riders | | | | mindset so that you can help your horse be the |
| on the latter two, nervous about trailer loading, | | | | best that he can be, you will find that as you help |
| coaxing with carrots or grain; or tiptoeing around | | | | your horse, you'll be helping yourself. Most people |
| this obstacle or that. A brick horse on the other | | | | acquire many tools from their trainers; round pen |
| hand will pick up your slack and when he isn't sure | | | | work can help you to work on your timing so |
| about something will wait for your cue (with a | | | | that you are using them at the optimum moment. |
| mindset of how can I help you?) rather than | | | | As you learn to deal with the moment, riding the |
| follow his natural instinct to freeze, flee or fight. | | | | horse underneath you, not four strides ahead of |
| In order to move your relationship with your | | | | or behind you, the connection that YOU make |
| horse to the next level and work toward having | | | | with your horse becomes the reward; reaching |
| that Brick Horse, round pen work can be an | | | | the goal(the trophy or the ribbon) becomes the |
| incredible tool. This type of training is not meant | | | | icing on the cake. |