Unfortunately, respect is non-transferable. Just because I have earned a horse’s respect does not mean I can hand him over to you and he will respect you the same way. Each person is responsible for gaining each horse’s respect. That frustrates many people because they spend a lot of money on a well-trained horse and within six months, the horse acts like he doesn’t know a thing. Horses don’t care how much money they cost, how much money you make or what part of town you live in. Their only concern is that you know the rules to horsemanship. And the number one rule is: Whoever moves first, loses. If you don’t make your horse move his feet forwards, backwards, left and right and you don’t maintain that respect between the two of you, his behavior will get worse. However, if you maintain that respect and improve upon it, your horse’s behavior will get better. Horses don’t ever stay the same. Every day they either get a little bit better or a little bit worse.
