One of the best horsemen I ever knew touched me deeper in the short period of time I was with him than anyone else. Something he said has stayed with me.

  "Son, with anything there is to do with horses, there are about a hundred different ways to get it done. Maybe 70 or 75 of them ways will work, ,,, but maybe only 10, or even 15 of them ways are a good deal for the horse."

  And then he followed with a couple more statements:

  "My point is ... not everything that's efective is a good deal for the horse. Not everything suites every horse. There is more than one right way."

  "There are some things that you won't understand or agree with. That doesn't make them bad. There are some things you may think are the best way right now. Later you'll come to see that maybe they weren't nearly as good as you thought. Keep learning, keep trying, It will come."

  I saw him do some things that were unbelievable to me at the time. He could feel through the lead rope and know what the horse was doing.He could feel all the way through the horse. Sometimes he was so soft, so subtle. And sometimes I saw him get very firm. I mean in a hurry! But then he'd get real soft again, and the horses would all hunt him up and want to be with him. His name was Ronnie Willis.

  I've also seen Ray Hunt get very firm and heard stories about Tom Dorrance getting very firm. The biggest key is the understanding of the horse and the timing.

  But that doesn't mean everyone has good timing.

  There are a lot of things that go on in the horse world that I don't agree with. I try to learn all I can from everyone I can. Sometimes when I watch people working on TV, I cringe because I feel the horse isn't getting a fair deal and is confused. It turns my stomach, and I have to change the channel. Sometimes I see some real good stuff.

  Because people do things that I don't agree with doesn't make them wrong, and it doesn't make me wrong. Like Ronnie Willis said, there is more than one right way.

  I look back on my horsemanship journey, and I whish I could go back and apologize to some of the horses I worked with. But I was doing the best I knew at the time. And I'm still learning. I can't wait for the next five years to see how much deeper my understanding is.

  One of the hardest things about working with horses for a living is that it's not my place to tell folks how to work with their horses unless they ask.

  If I see someone doing something that will hurt their horse or someone who is near, I will step in. But just because I don't like the way they handle their horse or because we have philosophical differences doesn't give me any right to tell them how I think they should do things. And sometimes it breaks my heart, because I I know the horse could offer so much more if given the chance.

  We can't tell folks how to raise their kids. We can't impose our philosophy on everyone else, unless they ask.

  There is more than one right way. Offer your horse the best you know and learn more. Then offer the best you know, and learn more. Don't be so stuck in your ways that you might miss an opportunity for some new knowledge and understanding.

  If your horses are soft and willing, people will notice.

  And this is just my opinion.

By Brent Graef