Hi Horse friends,
Let’s talk about a word that gets thrown around a lot in the horse world:
“Good.”
“He was so good today.”
“She’s always such a good mare.”
“That’s a bad habit.”
Seems harmless, right?
But here’s the slightly uncomfortable question…
What if “good” doesn’t actually mean what we think it means?
Most of the time, when someone says a horse is “good,” what they really mean is:
But here’s where it gets interesting…
Quiet doesn’t always mean confident.
Obedient doesn’t always mean understanding.
Sometimes, it just means the horse has learned:
“It’s easier not to try.”
Now before anyone grabs their pitchforks….
This isn’t about blaming riders.
This is about awareness.
Because there’s a big difference between:
Here’s a thought to take with you next time you’re with your horse:
If your horse could vote on the ride… would they choose it again?
Not because they have to.
But because they feel safe, understood, and clear.
Some signs your horse is truly with you (not just “being good”):
And here’s the part that tends to spark debate…
A horse that questions you isn’t always a problem.
Sometimes, that’s a horse that:
I’ll take that horse over one that has completely shut down.
So this week, instead of asking:
“Was my horse good?”
Try asking":
“Was my horse understanding me?”
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one
Do you think we overuse the word “good” in horsemanship?
Or do you think it still has its place?
(And be honest — I know this one might split opinions a bit, and that’s okay.)
If you’re working through this with your own horse and want help creating more clarity without shutting them down, that’s exactly what we focus on inside the program.
Virtual lessons + full course available here:
thoughtfulhorsemanship.net
Talk soon,
Jamie
Let’s talk about a word that gets thrown around a lot in the horse world:
“Good.”
“He was so good today.”
“She’s always such a good mare.”
“That’s a bad habit.”
Seems harmless, right?
But here’s the slightly uncomfortable question…
What if “good” doesn’t actually mean what we think it means?
Most of the time, when someone says a horse is “good,” what they really mean is:
- The horse didn’t resist
- The horse stayed quiet
- The horse did what was asked… without a fight
But here’s where it gets interesting…
Quiet doesn’t always mean confident.
Obedient doesn’t always mean understanding.
Sometimes, it just means the horse has learned:
“It’s easier not to try.”
Now before anyone grabs their pitchforks….
This isn’t about blaming riders.
This is about awareness.
Because there’s a big difference between:
- A horse that is mentally with you
vs - A horse that has simply checked out
Here’s a thought to take with you next time you’re with your horse:
If your horse could vote on the ride… would they choose it again?
Not because they have to.
But because they feel safe, understood, and clear.
Some signs your horse is truly with you (not just “being good”):
- They respond softly, not stiffly
- They stay engaged without constant pressure
- They recover quickly when something startles them
- There’s curiosity… not just compliance
And here’s the part that tends to spark debate…
A horse that questions you isn’t always a problem.
Sometimes, that’s a horse that:
- Is trying to understand
- Is unsure
- Or is finally comfortable enough to express an opinion
I’ll take that horse over one that has completely shut down.
So this week, instead of asking:
“Was my horse good?”
Try asking":
“Was my horse understanding me?”
- “Was I clear?”
- “Did we feel more connected than yesterday?”
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one
Do you think we overuse the word “good” in horsemanship?
Or do you think it still has its place?
(And be honest — I know this one might split opinions a bit, and that’s okay.)
If you’re working through this with your own horse and want help creating more clarity without shutting them down, that’s exactly what we focus on inside the program.
Virtual lessons + full course available here:
thoughtfulhorsemanship.net
Talk soon,
Jamie
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