The First Key To Success

If you know Parelli’s keys to success (which can be found on my Parelli Principles page), you’ll know that the first one is attitude. I have always believed that I have a good attitude with Sonny because I love him and enjoy being with him. I usually just left it at that and didn’t pay much more attention to it.  

I played with Sonny for a little bit last night and it was okay. He gave me ugly faces, didn’t want to do anything I wanted to do, and overall the relationship just wasn’t great. I ended it on a good note and decided it would be best to try again tomorrow.

Today was outstanding! Sonny was happy and willing; he kept coming in to me with happy faces and even gave me two eyes and two ears while backing up. I was blown away! What a difference from the night before! I proceeded to hop on bareback even though I didn’t have a 12’ line with me and didn’t want to mess with using my 22’ line while riding. He was the best he has ever been and I only had my carrot stick (which I barely needed to use!). We have been having minor difficulties with turning his forehand without him moving his hind end. I played with it a little bit Wednesday night, but had to keep resorting to my rope instead of being able to do it with just my carrot stick. When I got on today and it was like everything just clicked! He was moving his forehand around his haunches without taking a step forward and I BARELY had to use my stick!! I couldn’t believe how well he was paying attention to my body. I could even do indirect to direct rein (I am not sure if they are still called that if you don’t have reins?) turns on the rail with just my carrot stick! What a HUGE improvement from just a few days ago when we couldn’t do them with reins! WOW!

I am so very thrilled at what a great day we had today! I couldn’t stop thinking about it and wondering how so much had changed overnight. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. I had an awful day yesterday…one of those days where you can’t get anything to go your way. Even though my night had gotten better before I went to see Sonny, I was still filled with the remnants of a bad attitude. I took all that negative energy with me into the arena with him. How could I expect him to look at me with a happy face when I am radiating negativity? This makes me think of the movie Buck, when he says:

Your horse is a mirror to your soul.  Sometimes you might not like what you see… sometimes you will.” ~ Buck Brannaman

Last night Sonny was just mirroring what he saw in me. Therefore, the lesson of the day is the reminder that attitude is the first key to success. There is no way I can expect Sonny to have a great attitude about things if I don't myself. The bad things that happend yesterday morning were done and overwith and there is no reason to carry them around with me. I needed to move on! Sonny sure wasn't going to dwell on the past and feel sorry for me, so I shouldn't either. He is the best teacher I could ever ask for!