A few leadership lessons from horse training

I worked on a ranch after college. Lost Valley Ranch in Colorado. An amazing place. I've written about it before. I spent lots and lots of time around horses- 150 total horses. 8 hours a day. And these horses taught me a lot. Actually a lot about Leadership.

1. make the correct thing to do really easy, and the wrong thing to do really hard.

2. whether you like it or not, you are ALWAYS training.

3. I would much rather have a horse I have to hold back, vs. a horse I have to spur to get going.

4. horses would rather eat, poop, and sleep vs. do any work.

5. horses reflect their trainer- if you train incorrectly, then horses will mirror that bad training.

6. consistency is key. Repetition and persistance are crucial for training to stick.

7. you must always lead them. Horses are naturally herd-bound animals, meaning the herd mentality will always drive their decisions, many times to their own detriment. They need someone to constantly guide them.