08/19/2026
A good broke horse will only stay a good broke horse if the hands riding him keep him that way.
A horse left to take advantage, push boundaries, or develop bad habits with inexperienced hands will quickly learn that he can continue to do those things with the rider on his back. Eventually, what started as a small issue becomes the horse’s normal.
Just like a finely tuned instrument, a good horse needs to be tuned back up from time to time.
We all want—or sometimes need—that good broke “kid” horse or “husband” horse. But if we don’t learn how to maintain the standard and keep that horse tuned to our needs, eventually we may find ourselves calling him a “problem” horse.
When, in reality, the responsibility falls on us—the rider.
And that lesson goes both ways. Even the most experienced horsemen need help getting tuned back up every now and then. Sometimes it’s our mind. Sometimes it’s our hands. Sometimes it’s our seat.
If we allow bad habits to continue long enough, they become our normal.
Good horsemanship isn’t just about making a horse broke. It’s about learning how to keep him broke—and being willing to keep ourselves tuned up along the way.
