Encouraging without Forcing--The ultimate in animal training knowledge.

I watch this clip at least once a day, and it give's me a lump in my throat every time I look at it. The reason why I watch it once a day, is that it reminds me of my tiger Karma. The ease, softness, confidence, nonchalance in which this horse performs piaffe pirouettes is the same ease, softness, confidence, nonchalance that Karma performed the corbette. There are some rare animals where it is 75% them, and only 25% human intervention. Never does he force this horse, instead stay's out of it way and let's it perform. But he insists that it perform to it capability. Watch at 1:22-1:25 and again at 2:44-2:48 when the horse given his great ability and confidence becomes "lackadaisical," and the rider respecting the animal and his capability's gently moves his right leg and "asks", "tells", and "promises" firmly without unfairness. Insisting that a great animal athlete stay at the peak of their capability's is not cruel or abusive. Insisting that any animal must do it to the same peak is where cruel and abusive enters. Preventing it from being great due to incompetence/lack of skills is not kindness, it is disrespect.