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Refinement is working with an owner who is working diligently to learn natural methods, but doesn't have as much time to work with their horse through some of the necessary stages needed for his or her horse to learn a new task or to refine a higher task.  We will work on the tedious "baby steps" needed until your horse gets the bigger picture. How often you need us is totally up to you.  We're here to help!

Please know that you will be required to understand what steps we used so that you can review them with your horse should he get stuck on a manuever or, yes, test you to see if you are worthy of making a particular request of him.  Remember, horses need to check daily to be sure that they have a leader.  If you can't prove your worthiness, you lose & they will lead or find "someone" who will.  If you don't know this, then frustration is sure to happen.  You will learn how to be a gentle but assertive leader at all times.  They respect that!  When they do test you, you'll respond appropriately and they'll say, "Okay...just checking...What is it you want me to do?"  ...And then the whole incident is over...

We recommend that if you are a new learner, that you only have us work on a few tasks at a time so that you can keep pace with your horse's learning.  It is not beneficial to you to have a "finished" horse while you are still working on early skills.  He could revert back to your level out of confusion just because your cues aren't quite clear yet or perhaps you read his reaction wrong.  You both need time to learn...that is OKAY!!  Once you feel moderately confident (not perfect or both of you will get bored), we can move forward.  When you both keep in stride with the other's learning, you will grow together.  It is a great bonding time!