I am not as mature as many of the people that contribute to the forum, but already my friends and I have arguments over the best way to treat our horses. Out of seven of us, I am the only one who uses Monty's methods, whereas the others use either conventional methods or other 'horse-whisperer's' techniques. However this does not prevent us listening to our horses. One of my friends does not class herself as a natural horsewoman, but she has an exceptionally close relationship with her horse- she simply is a natural at communicating to animals. I usually try to avoid conflict with my friends (and total strangers!) over these issues however some of my critics have been silenced simply by the sucess I have been having. From day one, instructors, people I've met at shows and at other yards have classed my horse as difficult. Many people thought that he was too much for me- others classed him as dangerous! However by reaching out to him and forming a relationship with him, all that I achieve in the dressage arena has silenced the whispers behind my back. My horse and I have such a close bond that it shines through when others are having difficulty with their horses. Mistakes that I make are forgiven by him, and I haven't had an argument with him for longer than I can remember. While others struggle and get into conflict with their horses, our mutual trust and respect carries the load of our differences. Now the horse that many deemed unmaneageble has won rosettes at a national championship and we made our affiliated debut at the weekend. So the message is- don't give up. Every horse deserves a relationship with it's rider, and with some you can get more than you ever dreamed of. Don't listen when people say you can't - mostly, you can! What I have with my horse is the most amazing thing, and I know we can all share this with our horses. I just thought I'd put this on the forum to prove what fantastic things a relationship can lead to. Please have fun with your riding and your horses!