I’ve been in a real learning process of my own over the last four months.

As many of you know, I’ve got two interns — Millie and Natalie. I’ll be honest with you, I avoided doing an intern program for a long time. I told myself it would just be more work. More responsibility. More “babysitting.” And truthfully, part of that was selfishness. When you’re trying to get your own work done, sharing your time can feel like one more demand.

But Bridget and I talked about it. We screened them hard. Had multiple conversations. Met them before committing. And I can tell you now — it’s been one of the biggest blessings for me.

Every single day, I get to watch growth happen in real time. I see the struggles. I see the victories. I see the lightbulb moments. And it’s reminded me of something important:

You don’t have to learn everything the hard way.

There’s No Substitute for Reps

In the morning, Millie helped me work six rope horses. We had them saddled and rotating on the exerciser. I’d finish one, she’d have the next booted and ready. She’d take the finished one, tie it up, grab another, and we kept rolling. That setup benefits both of us.

For me, it allows me to focus on the actual discipline — roping, timing, positioning — instead of spending my energy warming horses up. I’ve done enough of that over the years. At this stage in my career, I also have to think about longevity. My back reminds me every morning that I’ve been doing this a long time. Anything I can do to preserve that is a plus.

In the afternoon, they rode four or five head each. I rode three more. Between the three of us, we worked 20-plus horses yesterday. And here’s the key: we focus on progress, not perfection.

If we get better today than we were yesterday, that’s a win.

Learning Through Mistakes — With a Guide

One of the biggest advantages Millie and Natalie have is volume.

They’re both well over 400 rides in just four months. That adds up fast when you’re riding 30–35 times a week. There’s no substitute for that.

And there’s also value in struggle. Millie made a comment yesterday about finally starting to see what she missed early on with one of the horses. Natalie said she’s beginning to recognize foundation gaps she didn’t even know were there before.

That’s the process. Sometimes I let them struggle a bit. Not to frustrate them — but because figuring it out makes it stick. The difference is they have a resource. They have someone guiding them.

I didn’t have that. When I hung my shingle out, I learned through trial and error. A lot of error. That’s the hard way. You don’t have to do it that way anymore.

Too Much Bend, Not Enough Forward

We had a good technical discussion yesterday about bend.

Millie was riding a gelding named Guy and felt like his shoulder was drifting in a turn. She wondered if she had him too bendy.

That’s a great question.

We work hard to get horses soft in all five body parts. But sometimes, if you overemphasize inside rein and create too much bend in the neck, you lose forward motion and balance.

You rarely see elite horses over-bent in performance runs. Watch the Cowboy Channel. Watch the team ropers, the barrel racers. You’ll see adjustment, softness, rib cage control — but not excessive bend.

If I can just see the top of the horse’s eye in a turn, that’s enough. I don’t need their nose at my stirrup.

Balance equals efficiency. Efficiency equals momentum.

That’s a nuance you learn faster when someone is there to explain it instead of you spending years figuring it out alone.

Face the Fear — One Bite at a Time

I also rode a coming three-year-old yesterday that’s a freak athlete — but scared of everything.

The ropes blowing in the wind. The chute. A sudden movement.

At some point, foundation allows you to start facing fears. So, I spent time riding up and down the alleyway, clicking the chute, creating noise. By the end of the day, he was more confident.

Will I have to do it again today? Probably. But growth is like eating an elephant — one bite at a time. Chew it up. Digest it. Go back for another bite.

That applies to horses. It applies to humans.

The Easy Way Isn’t the Shortcut — It’s the Smart Way

You hear stories about great trainers who spent years under other great trainers.

Some people say, “That’s the hard way.” No. The hard way is trying to figure it out by yourself.

The smart way is learning from someone who’s already been through the school of hard knocks.

That’s what mentorship is. That’s what internships are. That’s what clinics are. That’s what surrounding yourself with like-minded people is about.

Knowledge without application is worthless.

But application without guidance can cost you years.

Pay Attention to the Little Things

One thing we’ll talk about in our meeting this morning is this:

Don’t get lax. Don’t let repetition make you stale.

Pay attention to the little things — how you hang your bridle, how you clean up your gear, how sharp you are when your foot hits the stirrup.

Winners develop a habit of doing the things losers don’t like to do.

There are mornings I don’t feel like stretching. Don’t feel like working out. Don’t feel like journaling. But, those little disciplines compound.

Just like three quality runs on a rope horse build confidence. Just like one quiet session in the box builds trust.

It all adds up.

This Is a Journey Without a Destination

There is no finish line in horsemanship.

Anytime someone calls you a “master,” it should make you uncomfortable. Because the truth is, we’re all just trying to get better.

Today, when I go out and saddle up, I’m asking myself:

How good am I going to be today?
How present?
How sharp?

That’s the game.

And if you can shorten your learning curve by putting yourself around people who’ve already made the mistakes — do it. You don’t have to learn everything the hard way.

Explore More Episodes