Parelli Principle Number 5: The Attitude of Justice is Affective

Your attitude toward your horse should be a just one. In other words, you should cause your ideas to be your horse's ideas, but understand what his ideas are first.

Then it's up to you to cause the undesirable things to be difficult and allow the desirable things to be easy. If the horse is doing something you don't want him to do, create a situation in which it's hard or uncomfortable for him to do those things and also one in which it's easy for him to do what you want him to do. It'll soon become his idea to do whatever is easiest.

I use the words "cause" and "allow" when it comes to creating situations for your horse. I don't use "make" or "let." The word "cause" is less commanding than "make" and "allow" is more respectful than "let." Some people "let" their horses do incorrect things, and then they get angry with them when they do. To correct the problem, they then try to "make" their horses do things. Some people by nature are makers. They're always mean when they ask their horses to do things.

Other people are beggars, always gentle when they ask. They just let the horses do anything they want.

You need to be assertive. Do something about the situation when it needs to be done. Assertive is somewhere between being aggressive and being a wimp. Be as firm as necessary without getting mean or mad; be as gentle as you can without being a sissy.

Trust that your horse will respond to what you ask but be ready to correct, no more one than the other.

Try to become a natural leader for that natural follower, the horse. You've got to be mentally, emotionally, and physically fit so you can be just at all times. You've got to have your act together. You have to become collected in the human sense.

The horse has three systems respect, impulsion and flexion. Everything I'm talking about so far has to do with getting the horse's respect so he will give you his impulsion, which is controlled forward energy. Then you learn how to keep him flexible in the mind and body.

The attitude is justice, and to be just, you have to be assertive, be a causer, and not a maker. You have to allow, and not let.