It's okay to be bad at stuff...
It’s OK to be bad at something
It's normal to be bad at something when it's new
Somewhere along the way, many of us picked up the idea that if we can’t do something well right away, we’re failing or that thing isn't right for us.
But here’s the truth: whether you’re learning a new skill yourself—or helping a horse learn something unfamiliar—being a beginner is supposed to feel awkward. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just… new.
Think about the last time you tried something you’d never done before. Maybe you went to your first yoga class and couldn’t touch your toes. Maybe you took a ceramics class (or like me, a year of ceramics classes) and still struggle to center clay on the wheel. Did that mean you were hopeless? Of course not. It meant your brain and body needed time to figure it out.
Our horses are no different.
When we introduce a horse to positive reinforcement (R+) training, the concept itself—“I can make good things happen by offering behavior”—is brand new. It takes time for them to understand the game, trust the process, and feel safe experimenting. The same is true in rehab work: asking a horse to use their body in a different way after injury or compensation patterns can feel strange, even clumsy at first.
Here’s where the magic happens:
We break things into small, achievable steps.
We reward even the try, not just the polished outcome.
We stay patient, compassionate, and curious.
Every wobble, every hesitation, every tiny shift toward the goal is progress worth celebrating. The more we acknowledge those small wins, the more motivated both we and our horses feel to keep going.
And yes—this kindness goes both ways. If you’re learning a new skill as a trainer, handler, or rehab practitioner, give yourself the same grace. Reward your own effort. Notice your own small improvements. Progress isn’t a straight line for anyone.
Because in the end, this is what creates the best outcomes:
A safe learning environment.
A willingness to reward progress at every stage.
A partnership built on trust, not pressure.
So next time you or your horse are “bad” at something new, remember—every expert was once a beginner, every beautiful movement started with a clumsy first try, and every partnership grows stronger when we honor the process.