Slicker Breaking

When was the last time you role-played a tough conversation before having it?

It is one of the most valuable exercises I do with my coaching clients. We practice in a safe environment so they can find the right words and set the right tone before doing it in prime time. They report afterward that they were calmer and more confident, even when emotions ran high or the other party acted in unexpected ways.

Working a colt in the corral is the equivalent of these role-plays. We desensitize young horses to things that might frighten them out on the trail. They practice how they will react with someone who provides clear feedback. I heard a cowboy poem the other day, and it inspired me to work with our new colt on something that could scare him, putting on a rain slicker for the first time.

“But that horse, he goes to bucking when your slickers halfway on and your arms and sleeves get tangled, and he throws you, and you're gone… about that time you realize you just learned a lesson, and you won’t forget it, pal. Better slicker break your bronco in a mighty good corral.”