November 18th 2023

5 Levels of Responsiveness 

During our very first lecture in my first draft class in college my teacher, Rick Thomas, showed a slide outlining the 5 Levels of Responsiveness and I have thought about that image countless times in the last four years. It is the basis of almost every decision I make with the horses and is applicable to many other facets of life. 

5 Levels of Responsiveness:

1. Consistency 

2. Dependability 

3. Trust 

4. Peace 

5. Softness

Each of these build upon each other. You can’t skip steps and you can find yourself starting over, or going back a step or two when one of these is broken or lost. Softness is the ultimate goal, but like anything else, it is something you work at over a lifetime. It is not something we ever fully achieve, but something we refine every single day. I think these terms can feel a bit vague and synonymous so I’d like to elaborate on them individually just a bit. It’s important to note the consistency is the basis for everything. Without it nothing else is achieved. It is simply repetition. Showing up everyday, doing the work that needs to be done. Every time I halter it’s the same. Every time I lead a horse it’s the same. Every time I harness and unharness it’s the same exact process. These things are automatic. Through enough repetition we develop dependability, which really comes down to expectations. (To see this in full action just watch for Sam to whiny at breakfast time.) They’ve come to expect their meals at certain times. They can also expect certain things from me. If a horse reaches over to nip he can absolutely expect to get bumped by my elbow. If they put their head down to graze they can expect to have it yanked back up. If it was wrong yesterday it’s wrong today and it’ll be wrong tomorrow. They can expect the same positive or negative consequences to their behaviors and it’ll be identical every single time. Over time this does build a sense of trust. There are clear expectations that are met repeatedly. Trust also entails a level of accountability. Deviations from the norm have explanations and repairs are made when necessary. This is the biggest difference between trust and dependability. Peace is a static state. Needs are met, you’re supported and feel valued. Our humanity and imperfections are acknowledged through accountability. Peace is a place that you live from, while softness is the active response. I will absolutely whisper to the horses or barely twitch their lines, constantly asking for softness. Always prepared for them to respond at the lightest touch, and yet I’m sure four more years from now I will ask gentler still. But softness is available to all of us, in all of our relationships, and also what we can offer to ourselves. Good work is never finished.