Taming a horse has long been marked by sheer will, stubborn determination, and force; the process is human against horse until the animal is brought under submission. It's been called "breaking" a horse because it usually meant that a horse's will needed to be broken, and conventional wisdom argued that it was the only way a horse could be put to use and given a purpose. But a new kind of training has emerged in the last 30 years or so. The goal is the same, to give direction and point a horse toward a purpose it can't even begin to imagine, but the methods are entirely different, taking into account the fact that the animal is a living, thinking, and feeling being. The point isn't to subdue or force the horse toward a use it might never comprehend or enjoy, it's to lead them to understand what they're capable of and even love it. For all of us who lead teams, churches, or even our own children, the principles of modern horse training have lessons to teach about leading with curiosity, empathy, and a vision toward pointing the ones we love toward a greater purpose. After all, when we humble ourselves to become like those we lead, we follow in the footsteps of the one who leads us all.