1. Come with an open mind & leave everything you know at the gate because you need ample space to learn something brand new

2. You are the only person responsible for your attitude, success & failure; take responsibility for your thoughts, words & actions

3. Be prepared to learn a lot, work hard & open yourself to both praise & constructive criticism

4. Maintain a positive & professional attitude at all times

5. Be on your best safety-oriented behaviour at all times- you will be evaluated on your safety & basic comprehension, not perfection

6. Do not try to prove anything you think you know to instructors or to out-do the other participants - you will have ample opportunity to demonstrate your proficiency during the process & this is a cooperative team environment

7. Accept that you will be working with people & possibly horses that are unknown to you & will become part of our family after certification

8. Do not succumb to the temptation of blaming your inadequacies on the horses or comparing your performance to another participants; this is considered unprofessional

9. Do not get involved in someone else's drama - stay focused on your own process & do not allow yourself to be distracted

10. Remember that you will also be evaluated on your professionalism, patience & ability to remain calm, relaxed & non-judgemental

11. Dress appropriately - this is not a fashion show & casual horse-related attire is expected

12. Be honest & kind - say what needs to be said but in a supportive way. Always include a positive comment in your evaluations

13. Be concise & do not ramble in your evaluations - Don't feed the story; we are here to move forward

14. Work with the horses the way you normally would at home to help yourself avoid problems later & get the most from our time together

15. Be creative & have fun with your horses & other people; we're here to change the current paradigm of how we work with horses

16. You're here to achieve the highest level of experience & understanding possible - ask a million questions & remember, there are no stupid questions

17. Ask your questions of the instructors & not other participants, to avoid misinformation & confusion