In the first chapter of the book - Man and the Horse - the author explains why he considers horses to be teachers, which is perhaps the opposite of how most of us might initially consider the relationship between horses and riders. Equestrians talk about, write about and study many techniques for training the horse, and while Podhajsky does not dismiss this aspect of the relationship between horse & trainer, throughout the book he focuses on the fact that learning to understand, appreciate and respect the horses he worked with helped him to develop into a better equestrian.
One of the take-aways in this chapter, for me, was that "bad" behavior in a horse is most often based in fear or bad experiences. The rider or handler can exacerbate the negative experiences a horse has had, or heighten their fear by not understanding this fact. Podhajsky writes that "I was forever trying to put myself in the place of the animal and to think from his point of view, especially in order not to demand more than he could perform" (p 3). This idea was also articulated by Gustav Steinbrecht, in "Gymnasium of the Horse"
who stated that training should progress very slowly and methodically, always being mindful of the horse's innate abilities, and to remain within the scope of what the horse can reasonably master at that point in training.
I love the concept of trying to "be in the horse's mind." It is so much easier to deal with "bad" behavior when we understand the cause of it. Isn't this true for people, as well?