A tale of many models. Which one creates the best of times?

Over the last decade, there has been a resurgence of work using mammalian systems in vivo. We build on the idea that there were three pillars of motor control built on invertebrate and vertebrate models. We discuss the translational aspect of animal models and provide examples of how basic science using multiple species developed robust concepts that led to successful translation. Finally, with advances in biological and computational tools, we discuss some ideas regarding the future for understanding motor networks.