A New Perspective

This was something my trainer said to me recently as we discussed life and plans specifically for the horse world. I’ve changed my course recently and I explained to her that after investing so much time into school and not ending up with the results I was hoping, I feel behind. Behind in my relationships, in my career, and in my horsemanship. I’ve felt stuck at this point in my life and despite working my ass off, it doesn’t always show.  

And I was especially struggling with feeling like what I had, in horses, equipment, or knowledge, just wasn’t good enough. Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely blessed to be where I am and with what I’ve been given but it’s hard to watch what feels like everyone else progress as you feel stuck in the same spot. She reminded me of the insane progress I have made even if it doesn’t feel like it and gave me the quote above. 

Anyone can buy the next best thing or fit in with the latest trend if they really want. It’s the quiet ones, the ones consistently in the middle of the pack, making silent progress, that are the ones you want to look for. Because these people are the ones who are going to be there for you when you fall, who are cheering you on from the in gate just because you had a nice quick convo. The ones who are there because they are passionate about what they do and they want to get better. They are also the ones who are gonna want the best for others around them. 

So when the lights go down and our cameras stop flashing, pay attention to who sticks around to help clean up. Pay attention to who checks their scores, shrugs at an ok result, and pats their horse anyway. Pay attention to the ones who can laugh at a bad run and get emotional over a mediocre pattern just because it’s better than the last time. Because those are the people who you are going to want in you corner. 

Those are the ones that really care, not just about their own program, goals, or dreams but the ones who care about the industry as a whole and the people that surround them. That is the kind of person I am striving to be. That is my new plan.