When you look at the amateur/grassroots rider, they have to be the most resilient people within the horse world. 

We take lots of knocks and keep trying. This is all for the love of our horses. 

But I ask, do we share enough of our failures? 

I think lots of us shy away from that side. Am not saying we don’t have to share our successes but sometimes it’s good to show the true side of our stories. Only this week we see one of the best in the world in eventing, Laura Collett showing the honest side of her world. I, for one, welcome this and I applaud her for this.

For me, I have always been willing to share when I get it wrong, which at times is most of the time, it’s like therapy in a way for me. This can be at home or in competition. I try to be just honest with myself. I feel it holds me accountable in ways.

When it does go wrong for me I get really annoyed with myself in that moment. At the best of times I am very critical of myself, I mostly like everyone else, questioning if I am actually good enough to do this. I am very big on reviewing any footage or pictures to see how or why I messed up. At this stage I am still questioning if I am good enough. 

Once I process what has happened, 9 times out of 10 this will involve a conversation with dad because he is the one that’s always the most honest with me, it can be hard to take at times but it’s needed. I am a big believer in working on what went wrong, understanding that I am not always going to get it right, and it’s ok to mess up.

Like most amateur riders, we are in the same situation working 40+ hours balancing family life and responsibilities all too just doing something we love, but we need to understand that we get it wrong but be willing to show this. Life with horses is never perfect, so why do a lot of people only show when it goes right? 

Not for one moment am I saying not to share the highs but be open and willing to show the bad days. I feel this helps in the process. It might help a fellow member of our community to not be so hard on themselves. Horses definitely keep us all grounded. When we think we are going in the right direction. Bang, your horse has a unique plan and hasn’t filled you in on it.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.