It doesn’t matter your saddle or your discipline. Nor your boots nor your helmet. There is a secret that escapes many riders and yet it’s critical to their success. It is not something that professional trainers and coaches can teach you. It goes well beyond skills and technique.
You spend countless hours in pursuit of your dreams. Dreams require work and they require commitment. There are days that seem to run together: Feed, water, muck, groom, train, cool down, feed, water, muck, repeat. Sometimes you forget the feel of shorts and sandals because you live very long days in breeches and boots. You pour your heart, soul, money into an equestrian dream that consumes you. There are never enough hours in the day to accomplish your to-do list! You search the events calendar for shows and competitions where you can challenge yourself and demonstrate your growth, all while being utterly exhausted.
Every equestrian will encounter obstacles along their road to success. There will be days when the weather doesn’t cooperate, and your ring is flooded. There will be skills that come naturally to you and your horse and there will be skills that take years to develop. There will be injuries that will render your partner lame and require daily treatment, stall rest, and time. What do you do during this time? What do you do in the seasons of trial and adversity?
Well, the answer is one little word: Balance. You are more than just an equestrian. You may be a husband or wife, mother or father, son or daughter, active volunteer, or maybe a mentor to others. We, as an equestrian community, tend to live our lives with horses at the center. Our days and weeks are determined by our training regimens and competition seasons. If we’re not working in a barn all day, then we’re working all day to afford the barn. We don’t have time to invest in friendships outside the equestrian community. We miss quality time with our families because we’re driving to/from trainers, shows, and competitions. We sacrifice for our dreams but at what cost? Emotional exhaustion does not lend itself to successful careers. Burnout is real. We forget that there is a larger world out there.
The key to success for every competitive athlete is to understand that their identity in life is not their sport. Being an equestrian is just one aspect of who you are. Finding emotional and spiritual balance will provide you with a strong foundation from which to build. When you spend time nourishing your spirit, serving in your community, engaging new people, and exploring other hobbies and activities, you grow as an individual. Truly happy and successful lifelong equestrians have mastered the art of balance.
At the end of the day when you look in the mirror (maybe covered in sweat and hay) you are more. More than your circumstances, more than you finances, more than your accomplishments, and more than an equestrian.