quest – AHAmoments

Sir Winston Churchill (thanks, Anne, for the inspiration today) sure seemed to know a thing or two about horses. Like really knew them. What was it that he is always quoted for saying? Yes, you remember the ones. Even if you are not a horse person, you know them.

“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

“When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.”

“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”

Those three statements are fact to me. If we let them, they will show us what is inside of us. Who we really are. It is my belief that God made them this way for a reason and why the horse plays such a big part in our ‘success.’ I know I am weird and probably sound like a broken record at this point if anyone is still reading, but I dare you to prove me wrong. It is really no wonder that it was the horse that helped us come so far as a civilization.

Some people like to be on a mountain top or on a beach, but put me atop my horse, and there is no better place to be. The view is unlike any other you will see between those two ears. The air you breathe is fresher. It awakens your soul, that horse smell. That combination of grass, sweat, and dirt. I do not think I have met anyone who does not like it. The wind feels different. I feel free, like I could fly. To be honest, sometimes it feels like I do. I feel strong while at the same time, all I have to do is ask with the slightest touch or movement to have my horse move.

~2 months.

I have learned a lot about life from the horse. They have taught me to be humble and confident at the same time.

That it takes more than luck and talent. Luck will only get you so far. It takes faith and hard work. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. It takes learning and growing from your mistakes. To continue to strive and quest.

They have taught me to trust. To let go, have faith, and trust. You can not micro manage them. You have to ask them and let them learn and do their job. To see things from their point of view. They are honorable and honest, commanding respect.

They will make you work for it because they are worthy of it.

The horse has taught me to be more like him. AHAmoment.

Walk in love, dear readers, and have a great weekend!

I read something recently about setting yourself up for success that really resonated with me and I figured I would share it with you. Setting yourself up for success helps you to have…success! Gold star for me! In all seriousness though, that is the key. Success leads to confidence and/or confidence leads to success. AHAmoment. It is that whole coming full circle concept that life is all about.

I have been working on my…‘resolution’ plan for the year, if you will, and how to best execute it. To be successful.

I have been pretty darn good about all the general, daily items on my list and I have even added a few things to it. Those are not overly important at present. What I want to discuss is my main ticket item, my riding related goals, and how that may help you with your big goals. Your 2017 goals. Your riding goals. Your cooking or baking goals. Your parenting goals. Your getting healthier goals. Your writing goals Your fishing goals. Your dancing goals. Anything. Your life goals.

No matter what it is that you want to accomplish, to be successful at, you have to set yourself up for it. To have some sort of execution plan or, let us be honest, more plans/adjustability/fluidity, since we all know how plans can go. Hello, life. To break it up into manageable bites and have a few benchmarks. All of this to me means preparation.

I have scoured my sources and filled my calendar with all the clinics and schooling/working equitation/dressage/SHOT shows in the general area. I am still doing some research on the clinics and thinking about who I want to take lessons from. The point for me is not what I do, it is that I do it, both my horse and I have a good, positive experience, and we learn something. To grow and never stop learning. To continue striving and searching. To always try and be better. It is the quest.

525043_10152580170415527_297401161_n — My last time in any show ring over 5 or 6 years ago. I have done one clinic and zero lessons in that time.

I think I have landed on my plan outline that will get me prepared and set me up for success. I have not settled on specifics or looked at where things fall on the calendar, so the plan will likely change and that is OK. The first quarter of the year I am going to just focus on riding as much as I can to get us both back into shape and back in tune. Second quarter will be for lessons and making progress. I might add a show in here based on focus and progress. Third quarter will be for possible more lessons and a clinic closing with a possible show. Fourth quarter will be my rainy day quarter given it is the busiest time of year. Yikes, that feels like tomorrow!

I open the floor to you, dear readers. Do you have a better way to break the year’s plan up into acceptable bites? What is your advice for setting yourself up for success? What are your plans to set yourself up for success in your goals/resolutions, whatever they may be?

Walk in love.