At one point or another, nearly everyone dreams of riding a horse. Whether it be as a cowboy, riding through the rolling plains, the sun setting and on the verge of dusk; or romantically on a warm summer day, racing through field after field, always wanting to go farther, but never really having a destination; or as a professionally trained equestrian, in a fresh blazer and riding pants, striving for summer gold. At some point, most everyone has a dream of riding horses.
I began riding when I was young and continued until my mid-teens. I loved the farm where I rode, the trainer who taught me everything I know about the horse, my friends and mentors that rode with me, always pushing me to be better and of course, the horses. I loved grooming them, petting them, feeding them, riding them, tacking up, playing with them. As much as I loved the horses, nothing could compare to how it felt riding them. There was nothing like feeling the wind kiss your cheeks as you race around the barn or how good it felt to feel the horses body move underneath you when riding bareback.
Looking back on that experience now, years after I said goodbye to the farm and everything in it, I realize that what means the most to me is not the cold winter, early mornings and hot, lazy summer afternoons. Rather, it's the lessons I've taken with me from the barn, and that I still use today, that I hold most dear now.
1. The importance of teamwork.
When someone thinks of horseback riding as a sport, they don't typically think of a team sport. I am here to tell you that it is very much a team sport. You (the rider) and the horse are a team. With time, the rider learns the horse and the horse the rider; eventually, the two are able to work in sync. The slightest shift in movement or tap from the rider will deliver the message, and the horse will listen and react. The rider will learn the horse's patterns, personality, likes and dislikes, learning to understand feelings through the horse's actions. If you and your horse don't work as a team, it'll show and you don't want that.
2. How great human-animal friendship is.
The bond that you share with your horse will become an unbreakable one. I fell in love with the horses that I rode quickly and without question. As I proved they could trust me, our bond became stronger. The horses that I rode and I were close, and we understood each other. We shared laughs, smiles and hugs. We were friends; more than that: best friends. I wouldn't trade the bonds I made with those animals for anything.
3. The value of hard work and persistence.
Riding a horse well is hard. It takes persistence, tons of practice and hard work. It takes time to get used to riding on a saddle, time for your balance to adjust, to learn how to lead the horse, to build trust, to trot, canter, gallop, go through trails, perform in shows; it takes a lot of practice and hard work. It is only with hard work and persistence that you can progress in this sport, but in the end, it's worth it.
4. Discipline.
Keep your eyes up! Heels down! Don't lean forward! Look forward! Lower your reins! However you ride, it takes discipline. Every movement, tap, touch, word is deliberate and discipline is important in this. Discipline is also important for when you don't have your greatest ride. It's important to acknowledge when you do poorly, so you can discipline yourself and learn. It's hard to admit failures but that's how you learn and improve.
5. Patience.
It is important to have patience with yourself while learning how to ride. This was hard for me because I wanted to be great at everything right away, but of course, that's not how it works. Have patience, it'll pay off. As important as patience for yourself is, having patience with your horse is also really important. Especially if it's a horse you're unfamiliar with, the horse needs to get to know you, as you do the horse, before it will listen to you without hesitation. Have patience. That day will come.
It's been a while since I hung up the reins, dismounted my horse for the last time, and fed the last carrot to her, but the lessons that I learned while horseback riding still are inside of me; ingrained in me like the trail pattern for an important show, tucked away in the back of my mind, for safe keeping.
