My Horse Show Philosophy

Someone once told me a story about someone who saw a butterfly struggling to get out of the cocoon, and decided to help it. They cut open the cocoon and freed the butterfly, but it couldn't fly and did not live long. The struggle to get out of the cocoon apparently strengthens the butterfly and gives it the power to fly and to live. The butterfly released without the struggle was not able to live.

Yes, I want my students to win, but it is more important that they develop the skills to win in life and in their future, not just in the horse show arena. Many, many valuable life lessons are learned in the struggles and disappointments of last place ribbons. The first place victories are much more satisfying when they have been achieved through hard work rather than delivered easily. A blue ribbon is much more meaningful when you were on a challenging horse, when you were the underdog, when you beat the big guy. If you always are the one with the easiest horse, the prettiest horse, what do those victories mean?

I want to see my students face defeat and determine to fight back. I want them to bring home that last place ribbon and decide they are going to work three times as hard, and not give up until they earn the blue ribbon. I love to see them learn to come back from a disappointing defeat to victory. I love to see them learn to shrug off defeat like it is no big deal. They will face disappointments all their lives; they need to know that they can always come back.

It is rarely easy, but the victories are so much sweeter when you've experienced the other end. I think it is important for them to realize that their competition wants the blue ribbon, too. I want them to cheer for their friends that win, and console their friends that lose. I want them to think team, not just individual. To respect the competition, learn to recognize where they fit in, to appreciate when they win an awesome fifth in a tough class, to take responsibility when they mess up. And to always, always come back fighting. Striving for a personal best every time. Happy when they know they've put out their best effort, no matter what color the ribbon is. Not satisfied when they have not done their best, even when the ribbon is blue.

Yes, winning is the goal, but it is the process of learning to BE a winner that is important. Winning is much more than blue ribbons.

Annalisa specializes in timid riders and riders recovering from a bad experience.

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Email Annalisa at mariways @ gmail.com

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