💙 Reflections from the Round Pen 💙

But then I reminded myself, “Nope, he’s exactly where he needs to be, considering his journey and where we started.” %

And yet, a small voice crept in, “But what would other people think if they didn’t know the whole story? Would they think all of this training has been a waste?

Just as quickly, my heart and soul answered: “NOT!” beating back that ego-driven doubt.

🛑HARD STOP.

Thankfully, my higher self took over, reminding me how far this horse has come—from terrified to trusting, from panicking over basic handling to calmly accepting healthcare. This horse, who once feared even a light drizzle, now has the confidence to be ridden in the rain. Watching him in this moment, I couldn’t help but reflect… 

• What if we all focused on how far we and our horses have come instead of how far we still have to go?
• What if we focused on the Gain, not the Gap (thank you, Dan Sullivan)? 

And why not?

The truth is, we don’t have to do anything specific with our horses to enjoy them. We get to love them, first and foremost, and everything beyond that is simply a gift. If we could only feel the blessing of sharing our lives with these amazing beings, how different might our perspective be? In some parts of the world, equines are purely seen as tools for labor, transportation, or worse. We’re so fortunate to be able to see them as partners, friends, family.

It’s easy to lose sight of this when our expectations creep in. I know it’s hard to keep everything in perspective; I’m human too. I have big hopes for the horses I work with, and I sometimes feel the pressure to make a miracle happen overnight. And yes, the days can be long, the work exhausting, and the heartache real when we lose a horse we love. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade any of it.

No matter how frustrated we get or how disappointed we are with ourselves or our horses, we always have the power to let go of our expectations and focus on the gift of simply sharing life with these incredible creatures.

So, today, I’m choosing gratitude. And if you’re feeling the weight of expectations, I hope this post helps you flip the switch on your perspective, too.