We’re back with episode 60 of Ride Every Stride, our first show back in 2018. We want to thank all you listeners who’ve been nudging Laura and I about getting back to recording. After sorting through some technical issues and inclement weather, we’re both happy to be behind the microphone again and continue with the show. For this episode we’ll be going over a topic that applies equally to you and your horse: success as a habit.

Key Takeaways

Most of the folks today in the horse industry, the vast majority of them are women. And I hear a similar story played out over and over again that goes something like this: Well, I loved riding horses when I was little, but then life got in the way. I went to school, found a job, but I always vowed I would get back into riding again. However, coming back into the scene has been much harder than I thought. They don’t remember it being as difficult as it is today. They want to build back confidence in their riding. And how the heck do you do that? Through forming good habits.

First off, you start small. You go back to the start with just interacting the horse. Feeding them or even just brushing them. Do it the absolute best you can, no matter how small the task may seem, then pat yourself on the back when you’re done. These small successes will add up overtime and fuel you to want to do more and push further.

Remember, that if you put all your effort in and do the best that you can, regardless of the outcome, that effort needs to be rewarded. Your performance may not be perfect, but it can be perfect for now.

Evaluating where you are in your horsemanship is critical as well. You have to know where your confidence starts and begins in order to start taking smaller steps forward. And you want to strive for great things—it’s okay if you take too big of a step at first and have to come back the next day and take a smaller one, so long as you aren’t permanently damaging your confidence from getting hurt.

As you rack up the small successes and build your confidence, the horse’s confidence will grow in you as well. I recently worked with a client who was having issues loading their horse into a trailer. Over the days that I worked with that horse, I only approached the trailer with the animal two or three times. I worked on everything else first. Getting more comfortable haltering them, leading them, working on our communications. After building up confidence in all those smaller steps the horse got right in the trailer.

Adversity itself doesn’t breed confidence, overcoming it does. We all face adversity, but if you don’t take the steps to properly overcome it, you confidence isn’t going anywhere. Break your problems down into the smallest steps you can, and start taking them, one by one.