The Best Ribbons aren’t Always Red

Posted by admin in Sep, 2020

Of course, we all want to win or at least come home with a placing. We spend a great deal of time visualizing the perfect round or test and putting any negative thoughts out of our minds leading up to your class. We put ourselves through some serious prep boot camp prior to a big show or qualifier and for once we can finally feel competitive for the day ahead

Then we go in and may have a refusal or an error on course perhaps during a test we hear the dreaded horn been beeped then the feeling of been crushed sets in and we may have saw the dream of a red color ribbon just disappear. So, no matter how much we prepare our horses and ourselves and despite your positive mindset, the ride does not always play out like we envision.

Regrouping after an error, refusal fall or whatever it may be, We may need to hear words from a professional or a trainer that “We are not trying to cure the world of all things bad We are jumping our horses over colored poles or riding through some difficult movements in a dressage test , your perspective can be simply changed and you can become what we set out to be able to do and that was focus and just RIDE. We can get back out there and ride our horse knowing we were not going to place in the top that day, but knowing we needed to prove to ourselves and your horse that we could interpret the test set before us.

Yes, we may have had a bad day, but what we can say is that you can be proud of yourself for moving past the disappointment You rode your horse and that was worth more than any ribbon that could have been taken home. all the ribbons we may display at home represent a special moment in our riding careers despite their color. We should love this sport for the humility, courage, and work ethic it teaches us