11/01/2026
Nobody talks about the part of this sport where you lose yourself a little. Where the confidence you once had starts to fade, where you overthink things you used to do without a second thought, and where riding starts to feel more stressful than exciting.
Especially when you're working with young horses. C**t starting, bringing along green horses, and putting miles on one that doesn't know much about the world yet isn't always pretty. There are days when you question yourself, days when things don't go according to plan, and days when you wonder if you're making the progress you should be.
But nobody talks enough about the feeling of getting that confidence back, either.
There's something special about a young horse that starts to put the pieces together. The first time they trust you through something new, the first time a lesson really clicks, or the moment you realize just how far they've come. There's nothing quite like being part of building that foundation.
I'm learning that not every ride has to be perfect. Not every session has to end with some huge breakthrough. Sometimes progress is measured in the little things: a better response, a calmer mind, a little more try, or simply ending the day better than you started.
Sometimes, the biggest win is swinging a leg over a young horse, working through something difficult, and walking away knowing you both learned something.
And honestly, finding that feeling again means more to me than a lot of people will ever understand. Because sometimes, the right horse doesn't just make you a better rider. The process of bringing them along reminds you of the horseman you wanted to become in the first place.
Here's to rebuilding confidence, putting in the miles, starting young horses, and falling in love with the process all over again. 🖤