Faith

You have to.

It's as simple as that.

You have to believe in yourself, that's number one. If you can't, you have to find a way to.

You have to believe in your horse.

You have to foster their confidence. If they feel worried, if they look at a jump or resist a dressage movement, you have to tell them that you know they can do it.

It should not be emotional. It should be curious.

Not "Gosh darn it do it. You are not doing it because you are trying to be bad." (FYI this is crazy thoughts)

It has to be "Hmm this is hard for you. You are fine." "Here are some exercises to better prepare you."

Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for a stick, but that is not what I am talking about here.

So what else do we believe in?

Well that is up to you. Choose carefully.

At least, I have to choose carefully.

I choose to keep it simple.

If I don't keep it simple, I can get confused.

If I call someone that I know will give me the advice I want to hear, it is a pointless conversation.

I must call someone who's opinion is honest and who I value and trust.

I must keep it simple.

I must believe.

In the horse world, I especially must believe.

I believe in my vet, I believe in my 4 main instructors (Vanessa, Stephen, Sharon, and Jimmy).

I think these are all good choices.

I have to believe in them completely, I have to believe in them when I think they may be wrong, they know more then I.

But in order to do that, and do that wisely I must always combine it with believing in myself.

This is so simple but also so complicated.

At my level I must sift through the information and store it. I have to take it for what it is to me now and know that it may mean more later.

I have to keep decisions and ideas, clear and concise.

I must know that as I am always trying to do my best, so are the people I hold faith and devotion in.

If I do not understand something , I will ask. That is the part where believing in myself comes into play.

I must believe in my values, my husband, my daughter.

I can only choose positive people to be in my life. I am very thankful that I am at a place in life where this currently seems possible.

I have spent years in my life trying to control the uncontrollable. Trying to prevent the unthinkable. Running on empty and forgetting to breathe. I have spent more recent years learning how to let it be. Work my hardest to get to where I want to go, but be open to alternate routes.

Life seems to have a good flow when I let it.

I have noticed more and more lately to choose not to believe in some things.

A negative comment, a negative thought.

That little voice inside that doubts, a little voice outside that doubts.

PEOPLE THAT DON'T BELIEVE IN ME. They have no place in my life.

I know that I will make mistakes, as will all the people close to me. It is a wonderful thing, a chance to learn and grow. I just have to remember that, I have to remember this.

I seek out strength, but a quiet strength. A confidence, but not a showy act.

I want knowledge and truth.

I promise to myself and to the internet, every time I canter to a fence, I will believe.

Every time I go down the center line, I will believe.

Every time my horse dwells, bucks, trips, disrupts, I will believe more.

Life is good. It's all a point of view.