06/12/2025
You are not the missed flying change.
You are not the wonky shoulder-in, the judge’s 5.5, or the test sheet that looks like it was edited by a disappointed English teacher.
You are more than your mistakes, more than your failings, your failures, or your “shortcomings” (which, let’s be honest, often just means your horse didn’t feel like pirouetting today).
Your goals, your scores, your outcomes — they are not your identity.
They are data points. Not definitions.
When we start measuring our worth in percentages or ribbons, we risk turning something soulful and nuanced into a performance review with hooves.
Because at the core of dressage isn’t perfection — it’s partnership.
It’s showing up, rain or shine, for a creature that doesn’t speak your language but somehow understands your soul.
So breathe. Laugh. Cry if you need to.
But remember: the arena doesn’t determine your value.
It reveals your willingness to keep learning, adjusting, and showing up with grace — even when your inside leg is ignored like a politely worded email.
You’re not just training a horse. You’re sculpting a deeper self.
And that… isn’t something you’ll find on a score sheet.
