10/10/2026
So…our team just finished up a great series of competitions…lots of personal growth, challenges and homework.
There is a lot swirling in our HJ world right now …from rule changes, to power struggles, issues of horse welfare and riders/owners/farms looking at rising costs.
First …this is MY opinion and I am trying hard to focus on positivity and things that can really move us toward positive change.
Take time to actually look at this photo …what do you see?
Well …no shortcuts and a sense of tradition that helps us remember what our sport is about.
I see my daughter educating another student learning how to tie A REAL stock tie… not a pre assembled one … many find this practice completely useless and this is one small example about subtle shifts in culture that lead to bigger issues
1) how many even know WHAT a stock tie was for?
2) why take the time to pass down this heritage?
3) what does a simple act of learning a new skill teach us about life?
Ok….
1) A stock tie is an art …when well done …but its purpose was to be part of an emergency kit when out in the fields and forests 🦊fox hunting. Fastened with a simple gold safety pin it could be used as a sling, a leg wrap, a pressure bandage for a serious wound. It was a beautiful way to carry a necessary item that could save a life.
2) Setting an example of passing down knowledge to the next generation. A lovely British riding instructor named Elsie Engle taught me how to tie my first stock tie before I went on my first hunt at age 10. She insisted I practice the skill. I passed this down to MY daughter …ironically when SHE turned 10 and attended Pony Finals for the first time… and here she is passing the art and skill of a true stock tie to another aspiring equestrian attending her first big finals. Both the teacher and the pupil get to share a moment of history and connect in a personal way saying …this matters …YOU matter …and that moment in time is etched in the psyche … true connection.
3) A REAL stock tie can seem like a waste of time … but is it??? In this day of instant fixes and run run run like a rabbit …practicing a skill, especially a NEW one builds a mental pathway that AI or phone searches on tik tok just don’t connect. Our brains are wired to be challenged, our fingers have to follow the pattern, our breathing has to slow as we concentrate OR speed UP when we are frustrated …but once we master that new skill the brain 🧠 says AHA!!! Time for the next challenge.
So how does this relate to our current state in our world as equestrians or even as human beings??
Words matter …did you read the beginning of this post? Notice I used the word “team”. This sport can be VERY self centered …we have always taught our riders and parents that we are a TEAM. Did you notice the other student in the background? She was done showing …but was helping get the next competitor’s horse ready while her team mate took the time to prepare her attire for her big class. No one had to ask …that’s just what we do at CSF - we help each other …that does not just happen …it is leadership with intent.
I challenge all of us to slow down (speaking to myself too).
What shortcuts do we take for success that shift our culture away from the art and beauty of mastering a skill?
How have we lost a personal connection with those around us as we all sit, heads down, scrolling thru endless things on our phone as the real world 🌎 swirls right by us…
Who mentors YOU? Who do YOU mentor?
Language is important. It’s sets a tone, it defines what you truly care about, it can shift your mindset either to a positive or a negative sometimes in JUST one word.
Just something to ponder …happy Saturday. Prayers for those in the path of the hurricane …whether it be the rain coming at you or the hurricane inside your heart …may we all slow down and do our best today …wherever life is taking you.❤️🐴❤️
