03/12/2026
A NOTE FROM ASHLEY—
I have a deep appreciation for the horses that just want to do it. The ones born to win who will likely find a way regardless of who trains them. The ones you knew had “it” the first time you swung a leg over them. The ones that show up with determination and grit and can overcome almost any circumstance, as if they care about winning just as much as you do. Those kinds are few and far between, and if you have had, or are lucky enough to have one, I hope you truly realize and appreciate the rarity and greatness of that individual.
But let’s not overlook the lessons that can be learned from the challenging ones.
The ones you can feel it in, but they only give you small glimpses at a time, just enough to keep you hooked. The ones that make you dig deeper, try harder, think outside the box, go back to the drawing board, or phone a friend. The ones that make you use every resource you have, pull out tack you have to dust off, find videos of one you had five years ago that was similar — trying to remember what helped you get that one to the next level.
There are far more horses like the latter, and there is so much to be learned from them.
These are the ones that teach you more about yourself. They make you dig deeper and become resilient. How you react to the process should lead you to self-reflect and reveal your true heart — and why you do this in the first place. Do you do it only because you want to win, or do you do it for the love of the horse and the sport? Does your pride get in the way when it doesn’t happen as quickly as you hoped, or when they make you look bad in public?
Learn to love the process and appreciate what they are teaching you. Be patient, and don’t waver in your horsemanship because of pride.
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