10/21/2026
“When you shine bright, everyone suddenly becomes an expert on how you should burn.”
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one couldn't prove that more perfectly. I am absolutely obsessed with this photo. I can't imagine a better way to have ended the week. Because when you shine bright, everyone suddenly has an opinion on how you should do it. And this team sure did SHINE!
This was Justin's very first Morgan Grand National. He's been riding with Amy of Amy at the Barn since he was just 8 years old.
Finding a friend and trainer who shares your philosophy is a rare gift. And finding someone who still believes in teaching TRUE horsemanship? That is becoming a lost art.
Horsemanship isn't simply learning how to ride a particular horse. It's developing the feel, patience, understanding, and ability to get on a horse you barely know, figure out what makes them tick, and build a partnership with what's underneath you. It's knowing when to ask, when to listen, and when to simply let the horse tell you what he needs.
Amy has instilled those skills in Justin, and watching them shine through this young man all week was something special.
And then there's Comet.
This is a horse I have known from the start, and I've so enjoyed watching his journey and growth with Amy. He's a horse with a lot going on between those ears, and not everyone has the patience or understanding to appreciate that kind of mind.
To watch how far he's come under Amy's guidance, to the point that she could confidently send him into the arena with a 16-year-old rider who was new to him, speaks volumes about the work she's put into this horse and the skills she's taught her student.
And boy, did this team SHINE!
So brightly, in fact, that it seemed everyone in the background suddenly wanted to coach the ride. But Justin? He stayed humble. Polite. Quiet. And confident enough to trust what he knew and had been taught. Because at the end of the day, the only two people who truly understood the language this horse needed in that moment were Justin and his coach, Amy.
And what makes this photo even more special to me?
Standing in the background is a gentleman from my generation. Someone who, I believe, recognized exactly what he was witnessing. The skill, the patience, and the quiet horsemanship of a young rider handling a very excited horse. And look at that proud smile! I have no doubt that had their paths crossed later in the barn aisle, he would have stopped to congratulate Justin and acknowledge what he'd just seen. That kind of recognition, horseman to horseman, is something I grew up around and something I wish we saw more of today.
Because what might have looked like a little reining show to the audience was actually something much more meaningful.
Comet LOVES to leave the arena with enthusiasm! And here was Justin, quiet and patient, remembering everything his trainer had taught him. Filtering out the noise, resisting the temptation to react, and instead giving this horse exactly what he needed. A training moment. And Justin understood that.
THIS is horsemanship.
Of all the moments at this year's Grand National, this is the one that made me proudest.
A horse who was once written off by others. A trainer who saw something worth believing in, took the time to understand him, and allowed him to become the horse he was capable of being. And then trusted that horse and her own teaching enough to share him with a young rider. A young rider who listened, learned, trusted the process, and gave that horse the same understanding and respect his trainer had shown him.
That, to me, is perfection. And there isn't a ribbon in the world that could ever measure it.
I am beyond proud of Amy, Justin, and Comet. And even more grateful that I get to call you my friends. ❤️
The ribbons will eventually fade. The lessons in horsemanship never will.
