Over the past week, as the leaves change color and we start to slow down for the year, I’ve been reflecting on my second season as a professional. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle culture and the whirlwind of life, especially as a young professional who’s just trying to make it in the equestrian world. I find it so easy to lose sight of the success that I’ve worked so hard to achieve. 

It can be hard to see the true amount of progress that’s been made when you do the same thing day in and day out, week after week. I sometimes find myself feeling like my ride never seems to be all that much better than the last. 

As a trainer and coach, I’m not out here trying to take every horse and rider team to the Olympics or at the Grand Prix level. My goal is to help horses and riders learn to communicate effectively and enjoy the time they spend together. While I didn’t take anyone to the Olympics or even any schooling shows this year, my clients and their horses have come so far. Compared to where we started this spring, everyone has huge wins to celebrate.

I make it a point whenever I’m riding or teaching to praise both horses and riders for even the smallest try. We can’t run without walking first and any little movement in the correct direction deserves praise. While I find it so easy to praise others for their small amounts of progress and ecstatically celebrate their little victories, it can be hard to do the same for myself.

I found this past year that day to day it didn't feel like I was making any forward progress, in life or with the horses. But, when I take the time to look back on the past year, I realize how successful I truly have been. At the beginning of the year, I had horses that had never left the safety of the round pen but now are cantering in an open hay field. I had riders who were afraid of being on their horses by themselves who are now independently riding without fear.

To see the success, I had to take a minute to “zoom out” and look at the big picture. I want to encourage you to do the same: recognize your progress by reframing the way you look at things. When you change the way you view progress and success, you’ll see that you are so much more successful than you think you are.

Here are a few things that can help you reframe your mindset on success that I find helpful:

1. Take photos and videos of your rides, training sessions, and horses. That way, you can look back and see the changes that have been made. The photos and videos speak for themselves. 

2. I’m not a big writer, but I’ve been working on journaling after sessions. I use Equilab to log my training sessions and it has a “notes” section where you can write whatever you want. Write about what went well, what you worked on, and what you want to focus on next time. If you’re not a big writer, that’s okay. I "cheat" and use voice-to-text to save my thumbs. If you’re really into paper and pen, get a notebook and write it out that way.

3. The last tip that I have for changing the way you view success is to debrief your training sessions with someone. Whether that be a friend, coach, or family member, talking about your session will force you to acknowledge the successes. Sometimes, it just takes saying out loud, “I did this today with my horse and it went well.”

Wherever you are in your equestrian journey, be proud of yourself. You’ve worked hard and you deserve to enjoy your success, your progress, and your achievements.