(*I’m in the midst of writing a semi-memoir about the horses who have helped me grow as a person – and I’ll be sharing some of the excerpts as I go on this blog)
Today’s spotlight: Triple Wish, aka Miz Wish, the Diva, the Queen
Attitude is both everything and nothing. Without attitude, we can skate by without creating any waves. With it, we can change the world.
I’m not about to say that only with a positive attitude can we accomplish a positive outcome. The world can be unkind. It can do its level best to break us. And there are times where our attitudes might falter with the times. But what horses have taught me, and helped me to see within myself, is how important it is to know my self worth, and to have an attitude that proves it. There are times when even that seems impossible, but this was, perhaps, the lesson that was the hardest to learn. With that, it is the one that stays burning the longest.
Some horses are gentle giants, or gentle ponies, taking the time to teach us all that they can. Some horses are…not. Instead of gentle cues, and subtle corrections, they will stop in the middle of what they’re doing. Sometimes, they’ll even stop in the middle of doing something that they love just to prove a point. Wish was just such a horse.
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Some teachers are the kind, mentoring type. They do their best to make sure everyone can see the best in every situation. They try to keep things even and equal. Then there are the teachers who tell it just as it is, with no filter. Wish was definitely the latter. And I learned so much from her. It could be brutal, oh so brutal, but it could also be so very beautiful. I learned medium trot with her, flying changes, and rode faster than I ever had before. And at the end of every day, I knew that her attitude would still be just as strong as it was before. She was so self-confident, so sure of herself, and there was something to be said about that – something to be respected.
One of the enduring lessons that Wish has taught me is that there are times where it’s best not to care what the world around me thinks. I can be a slow learner – she’ll attest to that – but once the lessons are learned, they never leave, least of all with such a demanding teacher. There was a lot that had to be unlearned when it came to jumping from Wish, but there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that I wouldn’t be half the rider I am today without her. And if I had given up on that day all those years ago, I would never have learned what she wanted me to know. I needed to have that same attitude – to see the world as a challenge, and to see myself as ready and worthy to take it on.
These days, Wish is nearing her 32nd birthday (according to the Jockey Club, she passed that milestone on January 1st). However, even now, she still takes the time to run for the joy of it, at least one lap every day. And she will never stop being the opinionated mare I first met. And therein lies the lesson learned – she has always been sure of herself, and refused to fundamentally change for anyone.
Be a Wish – know your own worth, and have the attitude to flaunt it.
Haute Ecole* 