I’m not entirely convinced you ever stop learning when you ride. The learning curve probably looks like a never-ending uphill staircase. I'm glad to say though that I’ve recently come out of a stagnation phase and I can now finally feel I’m making progress.
Does this mean it’s a visible step up?
Arguably. I’m sure my instructors do feel there is a change too, but can they firmly say I have improved my riding? I’m not entirely sure.
The thing is, I do believe that a lot of riding experience comes from feeling: the horse, your own emotional state, the environment, and yet you have to decide to only pay attention to the harmony and the dance you can create with your horse.
Lately, I feel amazing at the end of every lesson, no matter the specific achievement, there is for sure teaching in every moment spent with a horse. This is a very stark contrast to my recent post on frustration and it shows how perseverance, patience, and consistency are key when trying to “master” a skill.
Whether we really need 10,000 hours of practice, inner talent or true dedication is another story, but for now, I’m going to keep on this high for a while. [And in any case, I don’t have 10,000 hours ahead of me that I can dedicate completely to horse-riding… so let’s focus on dedication and mindset].
Do you have similar experiences?
