Embarrassment. If you are afraid of it, you might want to get out of horses right now!
Horses will embarrass you. And their timing for doing so, is impeccable. It's usually in front of a large crowd, that person you bragged to about how well your horse was doing, when there's a big payout on the line, in front of a notable trainer... you name an important time and they will pull out something they've never done before. It's embarassing!🤦♀️
But I'm going to let you in on a secret. Put on your muck boots, this is about to get deep! You cannot, I repeat, cannot, be embarrassed if you don't want to be. The power of being embarrassed lies within you. Deep, right?? And I'm going to let you in on another secret. Nobody cares! I'm serious, they really don't! I'd say 90% of the time, we create thoughts for other people in our own heads. What must they think??? Oh my gosh, they probably think.....blah blah blah. When you really get into the psychology of it, how important do we really think we are? So important that we believe people we barely know, if we know at all, have an opinion about us, our horses, or our run? Kind of arrogant, don't you think? If this is you, refer back up to the first paragraph to see how that one turns out.
Here's the thing. You may have heard it said, "Opinions are like buttholes, everyone's got one" and that is 100% true. It is human nature to have an opinion. Whether you are doing things right, wrong, winning or losing, everyone is going to have an opinion about it. And depending on how much they like you, these judgements will vary wildly. So what can you do?? The answer is this.... nothing. You do you. You keep trying to be better than you were yesterday... for you!
And let's address those people who aren't friends or maybe were friends but aren't anymore. The one's who loooove to see you deal with misfortunes, who enjoy it way too much when your horse does something cringeworthy, the people who can't wait to tell everyone else and make fun of you. That really says more about who they are than who you are. The less reaction you have, the less power they have over you. This is really the hardest part to mentally overcome. But I promise, if you stay so focused on you, you can't be affected. And that makes the toughest competitors. You just might one day thank those bitches for forcing you to become better than them! "Hey, Thanks Bitches! Bye, now!"🙋🏼♀️
A few thoughts to leave with you to ruminate on...
1. What other people think of you is none of you business. - It truly isn't. Not much you can do about it other than be you and they will like you or they won't. It's better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you aren't.
2. Your opinion of yourself is the key to happiness. -Give it to someone else and misery will follow you everywhere.
3. You would worry less about what other people think of you, if you realized how seldom they do.- Most people are so wrapped up in what they look like, what their horses are doing, what other people think of them, that they don't even notice what's going on with you.
4. If you own horses, you better practice humility and get comfortable with it.- It's a place you will be sent often especially if you start forgetting the horse makes the rider, not the other way around.
5. Know that you aren't special, everyone has something embarrassing happen to them courtesy of their equine partner. -Laugh a little but not too much, it might be you next! Be empathetic to those it happens to because if you haven't been there, you will be at some point.
6. If you aren't ready to be talked about, good or bad, you aren't ready for success. - They are going to talk no matter what you do. Pick a handful of people who's opinions truly matter to you. Ones who are there to help you grow and improve. Ask for their thoughts but don't be afraid to disagree with them either. At the end of the day, you know what's right for you and your horse.
And last but not least..
7. Be selfish. Be so focused on you and your horses you can't hear the unwanted opinions of people who don't matter to you. You don't have to be rude, though many will perceive it that way, but you do need to have very tight, strong boundaries. If people find that rude, well then, maybe they should not have said anything in the first place. That's on them.
Moral of the story: Embarrassment is inevitable. Everyone will have an opinion. It's up to you how you react, how quick you let it go, and how fast you move on and recover. Stay focused on you, be happy with your accomplishments big and small and you will win everytime!
And remember: Embarrassment is the cost of entry, if you aren't willing to look like a foolish beginner, you'll never become a graceful master.✌
Mazie doing a little buck leaving the 3rd barrel, putting several inches of air under my butt.
