High Performance Values for Equestrians

the task at hand when we are riding and to find the lesson in mistakes and setbacks. It encourages us to stay connected to the bigger picture of our progress in the sport instead of getting overly focused on shortterm outcomes and results.
2. Choose to value struggle and challenge instead of ease. 
Sometimes we mistakenly associate talent and ability with ease. We assume if we are good enough it should feel easy or we should be able to make it look easy. When we value ease we are more concerned with things looking a certain way or feeling a certain way than we are with real growth and progress. Talent and ability are created through struggle. We must be willing to struggle to grow our skill. Choosing to value struggle takes things one step further. Its a decision to not just tolerate struggle but to actively seek it out by pushing outside of your comfort zone taking on challenges and enjoying the process of developing new skills. Its saying I dont need this to be easy in fact I want this to be difficult because Im here to be challenged to find out what I can do and to grow in all the ways I can. 
3. Choose to value consistent improvement instead of being the best. 
Being the best implies a focus on being better than others as a measurement of success but what does it really mean to be the best? Is the best rider the one who goes clear but kicks and whips their horse around the course or the rider who rides more compassionately yet has a rail? When we get caught up in being the best we become distracted by our ego the part of us that fears making mistakes and the opinions of others both of which are outside of our control. Valuing consistent improvement means letting go of needing to control the outcome or others opinions and instead saying the most important thing is to just keep getting better. This shifts our focus back to the things we do control such as our attitude and reactions.
Through our conversation Rachel recognised that her experience of achievement had become warped by the pressure to win. Although she and her horse had not been placing the way she had hoped progress learning and growth were happening regardless. Through realigning herself to the three highperformance values described above