This past week, I substituted in an elementary class and quickly realized that I was not giving the children the opportunity to struggle! For a simple worksheet or an Ipad assignment, they would ask me how to do every question and I would immediately help them. I came to the conclusion that I was not giving the children the opportunity to struggle and figure out how to solve the problem individually, before giving them the solution!

In the past while at the barn, I have always felt a little bit guilty when we make students struggle to put on the saddle or bridle without our assistance. That guilt is gone now. I have discovered a new value in figuring out how to do things for yourself. Our goal has always been to create a program to produce independent riders, and I think we are on the right track. Struggling is the key!
Struggling to get the tack on, struggling to learn diagonals, struggling to comprehend advanced movements and so many other struggles teach us how to live. So as a late New Year’s resolution, I have decided to make sure our riders struggle with something this year so we can make sure they are learning true life lessons. This will enable the students to get up when they fall down, to keep trying when the answer is not obvious and to persevere when they feel like quitting. YES…riding horses teaches us so much more than just “how to ride a horse.”