Life Lesson from Horse Riding

I used to read a Manga about a horse named "Sylphid". A young horse with a pair of weak leg which eventually trained and turned into a fastest racing horse. I'm not going to share how can a weak horse turned into a powerful racing horse, but throughout the process and even in the racing arena, there are some life lessons that we can learn from riding a horse:

1. Always look where you are going. If you must take a circuitous route, don't run over the instructor. They tend to get very upset when a thousand plus pound animal is coming at them out of control. This applies to the people you meet daily. Don't run over them out of control.
2. Keep in balance. Everything will flow together in harmony if you simply allow it.
3. Plan ahead. This means have respect for another's personal space. No one likes it when you run up behind them and stay there. They are moving at the pace that is comfortable for them. Make allowances. Honor their right to be right where they are. (Refer to number 1.)
4. Know your stride and be ready to adjust it if necessary. (This refers back to number 1 and 3.)
5. Forward! Always forward! This is a dressage term that means even when it is necessary to back up the momentum is still going forward.
6. When navigating any obstacle focus upon the next obstacle. Consider the obstacle as merely a step in the overall course.
7. When you fall off, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, understand the mistake you made that caused you to fall off and then get right back in the saddle.
8. Teach and train; not punish and blame. This is used in dog training. Prepare yourself through learning and understanding. Ultimately the choices you make are based on learning and understanding. Take responsibility for your actions and feelings. Should you find your understandings and actions no longer serve you, change them. Change your actions and thought and you will change your life and world.

May all your falls be gentle ones and your mistakes little ones. May you learn to walk in Balance and fly over obstacles.

"Change of life starts with change of mindset followed by change of action"
- unknown -