Obligation or Recreation

Think about your favorite athlete.
Whether it's Karen O'Connor,
David Beckham,
Peyton Manning,
or Michael Jordan...
A significant reason they have become so famous
is because of their raw talent.
A more significant reason for their stature
is because of their dedication to developing that talent.
Horseback riding works the same as any other sport.
How would someone know they are a prodigy without having mounted a horse?
It takes more than natural talent.
It takes more than skill.
It takes commitment.
It takes sacrifice.
It takes pure love of the sport...
not the fame that accompanies being in the sport.
Before cantering around the stadium course
with a blue ribbon attached to your boot,
you had to sweat a lot.
You had to cry a little.
You had to work your butt off... sometimes literally.
You might have even had to bleed.
You had to wake up every morning knowing you were going to ride later,
Wear riding britches everyday,
Tie your boots everyday,
Drive to the stables everyday,
Groom your horse everyday,
Tack up your horse everyday,
Ride for about an hour concentrating on solely this,
Listen to an instructor critic your every move,
Untack your horse everyday,
Wash your horse everyday,
Drive home everyday,
And repeat the process tomorrow.
This is why most kids quit once they get to high school or college.
You can't just pick up and go on a road-trip with friends.
You can't just veg out on the couch and watch T.V. all day.
You can't let more than one day go without riding.
That is, if you aspire to compete without humiliation.
Don't grow weary, my dear friends.
It may seem obligatory.
But
without our obligations to the sport,
then it wouldn't feel recreational anymore.
It's work...
most times.
But sometimes...
it's divinely beautiful playtime.