Is what we do a sport or a hobby? Does being a rider automatically make one an athlete? There are many ways to enjoy a hobby; and not every hobby needs to have a significant impact on the rest of one’s life. No doubt, riding can be rewarding as a hobby. Participating successfully at the higher levels won’t happen without the mindset of an athlete, however.

In this regard, our sport is no different than most any other.

Two things brought this clearly to mind recently. One was a wonderful letter drafted by trainer Janet Salem (of Patchwork Farm near Atlanta) that she shared with me during a clinic I did there in February. She wrote the memo (see sidebars) to clarify her response to those new clients who assert that their riding goal is either the “Big Eq” division or achieving a college scholarship based on riding.

Janet feels that it’s important for riders to have goals, and it’s wonderful when they dream big. Yet she knows—and wants her clients to be aware—that the process will be an exercise in futility unless their level of desire and commitment matches their goals.

At about the same time, I read a front page article on Tiger Woods in USA Today. Though not a golfer, I’ve always been fascinated by this incredibly gifted athlete whose sport has a mental aspect similar to our own. The USA Today article made clear the level of commitment and hard work involved, even for a golfer with Tiger’s natural ability.

Being an equestrian athlete isn’t essential to a rider whose goals are recreational riding or even competing in the less competitive divisions. Just as in other sports, however, the higher your aspirations, the more work—and the greater the commitment of time and energy—required to achieve them.

Many people outside our sport are under the impression that the “horse does it all.” But when a rider is under this impression it can be especially dangerous. Yes, a wonderful horse can cover up many of the inadequacies of an inexperienced or less prepared rider, but the horse can’t do it all.

For a horseman, it’s particularly sad to watch when a horse is taking the blame (or paying the price) for the shortcomings of his rider. It’s even worse when the rider seems to think that that’s what the horse is meant to do. No matter how deep the financial resources of the rider, this fact cannot always overcome a rider who has a negative impact in the horse/rider partnership.

Any rider who aspires to success at the top of his or her level, be it grand prix, high junior/amateur or national medal classes, shouldn’t be under the impression that all it takes is purchasing the expensive horse, going to a top trainer, and riding when and how it happens to be convenient.

In his riding days, German champion Paul Schokemöhle, after a win used to modestly state, “even a blind squirrel sometimes finds an acorn.”

Seldom true in Paul’s case, it’s true in our sport that it’s possible to get lucky in a class, and good luck is more frequent with a more expensive horse! 

More consistent results don’t come from luck, however, they come as a consequence of commitment, hard work and dogged attention to basic riding skills. Prevailing in the best of company takes all of the above in even larger quantities.

I believe the attitude and abilities of an equestrian athlete so well enumerated by Janet Salem in the sidebar should be taken to heart by all riders before declaring that their goal is the upper levels of our sports.

John Madden wrote an excellent column urging us all to rise to the challenge of the greats before us.

Regardless of which hero from the past one chooses, it’s a certainty that that individual had dedication and an incredible work ethic to go with his or her talent. In some cases, great horsemen didn’t even start out as natural-born talents, but incredible intensity and desire overcame this handicap and great success was the result. Casual attitudes do not realize lofty goals–in our sport or any other.

Everything we read or observe about Tiger Woods makes clear that he’s the antithesis of “casual.” Becoming America’s highest-paid athlete hasn’t dulled his intensity one whit. On the contrary, he’s continued to elevate his game even after accomplishing what most couldn’t begin to dream of achieving.

Throughout his career he’s meshed his considerable physical talent with equal doses of focus, commitment, strategy and nerve. Five areas were cited in the USA Today article as contributing to his unprecedented success in an individual sport, one that, I believe, has much in common with the highest levels in our own sport.

The first thing mentioned was “The Mind Game.” A sports psychologist who worked with Tiger during his teenage years noted that Tiger’s “commitment for excellence” was there from the start. Nike’s founder, Phil Knight, signed Tiger just days after he won his third U.S. Amateur title stating that, “For all Tiger’s physical talents, his greatest weapon is his brain. You will not out-think Tiger. He studies. He learns. He’s always asking questions. He knows there is more to achieve.”

This is an attitude that serves well anyone with serious goals in our own sport.

The second point in the article was titled “Finding Motivation.”  Tiger’s tendency to find motivation is legendary, and it comes from within. Setting high goals and achieving them wasn’t something he did only until he achieved No. 1. Goal setting—and strategizing how to achieve them—is how Tiger works. He knows how to motivate himself to achieve even more. His rivals declare that he never lets down or succumbs to self-satisfaction. This never-ending drive to improve is a trait shared by our sport’s top competitors today and by the greats who preceded them.

Being fit and rested is taken seriously by serious athletes. It’s listed third in the USA Today article. Tiger has taken this to new levels–much to the dismay of many of his competitors who don’t have a love of the gym or who have a hard time passing by any and every tournament. Being healthy, fit and fresh matters–even in sports where the pace doesn’t exceed a walk, or in one where your partner (the caddy) provides much of the physical effort.

The article lists “Confidence to Change” as its fourth point. Twice during his career Tiger has taken the time and effort to make swing changes–a scary proposition for any pro golfer, let alone one who is at the top of the charts. When asked why, Tiger’s response was, “You make changes to get better.”

Daring to go back to basics has strengthened his game, giving him more shots than he ever had before. He also relies strongly on his own knowledge of swing mechanics, stating “…no one is going to help you inside the ropes to figure it out,” when for whatever reason you don’t “have your best stuff” on a given day.
The best athletes don’t forgo coaching when they hit the big time; they also don’t rely on coaching as a substitute for their own knowledge base.

In its final point the article acknowledges Tiger’s unique talent. Sheer physical power is certainly a part of this golfer, but Nike engineers spoke of his attention to detail that goes along with it. After testing three new clubs he told them he liked “the light one.” Engineers told him they all weighed the same. His insistence that one was lighter led to a re-weighing of all three. Guess what? The difference Tiger noted was fact–only 2 grams but recognizable to an athlete who knows his stuff.

It’s easy to compare this ability to the rider/horseman who will detect the start of his horse’s physical problem long before even the best veterinarian can see it–and often in time for simple and short treatment to prevent more serious damage.

There’s much to be learned from the successful in our own sport, in other sports, or in the world at large. For riders with the desire to go to the top, it’s never a bad idea to examine your short- and long-term goals and then to give realistic acknowledgment to what’s involved in reaching them.

By Linda Allen