Gratitude in the Stirrups
Josie: “Hey guys! I am here with Riley Conant to talk about controlling your frustration and using gratitude while riding green hunter ponies and regular hunter ponies. Riley, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your riding journey so far?”
Riley: “I am 13 years old, and I ride in the Rated Mediums, Rated Larges, and Green Large Ponies! I’ve been riding for 5 years and have been on ponies the entire time. I’ve gone to Pony Finals twice, and my ponies and I were super successful!”
Josie: “How is riding a green pony different from riding a regular pony?”
Riley: “Riding a green pony is completely different from riding a regular pony! It’s super hard on both ponies. I have a green pony who’s nine—he’s super fancy and has a huge jump. He’s always looking around and sometimes feels like he’s not paying attention. I have to stay calm and listen to what he’s telling me. My regular pony is super “been there, done that.” He knows everything and he’s almost 17. He wants me to be there for him all the time, but he also wants me to let him do his thing. Riding them is completely different, but one thing is the same for both: you always need to stay calm and try to listen to what they are saying to you. If they’re going super fast, you might need to stop spurring them. Or if they’re spooking, talk to them to calm them down. The horse always comes first—before you and before your emotions.”
Josie: “How do you control your frustration when it appears?”
Riley: “Sometimes I have a super hard time doing that! I’m really hard on myself and set high expectations, but it’s not about winning the class. It’s about me, my trainers, and of course my pony feeling like I had a great round. If I don’t, I remind myself of what was amazing and then what could have been better. I like to think of things in a positive way—like how lucky we are that we get to train these amazing animals who carry us around and jump pretty sticks! These animals trust us, and we don’t want to get angry if they couldn’t take a long spot or saw something and spooked. I think about what we could have improved on, not what was horrible.”
Josie: “Do you have any strategies for reminding yourself how grateful you should be?”
Riley: “Yes! After each show day, I journal about how everything went. If a class didn’t go well, I highlight something else—like hanging out with a different pony or friends from another state that I don’t get to see often! My parents always tell me, “You only have one life.” I like to focus on the good vibes of life!”
Josie: “This is such great advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences.”
Riley: “Of course! Thank you!”
