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𝑼𝙣𝒃𝙧𝒊𝙙𝒍𝙚𝒅 𝑭𝙖𝒊𝙩𝒉
I saw a video from a horse show that took place recently. This was a large, recognized event, and there were different levels of horses and riders competing.
The video was of a rider named Ashley Jackson and the horse Tooo Suen, lovingly called “Boonie”. After Ashley entered the arena, her pattern started with loping one large circle. At the beginning of her second faster circle, it was immediately clear that something was not right. You could see as the horse continued that his bridle had broken, and the bit was hanging outside of his mouth. This tack malfunction would cause almost any rider to stop and risk disqualification, due to the nature of losing connection and possible communication with their horse. However, Ashley decided to continue. At this point, everyone in the arena is aware of what’s going on. How will this play out? It appeared as though the rider would lose the ability to control her horse? Thankfully for Ashley and Boonie, that wasn’t the case. They continued the pattern, with the reins wrapped around the horse's neck. The next phase of the pattern was the sliding stop. The horse heads down the center of the arena at a gallop, before tucking his hind end and sliding to a stop, leaving a long line of skid marks in the sand. Once they stopped, the horse stood still and turned his head to look at the rider as if he was saying, “what’s next? I’m ready if you’re ready.”
While not a perfect run, the pair completed the pattern and ended with a positive score, despite the unexpected “wardrobe” malfunction. It was an incredible feat to watch, especially considering the horse Too Suen is only 4 years old, and the pair had not been together very long.
This isn’t the first time I have seen a video of something like this. In November of 2018 Dan Huss, an individual Silver Medalist in the World Equestrian Games, returned for the retirement run of his horse Ms Dreamy. At the beginning of his run, Ms Dreamy’s bridle broke and fell off. It fell in a way that risked getting tangled in her legs, so Dan reached down and grabbed the pieces with two hands which ultimately disqualified them. However, they did not let this stop their run. This was their final ride after all! This ride wasn’t about winning a prize, this was now a glory ride. The two executed what seemed to be a nearly flawless pattern. Because of this, Dan, and everyone who witnessed the event, knew he had already won. He won the heart and full surrender of his horse, as well as captivating the crowd by the power of their performance and relationship.
In a follow up interview the commentator said “the crowd was going wild!” Dan replied, “I don’t pay attention to the crowd.” He smiled and appeared to tear up as he watched the replay of his ride. The joy he had as he watched his horse confidently execute each maneuver radiated through him. He was so pleased with her, and excited for her talent to be recognized.
A fellow professional and Hall of Fame horseman said “while no one wants this to happen during their ride, it showcased what this horse is made of, but more so it showed what Dan is made of. It shows the foundation he put on her and we saw that put to the test.”
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, horses reach their most glorious state when they have learned to submit and surrender to their Master. Outside of that relationship, they would never reach their full potential and purpose. A horse is most glorified when its Master's work is recognized through them. A horse that can be ridden bareback and bridleless isn’t the one that gets the credit, it’s the Master who gets the glory. The horse is just a reflection of the Master's good work and a beneficiary of their glory.
Here are the things that stuck out to me:
1. You don’t have to be far in your journey and relationship to build trust. You just need to dedicate yourself and take a leap of faith. (1 Timothy 4:12)
2. Surround yourself with people who are walking in a healthy and meaningful relationship with the Master. They have the experience to be a steady, wise and trustworthy example in your life. (Titus 2:7-8)
3. The Master delights in his relationship with those he loves and who choose to follow him. (Zephaniah 3:17)
4. You will be the best version of you, even when difficult circumstances come your way, when you choose to surrender yourself to a loving Master that has your best interest in mind, and you will be rewarded by the fruit of the Master's good work through you. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
5. When things go wrong, we are given an opportunity to whine or shine. (James 1:2-4)
So, my question to you is, as the bit hangs down out of the mouth, when it feels like you’ve lost all connection, when your circumstances feel broken or your world seems to fall apart, do you stay true to what you know? It’s important for us to remember… to know what you know, and learn as you go, and to put our trust into a Master who loves us and gives us the opportunity to live our lives to the fullest through Him.
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