10/02/2025
As an observer of this sport…I see so many things that make me worry about the future development for the love of the horse and love of the sport…
We must ask ourselves…are we disciplined, determined and dedicated to the horsemanship and long term success or are we seeking instant gratification?
To win once or to become a true competitor?
To be a rider or a horseman?
To learn the skills and be able to execute them or be a passenger on a 🦄
This sport is expensive. The expense comes from sacrifices, a lifestyle commitment and in dollars and cents or heavy sweat equity. What’s it worth to you?
In skiing, if you get over your sticks…you crash…same goes for horses…risk management says you reduce the risk of a crash with education, time, mastery of skills, trusting the process and commiting to check all the boxes before you take a swing at the next level.
Identifying your path takes time…and time will always reveal attention to details or lack thereof. Choose a path that helps you become the horse person you’ve always wanted to be.
Repeatable, consistent success for a variety of horses and riders is who I look to admire, appreciate and do business with!
In a sport that prizes quick rounds, big wins, and moving up the levels, it’s no surprise that many riders look for shortcuts. But according to Geoff Teall, one of equitation’s most respected voices, rushing the process only guarantees that you’ll fall behind in the long run. In Geoff Teall on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation: Develop a Winning Style, he makes a simple but powerful case: when it comes to riding, the fastest way forward is often the slowest.
From the outside, riding looks deceptively simple. Keep your heels down, establish an even pace, maintain steady contact… those are hardly complicated ideas. But, as Teall points out, while the concepts are easy to understand, “they can take a long time to master.” That disconnect often leads riders to cut corners.
It’s human nature to want results right away. Maybe it’s moving up to the next division, skipping the flatwork to get to the jumps, or relying on gadgets that seem to promise a quick fix. At first, it might even look like it’s working. But Teall warns that riders who leap ahead too fast are setting themselves up for a harsh reality check later.
One of Teall’s most memorable lines is simple: “The fast way is the slow way.” His reasoning is straightforward. When riders skip the basics, they eventually have to go back and relearn them. That means more time wasted unlearning bad habits than it would have taken to do things correctly from the start.
He compares this to the old fable of the tortoise and the hare: the rider who builds steadily, brick by brick, eventually outpaces the one who sprinted ahead but crumbled under the weight of missed fundamentals.
Teall insists that solid equitation is about mastering small pieces and then putting them together into an effective whole. For example, you can’t have a good position without a good leg, and you can’t have a good leg without a correctly placed foot in the stirrup. These basics may seem minor, but they create the foundation for everything else.
Instead of being discouraged by how long it takes, Teall encourages riders to take pride in the process. Working through the physical demands of correct position—legs stretched down, weight in the heels, core strong and lifted, hands elastic—isn’t easy. But it’s those difficult, disciplined habits that make communication with the horse clear and effective.
A big reason people look for shortcuts is the myth of natural talent. It’s tempting to believe that if something doesn’t come easily, you’re just not cut out for it. Teall calls this a “ridiculous excuse.” In his view, talent is “a very, very small piece of the puzzle” compared to discipline and determination.
That’s good news for most riders. Success isn’t limited to the naturally gifted. The rider who shows up consistently, works methodically, and stays focused on the basics will eventually outshine the one who relies only on raw ability.
📎 Continue reading the article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/09/29/the-fast-way-is-the-slow-way-why-patience-wins-in-riding/
📸 © Heather N. Photography
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