“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” — Isaiah 64:8

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I grew up in a family that loves horses. Both my parents spent time in their childhood around these beautiful animals and I’ve had opportunities to ride and be around them as well. When watching a horse competition on TV a while ago, I was reminded of what wonderful examples they can be, especially since there are so many similarities between them and personality traits of people. Whether you’re a parent, coach, leader, spouse or friend, I hope you find these lessons helpful as I have.

1) Don’t miss the power of encouragement. If you watch good show riders, they will often give the horse encouragement mid-run. They understand the power of positive enforcement — the more you let the horse know you are pleased with them and their performance, the more they will want to continue trying and doing well.

Unfortunately, many lead from a place of negative energy — they’re always telling people everything that’s wrong instead of focusing on the little wins and lifting them up to the level they are wanting. We don’t need to stroke anybody’s ego, but some positive praise and encouragement go a long way.

2) Heart, courage and confidence are what matters, not appearance. Sometimes you’ll get a horse that isn’t all that attractive or necessarily the biggest in the show, but they make up for what they lack in physical qualities with the inner qualities of their spirit. They believe in their training. They trust their rider. They go out there with bravery and sell the performance by the heart they show.

The Bible actually talks a lot about the importance of the inner spirit. David’s brothers were passed up as choices for becoming king because God was looking more at the condition of their heart than how they looked (1 Samuel 16:7). God is always more concerned with what’s going on inside your soul than your outward size or appearance. That should be what matters most to us, too.

3) Transformation takes time. You can’t instantly turn a horse into an eventer. There is a process of teaching them how to carry themselves, respond to the rider’s moves, tune out distractions, and so much more. The most successful competitors in the sport have put in hours upon hours of instruction and time and energy that got them where they are.

The same goes for any growth in our own lives. Part of the beauty of the journey is the process, not just the destination. We must give grace and be patient with how God is changing us and those we love into who we’re all meant to be. This won’t come overnight.

4) Learn to identify and manage givers and takers. Like people, there are horses that are givers and some that are takers. Some horses will continuously go above and beyond to please, while others are harder to get a giving performance out of. The key for the trainer and the rider is to mold even the takers into something as close to a giver as possible (James 3:3).

I can’t help but think that this is part of what God is doing also (Isaiah 64:8, above). Some of us are more easily moldable, while others are more of a stubborn nature so God has to work more with them. But the goal for each is that we turn into more selfless, giving people who look like the Savior we know and follow.

— Katherine Singer

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