Ep 247: The Importance of Having a Solid Foundation to Fall Back On
I'm about four weeks out from having my partial knee replacement on my right knee, and while the recovery process has been smooth, I can’t say that it hasn’t been challenging at the same time. It’s been a full four weeks since I’ve been on a horse, and I can’t remember another stretch like this in the last 40 years where I wasn’t outside on a horse. It's testing me mentally. Getting so far out of my routine has been tough. We all face disruptions like this, whether it’s due to surgery or other life events that throw us off our usual path.
I've had to lean on my own advice and philosophies to keep my sanity. I was all gung-ho to get back to riding, but the reality of recovery hit hard. Just walking down the stairs in my house the other day reminded me that I'm not quite ready. When they open up your leg, pull out bones, replace parts with metal and plastic, and sew you back up, it takes a while to heal.
The biggest challenge has been to do less and let myself heal. It’s easy to get frustrated and anxious when your routine changes. You have more time to think, and it's a mental game. I've been keeping busy with odd jobs and things that don’t require too much physical effort. But it’s a daily struggle to be smart about my activities.
Falling back on some core principles has been crucial. Sometimes, you just need to slow down and be patient so you can get more done later. My morning routine has been hit hard—workouts were out of the question for a while. I’ve been going to physical therapy to regain my range of motion. Now, I'm starting to ease back into some exercises, but it's slow going.
When you get out of your routine, it can feel like a setback, but it’s not a failure. I had to remind myself yesterday to just get started again. This morning, I did what I could with my workout. I kept up with my other daily routines—discipline, prayer, meditation, and gratitude.
Even when I’m not feeling disciplined, I write "discipline" at the top of my planner every day. It’s a reminder that I will get back on track. You don’t get to start back where you left off; you have to build up again. It’s the same with riding. After a month off, I won’t have the same feel, timing, and balance. I’ll need to ride myself back into shape.
I’ve got a set of colts coming in next month for the mentorship week, and I haven’t started any colts since last spring. I’ll have to regain my rhythm and tune back in. Watching the Cowboy Channel this weekend reminded me how competitors keep pushing through their seasons, despite busy schedules and constant travel. Staying with your routine is hard, but finding small parts of it to maintain can be beneficial.
Today, I started back with what I could do without causing more damage to my knee. It’s easy to let frustration get the best of you when your routine is interrupted. Having a consistent routine has been key to my success in this business. The training business demands discipline and a great work ethic.
For those riding younger horses, the foundation is everything. A great foundation instills confidence and trust, essential for long-term success. Without it, you rely on band-aids and gimmicks, which are not sustainable.
If you’re struggling, evaluate yourself and your horse. Identify the limiting factors and start with one thing. Improving one aspect can lead to improvements in others. This morning, I focused on getting back to my routine, even if it's not perfect. Doing what I can without causing more damage is a start.
Don't ignore areas that need improvement. Pretty good isn't good enough. Aim for really good communication and a solid foundation with your horse. Incremental progress leads to significant gains.
Sitting around with ice on my knee gave me too much time to focus on what I hadn’t accomplished. It’s easy to get bogged down by the negatives. But, focusing on the positives and what you have achieved is crucial.
