Reining is more than a sport to me--it’s a way of thinking. It holds the ideals and philosophy I believe in. It’s more than the sum of its parts--it’s more than the maneuvers themselves; they only become great when the attitude and the abilities are aligned.

It’s precision, trust, and balance--and also awareness, adaptability, and restraint. Every maneuver reflects the conversations that came before and the state of mind in that moment. 

Being competitive keeps me sharp--it pushes me to question assumptions, seek perspective, and value curiosity and flexibility in thinking before judgment. I’ve learned that consistency and repetition build stability and confidence, but growth and improvement can only come from questions, reflection and realism.

That mindset doesn’t stay in the arena. The trust, focus, and accountability I practice there are the same principles I bring into everything else I do--show up with clarity, commit with purpose, and keep learning, even when the ground shifts beneath me.