Year End Reflections, Through the Lens of Horses

As we stepped into 2026, I found a list of end-of-year reflection questions I wanted to ask my kids. As I read through them, I realized I had answers of my own—answers about family, and answers about horses. I’ll share the horse-version of my answers here.

Maybe a few of these questions will spark some useful reflection for you, too...

What’s one moment from this past year that still makes you smile when you think about it?

This one is almost impossible, because the truth is: there are hundreds.

So many tiny wins tucked inside quiet moments—moments no one clapped for, no one filmed, no one even noticed… but I can still feel them in my body when I remember them.

If I have to choose one, it’s the moment I decided to buy Rumor and bring him home from Road to the Horse. It surprised everyone… including me. But it was one of those rare decisions that landed in my gut with total certainty.

I’m grateful every day that I listened.

What is something new you discovered or figured out this year?

This year, I found a deeper understanding of what actually brings me joy with horses.

Not the joy I think I’m supposed to feel. Not the version of training that fits neatly into habit, repetition, or other people’s expectations.

But the simple, honest joy of doing what I love—because I love it.

It has been one of the hardest shifts I’ve ever made… and also one of the most freeing.

Who made you feel safe, loved, or truly seen this year?

In my horse life, this answer comes easily.

It started with my How to Perform group, brought together through the program run by Natalie Hummel. And over time, it evolved into something I didn’t know I needed so much: a group of women—clients and dear friends—who just get me.

These are the people I could say anything to, and it wouldn’t change how they feel about me. We hold space for each other. We celebrate each other’s wins. We show up for the hard stuff. We have each other’s backs.

My gratitude for these women—and the container we’ve built together—is boundless.

What book, show, or movie meant the most to you this year?

No contest.

It's my book, Finding Purpose.

The fact that it exists still blows my mind. And my deepest hope is that people I may never meet will read it and feel seen in their own struggles and realizations—remembering they are not alone in their journey.

What is something you feel proud of yourself for, even if no one else noticed?

There are so many moments with horses that feel quietly monumental.

But the thing I feel most proud of is my own growth as a horse person—someone who observes for longer, communicates more clearly, and genuinely appreciates every horse’s individuality.

It might look like a small change on the outside…but on the inside, it feels immense.

And that inner growth is reflected in a bigger choice I made this year: consciously moving away from a career driven primarily by competitive eventing goals, and toward a career that feels deeply fulfilled in the quiet moments of understanding and connection.

The internal struggle around that shift—and the decision to actually make it—was something only a few people witnessed up close. But it created one of the biggest internal changes of my life (second only to stepping into the meditative world almost two decades ago).

It even prompted me to update my business logo and re-calibrate the way I present myself to the larger horse community.

It might look like a small change on the outside…but on the inside, it feels immense.

If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would you change?

Honestly… not much.

There are a few small training moments I wish I had handled differently—gone a little slower, quit while I was ahead, ended on a softer note.

But even Fox’s injury—something that, at the time, felt like the most devastating event in my riding career—became the catalyst for the shift that has brought me the most clarity and fulfillment so far.

I’m grateful to be in a place where I truly want to experience all of it: the hard stuff, the easy stuff, and everything in between.

Because that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? To experience life in all its complexity.

If I could change one thing, it would be this: I would want to remember that more often in the mundane moments. To be present instead of rushing through. To zoom out and recognize the quiet beauty in ordinary days—and stay open to how they shape us.

What is something you’re looking forward to in the year ahead?

For me, the answer is: everything.

Yes, I have goals. Yes, there are things I plan to work toward.

But more than anything, I’m excited to meet the year as it comes.

How will I handle the ups and downs? Who will I meet? What will I learn? What will I share that might help change a person’s—or a horse’s—life?

What unexpected adventures will find me?

I’m so excited to watch my kids, my relationships, my students, and my horses grow—and to have the privilege of being part of their journeys.

And if you’re reading this, I just want to say thank you for letting me be a small part of yours.