#49 Four Ingredients of Greatness
Jun 16, 2022
For Christmas this past year, our nephew Rainier gave us an amazing cookbook: "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat. It's different than any cookbook I've ever read. It's been her life's work to find how great chefs are able to create amazing dishes night after night without a recipe- just a bunch of ingredients, knowledge and experience. After years of studying in kitchens all over the world, she found the difference between ok food and tantalize-your-tastebuds food, boils down to 4 basics components- a combination of salt, fat, acid and heat. But within those 4 simple ingredients lives a world of variability, a world of richness, knowledge and experience.
Like most things in life, it got me thinking about horsemanship. There are simple ingredients that make up great horsemanship- you could even boil it down to 4 ingredients:
Focus (having a clear plan, knowing your horse, being able to adapt, being mindful of the moment in front of you)
Feel (observing your horse, meeting them where they're at and then inviting them to meet you, engaging in conversation)
Timing (the first 2 are key to getting good with this one, doing less sooner, catching the thought, the moment of release)
Balance (Spinning the plates of the first 3- keeping them all in balance, the balance of consistency and variety, our physical balance).
Just like great chefs, great horsewomen and men have logged countless hours experimenting, observing, falling on their faces, getting back up, trying again, observing, remembering, comparing. Through the dust, callouses and worn leather, the 4 ingredients above, develop. Especially for those continuing to search, continuing to improve.
All the great horsewomen and men I know aren't finished, they continue to log in the hours and improve their craft.
Greatness belongs to those willing to put in the time and that have the courage to keep experimenting.
Keep searching, keep experimenting, keep putting in the time- greatness awaits. I don't see this as a destination- it really is the journey- you've experienced those moments of greatness- most likely it's what keeps you in the game- collect more of them 😊
