You're still on; keep riding

Many years ago I was riding my horse in a jumping lesson and because I am me, (and jumping on a horse takes more co-ordination than you might think), I ended up fairly unseated… like basically half on and half off, hanging on for dear life, hurtling toward the next jump, feeling totally not in control, trying hard not to panic, and desperately looking for a way to stop this ride or at least avoid doing the thing I’d just done that got me into this position.

And as I ungracefully executed the delicate art of keeping a horse between me and the ground, I heard my riding instructors voice yelling at me from across the arena. Honestly I remember it as a garbled underwater type voice from far far away… but it was insistent… “You’re still on! Keep riding!!!”

To be clear, I did not believe this voice. I firmly believed I was .5 seconds away from hitting the dirt and veering away from that jump and coming to a halt seemed like the sane choice. The only problem was I didn’t have much of a choice. My horse loves to jump and she was going for that jump. Plus when you feel so unsure of yourself and uncertain of the situation, you tend to do what the person coaching you tells you to do. So I stopped my futile struggle, I held on tight, and we went over the next jump. 

Now here’s the crazy thing. That second jump bumped me back into the saddle. It wasn’t pretty but suddenly life was not a whir and blur of my impending doom rushing up to meet me. I was still unbalanced and needed to regroup, but I was still on… and I was still riding. 

I was also in disbelief… and that hysterical laughter you tend you to do immediately after something terrifying ends and you are still in one piece. 

Everyone else in the lesson was cheering and laughing, including my daughter, and from that moment on, whenever any of us was in a jam or wanting to give up, or scared, one of us would say “You’re still on! Keep riding!!”

Now you know the origin of this saying, listen to the podcast for ways you can put it to use in your own life. And please! Stay connected :)