The Day I Noticed The Trees

A few weeks ago I was walking around our property and noticed something strange.

The trees had grown.

Not dramatically.

Not in a way anyone visiting would notice.

But somehow they were suddenly bigger.

Providing more shade.

Looking more established.

Feeling like they belonged.

And the funny thing was, I hadn’t seen them grow.

Not once.

I didn’t wake up one morning and think:

“Wow, those trees are bigger today.”

The change had happened so gradually that it was invisible while it was occurring.

Yet standing there that morning, there was no denying it.

They were different.

And it got me thinking about riding.

Because I think many of the most important changes happen exactly the same way.

The Changes We Don’t Notice

Most riders are looking for breakthroughs.

A better sitting trot.

A breakthrough lesson.

A horse that suddenly feels different.

A problem that finally disappears.

And sometimes those moments happen.

But far more often, improvement arrives quietly.

So quietly that we almost miss it.

You get on one day and realise your balance feels a little easier.

You recover from a wobble more quickly.

Your horse softens sooner.

A movement that used to feel difficult now feels normal.

And because the change happened gradually, you barely notice it.

The Problem With Watching Yourself Too Closely

I think one of the challenges of being a rider is that we spend so much time looking for progress.

Analysing.

Evaluating.

Assessing.

And while reflection is important, sometimes it can also blind us.

Because when we stare at something every day, we stop seeing it clearly.

It’s why people who see you occasionally often notice changes before you do.

Your coach sees it.

Your friend sees it.

Your horse probably feels it.

Yet you are still focused on the thing that isn’t perfect yet.

The thing that still needs work.

The thing that hasn’t happened.

Meanwhile, you’ve completely overlooked how far you’ve already come.

Growth Rarely Feels Like Growth

This is something I wish someone had told me years ago.

Growth rarely feels like growth.

Most of the time it feels like repetition.

It feels like doing the same mobility exercises again.

The same strength workout.

The same transition.

The same lesson.

The same practice.

Again and again and again.

And because the daily effort feels familiar, we assume nothing is changing.

But the body is adapting.

The mind is adapting.

The rider is adapting.

Just like those trees.

The change is occurring whether you can see it or not.

The Horse Doesn’t Care About The Timeline

One of the things horses have taught me is that nature is rarely in a hurry.

Trees don’t rush.

Grass doesn’t rush.

Horses don’t rush recovery.

Yet everything still grows.

Everything still develops.

Everything still changes.

At exactly the pace it needs to.

Humans seem to be the only ones constantly checking if we’re there yet.

The only ones digging up the seed to see if it’s growing.

The only ones becoming frustrated because today’s effort didn’t immediately create tomorrow’s result.

Perhaps You Are Further Along Than You Think

If you’re in a season where progress feels slow, perhaps this is your reminder.

Not all progress announces itself.

Not all growth is dramatic.

Not all change arrives with a breakthrough moment.

Sometimes it arrives the way trees grow.

Quietly.

Gradually.

Almost invisibly.

Until one day you look around and realise something has changed.

Something feels easier.

Something feels lighter.

Something feels more natural than it used to.

And maybe the reason you can’t see your progress is not because it isn’t happening.

Maybe it’s because you’ve been standing too close to it.

Keep showing up.

Keep planting the seeds.

Keep doing the small things.

Because one day you’ll look back and realise the growth was happening all along.

You just couldn’t see it while it was growing.