I think there is a line in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! that goes something like this: “He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore.” That is how I feel this morning. Every once in a while, my brain calls a meeting and invites all the challenges I am aware of in some portion of my life. These last couple of weeks, the focus has been the horse world.

I am not going to trouble you with the whole list. The challenges are easy enough to find. Horse welfare, especially in training and competition. Rider wellness and education. Trainer education and development. Ethics in governing bodies. Sustainable and healthy business models. Capturing the interest and imagination of the next generation of horsemen.

There are voices out there speaking to all of these issues, and many more, in far more elegant and interesting ways than I could. My most recent read (ten minutes ago) is an article by Jamie Sindell, one of my favorite writers on the struggles of raising children in the modern world of horses. More broadly, as I read, watch, learn, and engage in conversations, I don’t always find myself agreeing with either the messages or the provocative tone that some “influencers” adopt. I do, however, respect that they are giving voice.

When I was young, I avoided these meetings in my mind. I was too invested in knowing, in being competent, in being the expert, to allow myself to be humbled by the enormity of these seemingly intractable problems. As I matured, I avoided them to escape the frustration, sadness, and overwhelm. Now, as an old(er) man, I am less worried about what the world thinks of me and far more able to hold the depth and breadth of the feelings that arise when I am faced with the complexity of life’s serious challenges. I have also come to learn a kind of patience that opens the door to engagement.

My good friend Bella reminded me the other day how often Justin and I talk about creating space and time for people to come together. Come together to share ideas, perspectives, challenges, hopes, and dreams. We talk about the need for communities of support because life is difficult, life with horses especially, and we cannot tackle any of its challenges alone. We were delighted to have a group of passionate young trainers attend the recent Pippa Callanan clinic. We were overjoyed to hear of the energy and support they felt just sharing that time and space together.

While I continue to puzzle and puzzle, seeking solutions or perhaps a pathway toward them, I have come to a deep realization. I can’t solve all of these challenges alone, and I am glad for it. Glad, not because I am faced with my inherent limitations, but because accepting them drives me to connect and engage with others. The meeting, it turns out, was never meant to be held in my head alone.

At the end of the day, this may be the most important thing: building communities that care, and in this way building a culture in our equestrian world that becomes the foundation from which our creativity flows.

~ Paul