What motivates you to push forward? Is it the constant praise and encouragement, or is it criticism and judgment? I recently read a post discussing how ring-side edict has gone to the wolves in these current times; however, looking back, spectator edict has always been a harsh reality. Maybe the change of times, with the developing of social progression has made new age competitors a bit soft?
In 2005, I was the new face around the racetrack. A 22yo twiggy girl in English riding breeches trying to make my way in the tough male-dominated industry alongside all these professionals who have been around the track since they were toddlers, from generations of Racetrack families. It was especially hard for someone coming from a different background, with no winning hand dealt in the deck cards. I had no one to show me the way, take me under their wing, or help steer me in the right direction, at least not in the first several months. Climbing aboard any horse anyone would be willing to put me on, I'd head off onto the track, knowing literally nothing about racing, or racehorses for that matter. Day after day, mount after mount, I was either getting bucked off or ran off with on a daily bases, until I developed the skills to ride those horses. I never gave up, I showed up every single day. Typically, one is suppose to start at a racehorse farm to gain experience before heading the track; however, I started in a time where one could get away with just learning right on the racetrack. Those times have changed for safety reasons, obviously. During those short 3 months I spent at Pomona Fair Grounds before heading to my home base track at Los Alamitos, I'd had all kinds of people making comments and remarks behind my back. I could see the whispers and hear the laughter. One particular morning, a young jockey approached me and said "Maybe this thing isn't for you, and you need to go find something else to do". That right there was my motivator. I wanted nothing more than to prove everyone wrong that I could do this, and I will do this. I had always been very interested in conquering male-dominated worlds. As an 18yo, I worked as a front-end Mechanic for Ford and I had been heavily into street racing, finding nothing more pleasurable then to clean house on the boys who thought they were all that and a bag of chips. Prove them wrong and you get all the respect is how I lived my life.
Find your motivator. You can't control the critics, they are like cock roaches who have been here since the dawn of time. Instead, find them as motivators and prove them wrong. I have come across several young aspiring riders throughout my 11-year career on the racetrack, and the ones who made it were the ones who didn't listen to the critics and pushed their way through the industry, some even making leading rider. Don't fall for the rainbow and butterfly theory, live for the reality. If you can conceive it, and you believe it, you can achieve it.
