Meanwhile, Andy effortlessly demonstrates how to pull up onto the lyra and instructs us to hold the chinup position as long as we can then slowly lower ourselves back down to the mat. I watch each student easily pull up onto the lyra. The one young man in our group is able to hold the chinup for 30 seconds. I am last to go.

I step up to the ring and grasp it with both hands, take a deep breath, jump and pull up. I’m up! Then something happens.

My competitive ‘spirit’( a.k.a. obsession) kicks into full gear. It isn’t enough that I have done a pull up. I am already up to twelve seconds. I will beat the longest time! I will hold this beyond thirty seconds! Twenty, tweny-one, twenty-two, twenty three…Andy counts off. My arms are burning.

“Okay, that is good. Now lower yourself down.” Andy says.

“But I can go some more. I’m only at 25.” I say.

“Please, lower down slowly now.”

So, I do, disappointed that I haven’t been allowed to prove my superior strength.

Competitiveness is great for the show ring but stinks for the learning environment.

I do love to compete. I like to be the best at everything I do. It’s fun for me to challenge myself. But I often over-challenge myself. And here, I found that I was really challenging other people in this class. I wasn’t tuned into my own well-being and my own body and mind. I was watching everyone around me and seeing who I could best. I was trying too hard which was evident to everyone but me. I definitely stressed myself emotionally and physically because of this and was unable to finish the entire class; a bad strategy here as well as at a horseshow or even in the practice pen. Over-challenging yourself while learning on your horse might even have serious consequences like falling off.

When you’re learning, set little goals along the way to the big goal and stick with those. One thing might be easier than what is down the road and you want to make sure you have the stamina and positive outlook for the whole journey. Be proud of every step you accomplish, no matter how small you may think it is. Every step is equally crucial for the final reward.

Check in next week for your third flying lesson.