Untacked

12 ja n ua r y/ f e b r ua r y 2 015 U n tac k e d Editor's LEttEr It's not Just Getting There, It's The ride in editing this first issue of the new Year, it occurred to me that there's a reason why everyone's familiar with the old adage, "You've just got to get back on the horse." even in mainstream culture, equestrians have a repu- tation for being a pretty resolute lot. so it's not surprising that this issue would be full of stories of amazing resolve, from a group of 20th century Americans who refused to let leon- ardo da Vinci's plans for the largest equine sculp- ture in the world go unfinished (p. 72), to the life of Colorado horse park founder helen Krieble, who, at an age where most of her peers are already retired, is redoubling her commitment to an almost quixotic quest: instituting immigration reform (p. 64). And of course we've devoted our cover story (p. 34) to this subject as well, bringing you experts' advice on how to tackle five common new Year's resolutions—and how to make sure 2015 is the year you actually keep them. one thing the best horsemen and women all seem to have in common is a true passion for the process of building a relationship with their equine partners. As Buck davidson, who's cur- rently standing fifth in the fei's world eventing Athlete rankings, put it in our dec. 15 issue of the Chronicle, "i love the process of it; i love going into the start box at rolex Kentucky and remember- ing when the horse got eliminated at preliminary." e best riders care about the journey as much—if not more so—than reaching the destination. And that's an enlightened mentality i think equestrians should apply more often to their challenges outside the barn as well. no matter the objective, the experts we talked to for this month's cover story all seem to agree: one of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to change the way you think about your goal to begin with. when we learn to love the process—to find gratification in constant improvement, how- ever small, and to accept setbacks as inevitable and important steps in that process—accomplishment comes so much easier, and it becomes the cherry on top of an already great experience. while some rare individuals probably do have the capacity to achieve their goals based on sheer determination, i know i certainly don't. i've abandoned enough new Year's resolutions already to know that relying on my will- power alone is the one sure-fire way to burn out or fail in no time flat. so while i have plenty of per- sonal goals i'd like to accomplish in 2015, this issue of Untacked has helped me focus on one special objective i hope you'll all join me in, no matter what resolution you take on this year: learn to love the process. Because in the saddle as well as in life, it's not just getting there, it's the ride. —Kat Netzler, Editor

• Cover