Embedded Files
January 26, 2026
Almost everyone wants the same thing.
We want to be happy.
We imagine what that happiness will look like. For some people it is traveling, falling in love, or reaching a big life goal. For riders, it might be the day their horse finally moves better, behaves perfectly, or reaches a certain level.
Many of us tell ourselves a story like this:
“I’ll be happy when…”
“I’ll be happy when my horse is stronger.”
“I’ll be happy when we stop struggling.”
“I’ll be happy when we finally get it right.”
The problem isn’t having dreams. Dreams are good. They give us direction and hope. The problem is believing that happiness lives somewhere in the future.
When we believe life will only feel good later, we suffer right now.
This shows up clearly with horses.
A rider who is always waiting for the next milestone often rides with tension. They rush the process. They miss small wins. The horse feels that pressure and starts to brace, resist, or shut down. The partnership turns into a checklist instead of a relationship.
The Michelle Method teaches something different.
Happiness is not a finish line. It is a way of being. It comes from how we show up today, not from what we achieve later.
When riders do their inner work, they learn to notice when they are chasing happiness instead of allowing it. They learn to slow down, breathe, and meet their horse where they are right now. That creates safety. Safety allows learning. Learning builds strength and confidence over time.
This shift changes everything.
The rider becomes calmer.
The horse becomes more relaxed.
The ride becomes more connected.
And this doesn’t stop at the barn.
A rider who stops saying “I’ll be happy when…” also shows up better in life. They are more patient with people. More present with family. More at ease in their own body.
Life is meant to be an adventure. It is meant to include goals, growth, and dreams. But joy is not something we earn later. It is something we practice now.
When we stop placing happiness in the future, we free ourselves.
When we free ourselves, our horses feel it.
When our horses feel it, the partnership grows stronger.
That is the heart of the Michelle Method.
Page updated
Report abuse