As the steady pound of the rain on my tin roof has my dressage letters requiring floaties, the hatches are battened down and the horses are snuggled up in warm blankets with hot mashes, but my mind wont rest. I don't think I'm alone when I say I'm my own worst critic. I think we're conditioned, as Equestrians, to never quite feel 'good enough', because there always seems to be someone better regardless of how hard we work to improve. Riding is an art and a sport that seems even the best professionals can't quite master ... if we could, a 70% score wouldn't be grounds for a week-long celebratory party. So instead, we focus on what needs to be improved and continue to chip away until most of us lose interest, finances, horse power, or simply 'limit out' because one or multiple of the aforementioned items are no longer at our disposal and thus the 'First Level Lifer' is born. As the consistent trickle of water drips off my roo...