Progress or Perfection?

I don't have any empirical evidence to substantiate my belief, but having been involved in the world of dressage for twenty years, I feel fairly safe in stating that I think dressage, by its very nature, appeals to the perfectionist. It is sequential, exacting and very detail-oriented. And demands great discipline. All the ingredients which may appeal to a perfectionist. On a parallel journey of self-discovery, I've read several variations of the statement "Progress, Not Perfection". I do not interpret this to mean that we should lower our standards, but rather, that we should not think less of ourselves or our faithful horses if we do NOT achieve perfection.

After all, true perfection is humanly impossible. It follows then that when we are riding and/or training, if progress is happening, that should be our barometer that indicates when we are on the right track. Thinking back to my younger years, I can recognize how ready I was to rush from one phase of training to the next, eager to get the perfect result. In reality, my impatience undoubtedly resulted in the exact opposite of what I was aiming for. Continued education, guidance, correctness, and small measures of progress are the most certain route to success. In a recent session with Chachi, a rather spirited steed here at the farm, Pam Larson demonstrated that very progression. She longed Chachi using the correct equipment to avoid harsh pressure on the bit, she was firm but calm, and she helped him to work through his anxiety at being away from the herd, and then asked for serious concentration from him. By the end of the session, he was able to focus and progress.