It’s almost “Rolex”, which is the old name us lifers call the Kentucky Three Day Event, now rebranded Land Rover Three Day. It’s an annual celebration of the epitome of eventing at a five star competition. Already the social media is blowing up with the announcements of who is doing what. A highly anticipated fashion show, also known as the jog, will take place both Wednesday and Sunday at the competition and already I’m seeing a whole lot of materialism being displayed.

This week, another person I know posted about looking good all the time in the barn, making sure you are fashion forward while riding. Lots and lots of kids read this stuff. They take this stuff completely to heart. And it’s wrong, and it’s dangerous.

What’s on the outside DOES. NOT. MATTER. What’s on the inside matters. How beautiful your horse looks. How fit they are, well trained, comfortable and relaxed, happy to do the job, well cared for and well shod. These things are the ONLY things that matter! How you smell, what you wear, your body weight DOES NOT MATTER in the least.

We will all read and view many, many posts and videos in the coming week, and I want everyone out there, especially young girls, who are NOT perfect and don’t have tons of fancy barn clothes, to know this: your pony or horse does not care what you wear. They don’t care what you look like. They care if you groom them. They care if you pick out their hooves. They care if you don’t pull on their mouth when you jump, or flop in the saddle after jumping a fence. They care if you make sure they are comfortable, fed, and happy. They don’t care about your shirt.

Take your precious, hard earned money and spend it on a fly mask or better bit for your horse. Do not waste it on the exterior trappings of a materialistic, addicted society emphasizing the wrong parts to a happy life. Save the planet (clothing is a horrible world-wide environmental polluter), save money, and don’t buy into the promotion of exterior looks over interior beauty.

I can’t bombard the internet with good photos and videos in the next week with “your clothes and size don’t matter” content. I just hope one or two kids somewhere read this and it renews your hope. Sure, watch the fun stuff but please don’t think you have to look that way or be that way to be successful. Be good for your pony – the only critic that matters.