Even from the outside, success does not always feel the way people imagine it will.
In Episode 5 of Inside the Mind, I sit down with Richard Vogel, who speaks openly about the moments where he questioned himself so deeply that he even considered choosing another career path altogether.
What kept him going was not simply talent. It was his willingness to keep learning. To stay curious. To look at the difficult moments honestly and ask, “What is this showing me?”
Richard does not speak about failure as something to avoid. He sees it as feedback. A mistake gives us information, but only if we are willing to look at it. The real problem is not the mistake itself, but ignoring what it is trying to teach us.
He also speaks beautifully about the relationship with the horse. A great rider and a great horse are not enough on their own. The connection between them is what makes the difference. That is why his show planning is not about chasing ranking points, but about what each horse needs to keep developing and performing at its best.
Richard reminds us that success is not something we simply arrive at. It is something we keep earning through the work, the learning, and the way we show up for our horses every day.