Jennifer Gates, also known as Jenn, has been riding horses since she was a little girl. Tech magnate Bill Gates’ oldest daughter, started riding horses as a hobby, but it soon fueled a fire within her. Before Jennifer Gates knew it, she was on horseback every chance she got. Although Gates has been riding horses since she was six years old, equestrian sports have not always come easy to her.

In fact, there was a time when she wanted to quit riding, despite her immense love for it. While she had her reasons, it was still a humongous step for someone who adored riding as much as she did. In the end, Gates got over her consternation. This is the story of how Jennifer Gates fell in love with horses all over again.

Jennifer Gates wanted to quit riding horses at one point

The June/July 2019 issue of the magazine Equestrian Living, features an elaborate interview with the equestrian, Jenn. Gates charted out her horseriding journey from when she was a small girl, to 2019. The interview contained revelations from her career as a horse rider, some were more surprising than others. Jennifer Gates divulged that there was a point in her life when she got so anxious about getting on horseback, that she wanted to quit riding.

It happened when Gates was in High School. Competing was not fun for her anymore and it only seemed like a burden to her. She contemplated leaving the world of equestrian competition and even consulted with her mother, Melinda French Gates, on the issue. Gates recalled, “I remember sitting down with my mom and talking about it quite a few times, whether it was the right thing for me to continue to compete at higher levels.” Ultimately, her legendary love for horses overpowered her hesitations.

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Jennifer Gates added, “But once I got more comfortable in the ring and started to the process and trust my horses, I realized how much I loved it, and that it wasn’t something that I wanted to give up. Now it’s become such a huge part of my life, and I can’t envision it any other way.” Curiosity killed the cat, but it also begs the answer to the question: exactly what changed for Gates?

The journey from apprehension to acceptance

The widely known adage, Practice Makes Perfect, does not come without exceptions. Jenn’s anxiety over competing in horseriding, unfortunately, became an exception to this rule. Gates explained by saying, “I think for any athlete, as you practice more at a top level, you become less nervous over time, but I definitely still experience nerves.” She then added, “I’ve really tried to channel those nerves into energy in the ring, being present, and using that energy to fight for my horses and to be there for them rather than letting fear or nervousness paralyze me.”

To overcome this unwanted perturbation, Jennifer Gates finally decided she needed professional intervention. Not only did she start consulting a psychologist to unravel her convoluted feelings, but she also took to meditation to calm her nerves. In the interview, Gates revealed, “I think that’s been a huge shift in my riding thanks to mindfulness and meditation and work with a great sports psychologist who has helped me to use those nerves as a way to become a better rider and partner to my horse.”

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Once she re-connected with her horse, Jennifer Gates became an unstoppable force in the world of Equestrian Sports, which she remains to this day. Aren’t we all lucky? If Gates did decide to give up horseriding, we would all be robbed of witnessing the greatness of her skills.