Will Smith said “No matter how talented you are, your talent will fail you if you’re not skilled. Skill is achieved through practice. Work hard and dedicate yourself to be better everyday.” This rings true for many of us and sometimes it's easy to discount people's hard work when we only see the end result. 

Today, we are talking with Alissa Kelly who shares a beautiful story about her horse Toasty. Toasty was a “reject” with poor confirmation, but with Alissa’s vision and his heart, they made an impression in the arena that has shocked people. Listen to learn more about Toasty and how try and heart can overcome obstacles in animals’ lives and in our own lives.

Alissa Kelly is a wife, mom and barrel racer of 14 years and both raises and trains future barrel horses for competition. Beyond that, she enjoys working from home doing sales, marketing, networking and promoting riders and brands within the equine industry.

One of her prize horses is Toasty and he is a rather special horse. He was discarded due to his severe sway back at the age of only 2. As Alissa says “The most valuable lesson I have learned from him stems from his heart and try. These two things have led him to becoming recognized and adored by many. He’s the horse that loves his job, tries no matter the circumstance and puts his heart into the sport.” 

Toasty reminds Alissa every day that even if we are not breaking records or winning every weekend, you can still be admired and respected.

Connect with Alissa at The Back Tack.