AT A recent sales training course we were talking about motivation and I was asked the question :“What is your why?” This well-known life coach approach to motivation rests on the premise that we usually live our lives focusing on ‘what’ we have to do, whereas if you think about the reasons ‘why’ we do things, we recognise our real motivations and what really is important to us, only then can we prioritise and become more purposeful.

It is easy to see what motivates us British Horse Society enthusiasts as we volunteers and staff stand together running educational, social and competitive events – it is very much for each other with our shared focus on improving safety, welfare, training and access for Scottish horse riders.

Helping horses is what we do and this is also the name given to our newly introduced supporters membership launched in Scotland at the Royal Highland Show which means that for less than the price of a coffee a month, horse lovers can join in the BHS family, receive our wonderful quality British Horse magazine and support our campaigns and work.

Alongside the public events we always have a few very ‘boring but important to the wellbeing of horses in Scotland’ pieces of work bubbling away in the back ground.

Currently, these include the A9 – a focus of much of our energy over the last three years – as we make sure horses can live alongside, and get over, under and be transported safely ‘on’ this major carriageway.

Parts of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) 2006 Act may be up for review as we look at ways of improving enforcement and just generally improving this fundamental legislation that is now 10 years old.

And we continue to pursue clarification and reassurance that horse riders can ride on EFA ground and margins without threatening the land managers’ funding.

These office jobs are part of BHS Scotland’s ‘why’ in fact, as they are long games but life changing to horses and riders.

Another ‘why’ we might ask ourselves is the point of flies and clegs?

They have arrived slightly later this year and very little works to deter them, but besides spending money on deterrents that might or might not work, there are things we all can do.

Eliminate the source of insects by keeping yards tidy to reduce breeding grounds and stagnant water or cover your muck heap in black plastic.

Minimise exposure by bringing your horses in during the day to a cool clean stable and keep their eyes clean to make them less attractive or try a fly mask or rug. Keep your horse clean and use the most effective repellent you can find and use a fly cream under his tummy.

As the summer of 2016 rolls on, we have an extra exciting Blair to look forward to with the introduction of the new Event Rider masters (ERM) series, of which Blair Castle plays host to the fifth of six legs.

So there will be more 3 star cross country to watch on the Sunday. Our BHS qualifiers for three of the finals held at Blair are currently in full flow with rosettes flying out the office each week; everybody wants to ride at Blair!

We hope to see you at the BHS tent there. Nietzsche said that knowing your ‘why’ is an important first step to figuring out ‘how’ to achieve your goals – well going by our recent Royal Highland Show stand the BHS Scotland ‘way’ is cakes, friendship and energy and we would not have it any other way!