Standing Tall

David and Goliath, one of my all time favorite biblical stories. Perhaps its cause I’ve always been a fan of the underdog, or maybe its because I’ve found myself in David’s position numerous times in my life. And if there’s one thing I know to be true, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog that matters most.

Growing up, I was never one of the biggest kids. I was the shortest on the basketball team, the skinniest on the wrestling team, and at times lacked the strength to keep up with my step brother stacking hay. I suppose these minor details is what made me such a fan of the underdog. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always felt the urge to stand up for those who couldn’t defend themselves often times against people much bigger and stronger than me. But it never discouraged me or scared me from speaking up. I believe the true measure of a man is the size of his heart, and I’ve always made it a point to lead with my heart. It hasn’t failed me yet. Equine dentistry has led me down a peculiar path and I’ve encountered plenty of Goliath’s along the way in terms of legislation, but God has never failed me.

I found my passion in equine dentistry in 2011, however unbeknownst to me, I would move home to find out that it was a felony to practice equine dentistry in my home state without a veterinary license. This is where my legislative journey began. From 2015 to 2019 I would attempt and fail three times to successfully introduce and pass an equine dentistry bill in Nevada. But, just like David did to Goliath, I just kept throwing those stones. One. At. A. Time. Though each time ultimately resulted in failing to achieve the end goal, I did achieve something far greater. I added stones of confidence and experience to my arsenal to take on the Goliath being that of the vet lobby, not just in Nevada, but around the nation.

This unique journey would lead me down the path of eventually becoming the IAED (International Association of Equine Dentistry) Government Relations Committee Chairman. If you had asked me 9 years ago when I started my career in equine dentistry, if I could see myself lobbying for my profession and my colleagues, not just in Nevada, but states around the country I would’ve called you crazy! But it didn’t take long to realize that all of life’s trials, set backs, and triumphs had ultimately prepared me for this very position and I’ve taken it on with pride. I’m a firm believer that it is the storms that God puts in our live’s, that test our faith the most, is what prepares us for our true purpose in life. And I believe I have found one of those purposes through equine dentistry and our legislative efforts.

January 13, 2020 would prove to be yet another battle for the underdog. With little to no sleep the night before, I headed to the airport feeling quite confident actually. I rolled into the parking lot blaring Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith, blood pumping, head banging, and all sorts of people trying to figure out why this cowboy is losing his mind in his little blue Chevy Cruze. You know it’s funny, the more I testify, the more I stand in front of the vet board, the more I actually crave it. Like a professional football player getting amped for a game, I do the same. Only difference is my uniform is a sport coat, pressed jeans, pressed shirt, and a cowboy hat. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like to get all dressed up, especially in my sport coat every now and then.

I was given 6 days notice to prepare to fly to the Indiana State Capital and testify for an equine dentistry bill that would allow certified Equine Dentists to work without Veterinarian supervision. Boy, talk about pressure. It’s like preparing for a final exam with hours notice. There were a lot of apprehensions leading up to the trip, as you could imagine. Not only was little preparation playing a part in my uneasiness, but purchasing a last minute plane ticket half way across the country for a hearing that could possibly be cancelled last minute made my stomach nauseous. Nonetheless after speaking to Josh Wallace, a great friend and mentor, and listening to that deep rumble of my heart, I pressed on with faith that it would be a successful trip.

After flying all day, I finally reached Indianapolis around midnight. I had spent much of the night and day before writing letters to the committee and researching current Indiana law, with the help of our associations lobbyist. Having gone through this process several times already made it somewhat easy to prepare, however navigating another states laws would prove to be difficult. You know it’s funny, most of my life my Mom has constantly told me to be thankful for the process. I spoke briefly about the process in my last blog but it seems to be a common theme in my life. And as I get older, I realize more and more how important the journey to the destination you wish to reach is than actually reaching your final destination. Sometimes you may never reach your destination, but enjoying the ride along the way, makes it so worth it. I suppose that’s why some people are afraid of taking the leap, it's fear of failure. But they end up missing out on all the beautiful things taking the leap has to offer regardless of the end result. Once again I finally realized that all the heart ache and dead ends, prepared me once again for moments like this.

I woke up the next morning with about 4 hours of sleep on board. It didn’t phase me though, I was so excited to once again have an opportunity to speak up for my colleagues and the beautiful horses we are blessed to work on each day. Anxious? Yeah you could say that, but nervous, not at all. My heart beat loudly that morning with confidence, though I only had days to prepare, in all reality I had years of experience behind me, and the help of our lobbyist and colleagues.

A good friend and colleague picked me up that morning to head to the capitol. Upon arriving at the capitol, I was in complete awe at the architecture. Some of the most beautiful stone work, and marble I’ve ever seen in my life. Not to mention, the capitol was rather old, built around 1888, but had stood the test of time. The inside was filled with beautiful statues, a stained glass dome, majestic archways made of stone, marble floors, and huge hardwood doors, big enough to march elephants through. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of bewilderment, already my trip was so worth it, just being in the same halls where famous politicians, scholars, and political activists had walked before me.

First thing after arriving, we met with the Senator who sponsored the bill. Mostly to discuss opposition and to devise a game plan. It was at this moment all the excitement and grandeur of the moment had been sucked right out of me. The Senator informed us of another gentleman, an equine dentist, who was planning to testify against the bill. I instantly had a pit in my gut. How could a fellow equine dentist testify against us? Not to mention the fact that he had killed the last bill. The whole way back down stairs to the committee hearing room, my mind was reeling, and my heart was beating louder than the sound of drums. How do I keep this man from sabotaging a bill I flew halfway across the country to testify in support of? I began to question the whole thing. But once again, that little voice deep down inside reassured me all would be ok, and that God had my back. It was merely a hiccup in the road and a chance to further grow not only in my role but as a person. I was going to have to confront this man before the hearing, and have a talk to show him we share common ground.

As we approached the hearing room, I saw the gentleman who was hell bent on sabotaging the bill for a second time. Oddly, it was at this moment that all my inhibitions had completely vanished. I no longer worried about searching for the right words to say, I approached the gentleman with confidence and the words poured out with ease. He was instantly combative, but I maintained control of the situation and kept my emotions at bay, after all he was no different from the bullies I had stood up to before throughout my life. Wow, for one of the first times in my life, I was fully present in the moment and spoke from my heart. I listened then responded. This gave me a great sense of confidence when it was my turn to speak and answer questions for all 9 members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. When I stood up to speak, my heart beat louder than the fear of failure, and that little voice deep down inside whispered these words, speak with your heart and the rest will fall into place.

My words flowed freely with confidence, and like little stones I hurled each one at the Goliath that stood before me. The Senate Committee would go on to pass the bill to the Senate floor unanimously. Though this was only a small step in the entire process, it felt as if I had just conquered the world. Not only did the bill pass the committee, but the gentleman who was so adamant in stopping it had actually called me on my flight home to apologize for his actions and tell me he was on our side 100%. It was then that it hit me, I was so close to not booking the trip, simply due to all the variabilities and little to no time to prepare. But I was so incredibly thankful that I took that step. Sometimes I wonder how many people are presented with an opportunity, but they’re too afraid to step out of the light and into the darkness for fear of all the what ifs and failure. Remember failure is not fatal, and success is not final. Don’t miss out on the journey for fear of the unknown, the journey is the most beautiful part, and it's where we grow the most.

It is my hope that through my unique journeys and writing that I may inspire people to be better. I want to leave this world a better place than what I found it. So the choice is up to you, be the David to someones Goliath. Stand tall and keep throwing those stones one at a time. And remember that the journey itself is beautiful and worth far more than any end goal or destination. Follow your heart and take the first step, it beats louder than the roar of any mighty giant standing in your way. Live life Unbroken. Phillipians 4:13