Areté
Why Areté (Wikipedia)? Pronounced "are-uh-tay," it is a Greek ideal that basically means goodness, excellence, or virtue. But it is more than that—it is the notion of the fulfillment of purpose or function...the act of living up to one's full potential.
What a perfect ideal that describes just what we are all looking for in horse, rider, and the relationship between the two. To me it describes the delicate balance of art and athletics that we love so much in dressage. And of course it stands for all the time and effort that we put into the little movements and nuances that make a great ride. You can call it flow, the zone, or being Areté.
Besides the wonderful way it describes dressage, it is also a great ideal to aspire to in all areas of our lives. The moment I heard the word and what it stood for I knew I had found the name I was looking for.
To me Areté is inspiration and that's how I first stumbled upon it, with a video on YouTube called thinkArete.
