Twenty years ago, while attending a Rotary Club meeting I had the chance to sit across from a gentleman who's name I can't remember but at age 104 I won't soon forget. He was spry, sharp of mind and agile for his age. His son was an acquaintance of mine and upon an introduction told me that his father had written a book and was here to give the presentation.
The book carried a simple title about remembering the past 100 years and after the meeting, I asked our honored guest which of all the marvelous inventions he had witnessed during his lifetime did he feel was the best? Without hesitation he said, "Zippers."
I've laughed as I've told this story over the years, but indeed it is often the simplest improvements that change our lives. While struggling on the high school tennis team our coach recommended, I get my racket re-strung. While that seems simple enough, no one in our small town performed the needed task; however, when I finally found a way to get new strings, I was amazed. The new cat-gut strings at the proper tension made all the difference. Not in any winning way at the local tournaments mind you but it was my first experience where technology would improve my competitive ability.
Next would come new racquetball racquets and although I was never a golfer, when my buddy decided to spend the $500, he received from coworkers for retirement on a new putter I couldn't blame him. I had grown accustomed to the knowledge that skill will take you only so far and then training and proper equipment can move the needle from there.
Ten years ago, when I along with the rest of the world was engaged with Tony Horton's p90x every day after work, I was shocked by how the leg routine had improved my skiing. By mid-season I was ready to test my theory regarding new equipment and borrowed a pair of S7s from the local ski shop. The S7 demo skis were difficult to come by; however, from the moment I strapped them on and skied through the off piste crud I knew I was hooked. "This is cheating," I said under my breath, and it was the first time I paid over a couple of hundred dollars for a pair of skis.
So, when Linda asked if I was okay with her taking a couple of days in Logan to ride a simulated horse, I was all for the idea. Technology built into the plastic model horse that could simulate walk, trot, and canter, allowing the rider and coach to focus solely on the rider's balance and poise is an outstanding breakthrough.
My thanks to the instructors at Utah State University College of Agriculture applied sciences for putting up with my questions, pictures and videos.