Saying: You can take a horse to the barn but you can’t make it drink water.

Context: Being brought up in India, and coming from ancestral roots in farming, he told me about a saying that his dad has taught him. Being a child who was extremely talented, and had a passion for learning his dad instilled in him throughout his life. Historically, his dad learned this saying from his grandfather, and is something that he and his sisters, his aunts, grew up with. In a competitive environment that required everyone to be the best of the best, his grandfather wanted to ensure that all his kids succeeded and that money would never be the issue but rather the passion and heart that they put in could be the only thing that held them back.

Analysis: I find it interesting that the horse is the object of this saying, specifically surrounding the fact that ancestral roots in India are in farming. Furthermore, a horse is seen as one that can be guided and tamed which can lead to certain implications. With a rider or an owner who takes care of and grooms them, they can be a workhorse or one that is very talented through practice as seen through shows and races like the Kentucky Derby. This can also apply to friends helping friends, in the fact that you can offer advice to someone about life, education, or a sport, but it is up to them to take it and listen for what is best for them.