Consequently that's the sort of principle Matheson will take into the inaugural showjumping "Holy Grail" of the Mitavite Transtasman Challenge kind in Napier tomorrow.
The former Karamu High School pupil is part of the New Young Riders team who will compete against their Australian counterparts at the Church Road Winery ground in Taradale from 11.45am to 4pm.
The challenge is the brainchild of Horse of the Year (HOY) director Kevin Hansen in what is billed as a preamble to the week-long annual HOY Show which begins on Tuesday next week.
For Matheson, it's the first time she'll be in the arena for her country.
She was in the national team during the Transtasman Young Horse Show in Dannevirke last December and also in the Young Rider team to Malaysia before Christmas but only as a reserve.
Needless to say, Matheson will be highly excited when she and horse Cheltenham do their thing.
Of course, in keeping with the principles of accounting, the combination have built a rapport since January, when Matheson bought the 15-year-old thoroughbred from Masterton.
"He's a grand prix showjumper and quite well known," she says, adding that the Booths owned Cheltenham for a year before Canterbury grand prix rider Brad Cunningham took acquisition for seven years.
Matheson describes the dark bay (brown) as a horse with fine legs, as opposed to one with "chunky" ones. Appearances are important to Matheson who believes he oozes athleticism.
"It [fine legs] makes him look pretty. You must look pretty in showjumping," she says of Cheltenham, who has had two third placings and a sixth in the grands prix they have competed in to date.
"He's quite cool and goes with the flow.
"We've had our share of ups and downs but he's going quite well," she explains after a "whoopsy" in the young rider show in Gisborne recently where they were unplaced.
For the youngster who has been riding for as long as she can remember, touch wood she won't have any serious injuries.
In the Hoy Show here last year, Matheson won the Show Hunter of the Year title on Co Cotton.
She also registered four young rider wins on Scottish Lad, who is not a grand prix pedigree yet.
Her mother, Lesley Matheson, who works for chaff suppliers in Napier and was a rider at grand prix level in dressage, inspired her to ride.
The younger Matheson didn't gravitate to dressage, finding "more fun" in showjumping.
Her mother and father Peter Matheson, an engineer in Palmerston North, help her on competition days.
"Dad's not too clued up with horses and doesn't really do things to my standards," she says, adding it's crucial one of them is present to help prepare before a jump otherwise she becomes a little nervous.
Matheson dreams of representing New Zealand in the Olympics but, like many, faces the major hurdle of expenses in the sport.
Her tertiary education, she believes, will map that path to realise her dreams.
"You make money and look after it but you also have to make it go further."
She quite often rides for Angela Miller, of Hastings, in a reciprocal arrangement. Miller owns Roulette MH, which Matheson rides and considers "Olympic potential".
While she's on her maiden outing for her country, Matheson will be familiar with some of the faces in the opposition.
"I know most of the Australians because they were at the nationals at McLean's Island, in Christchurch, not long ago."
New Zealand have a potent concoction of experience and youth.
Spearheading their challenge will be World Equestrian Championship Olympians Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) on home-bred Dunstan Daffodil, and Samantha McIntosh (Cambridge) on her imported mare Estina.
Canterbury farrier Ross Smith will be out to perform some magic on his imported stallion, Quite Cassini, while newcomer Luke Dee, who recently moved to at Ocean Beach in the outskirts of Hastings, will show his prowess on mount Ombudsman after his acquisition of the New Zealand World Cup bragging rights.
Alison Rowland, of Western Australia, will lead the Australian challenge on Bickley Brook Bella (owned by Peter Cooke, Nicol Taylor and Rowland) with Rory Hovelle (Western Australia) on Yalambi's Val d'Isere, Sharon Slater (New South Wales) on Ulixes and Tom McDermott (NSW) on Romantic Dream (owned by Simon, Brenda, Sam and Jess Tripp) right behind her.
Dannevirke's Logan Massie on Kiwi Ludo (owned by Massie and Annette Scott) will lead the young riders' campaign with Rosie Commons on Glenara Chandon, Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) on Shakespeare NZPH and Matheson/Cheltenham in full cry, too.
The tourists' hopes rest on Jack Maunder (NSW) on Cyra, James Arkins (NSW) on Dreamtime Invader, Nicole Bruggeman (Sth Australia) on Blusta and Sarah Beale (NSW) on Alpha Centuri.
