With the end of one year and the beginning of another you can't help but reflect on the past year and create goals for the new year. Riding wise, 2013 had its ups and downs. Overall, I think it was a very positive year and a lot was accomplished.
In 2013 I, for the first time, jumped clean around an intermediate cross country course. What a feeling that was! Rosie moved up to training successfully, I started competing Simply, and Jumbie worked through some cross country issues and was able to finish the season successfully at novice. Overall it was a great year, the horses all improved through the season and each finished the season confident and ready for more.
With each horse I have specific competition goals and many other training goals. I think it is good to have many small goals working toward a bigger goal. This makes the big goal seem more attainable and you have little "victories" along the way. For example, we are hoping to move Rosie up to prelim this year. Rosie moved up to training last year and completed three events with no jumping penalties. So my smaller goals with her are to school some harder cross country, jump around a 3'6"-3'9" show jump course at home, improve her dressage, and complete a few more harder training level events. My small goals will all help me achieve the bigger goal of going prelim.
You always have to be ready to adjust and change your goals. Sometimes (with horses often) your plans don't work out, and you will have to go to plan B. You may even need plans C, D, and E and that's ok! You just have to keep looking forward and when things go wrong you have to be willing to make adjustments.
So bring on 2014 and a new season of goals!! Happy New Year!!
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