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Goal-Setting for the Horseback Rider
By Mary Jo Zanolli
The New Year often brings with it a time for reflecting on the past year’s achievements, as well as hopes for future successes. For the rider, goals can be an important way of not only measuring a training program and progress, but also a way to maintain focused and diligent about maintaining a regular riding routine. The beginning of the year is a great time to look at where one is in their riding, and set both short term and long-term goals for the coming year.
Long-term goals are the big goals and can vary greatly from rider to rider. For a beginner rider, maintaining the correct canter lead multiple times around the arena can be a worthy and challenging goal. A more advanced rider may have a totally different goal such as participating in a first horse show, or moving up a level in the horse show arena. Whatever the goal, it is easiest to achieve the ultimate end result by breaking down the goal into steps, or short-term goals. Writing down goals and then analyzing how to achieve that eventual goal in a step-by-step format can make a goal a reality.
Let’s say that the rider’s goal is to maintain the correct canter lead for three laps around the arena. The rider should start by learning the aids for the correct canter lead. Next is being able to see and then feel the canter lead, as well as being able to see and feel the 3-beat rhythm in the canter gait itself. Combine this with an eventual understanding of how the horse balances himself when picking up the canter lead (by bending around the riders inside leg). Then gradually move to holding the canter for a longer and longer period of time, from several strides, to a full 20 meter circle, to one lap around the arena, and so on. All these steps will happen in small increments from ride to ride. Breaking down the large goal into smaller steps such as asking for a canter depart, seeing and feeling what the correct lead is, and gradually understanding how the horse moves and carries himself in a canter are all elements that are pertinent to the completion of the eventual larger goal!
A different type of rider (perhaps one with her own horse) may have riding goals related to horse shows. Perhaps you hope to compete your horse in the walk/trot/canter division for the first time. Pick out a couple of shows (preferably schooling shows) that you hope to ride in. Most shows have classes specifically tailored to green (or novice) horses and riders. Set a riding timetable based on your first show. This timetable should included a specific plan for making sure you and your horse are ready for the show by finding exercises and riding patterns that will help strengthen your riding and improve your horses training and musculature. Try to show one level below what you are schooling at home. This will help ensure that you and your horse are solid competitors in the show ring. It is always a good thing if what you are doing at the horse show is easier than what you are training at home!
One of the most important things to remember when setting a goal is that you absolutely must be flexible. It is great to have a big goal to aim for, but adjustments often have to be made. A common phrase in the horse world is that "for every one step forward you take 3 steps back". It can be frustrating and even disappointing when you realize that your goal is not as attainable as you had hoped. But that is all part of riding. Don’t lose sight of your original goal, but know when it is time to reevaluate and make a change of plan. It doesn’t mean all hope is lost when that happens, it just means that the journey has a slight detour for the moment. Try to think of your riding as a constant work in progress, and be excited by the new possibilities and learning experiences that your relationship with horses can bring.
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