Goals And Why We Need Them

Dino's goal is to get me to take off his muzzle. Immediately. 

Goals are important.

They help us stay focused, track our progress, and aid us in improving ourselves.

During the clinic, Dr. Jenny talked a lot about goals. I've always thought that goals were a good thing, but after hearing her lecture, I'm convinced that to advance and progress in riding - as with any sport or skill - we need goals!

The thing about setting goals is that they need to be realistic. Many of us as kids had the goal to ride in the Olympics one day. How realistic was that goal for most of us? Not very. In order for goals to be a tool of progress, they need to be something we and our horses can achieve. I know that Dino and I will never make it to Grand Prix in jumping or dressage, so for us, that's not a good goal. But having ultimate goals of competing in 3' jumpers and 1st Level dressage? Totally doable with some hard work! I know both of us are capable of that, and we have a good trainer and great support people who can help get us there, so as far as "ultimate" goals go, those are good ones for us. You, your horse, and your trainer all have to be on the same page about your goals. If one of you isn't on board, no one will be successful.

Something I struggle with on a daily basis is having a productive ride. Often, I'll mount up without a clear idea of what I want to accomplish that day, and end up feeling negative about my ride. What has helped enormously is a suggestion Dr. Jenny made at the clinic: make a goal for EVERY ride.

For me, having a specific goal each and every time I ride has allowed me to actually be productive. On the days when I don't make a goal, my rides just aren't as good. I end up getting frustrated and bored, and Dino is none too happy with me, either. Daily goals are small, things like "Get Dino forward in the walk as soon as I get on" or "Get one good walk-canter transition in each direction" or even "Jump the brick wall at least once." Sometimes I even have multiple small goals during a single ride, because once I focus on a goal I ride correctly and effectively to achieve it, which makes my pony go better, which makes us both capable of even more. It's a good cycle.

The other day Katie asked me in an email what my riding goals were for the winter. It's a good question, and one I'm not sure I have an answer to just yet. I know I definitely want to keep building on our new "go" and "sideways" buttons, and keep building confidence and communication over fences. Improving the left lead canter is on that list, too. My schooling sessions have been a little stale lately, so maybe it's time to bust out the 101 Dressage Exercises book and perhaps set a fun grid.

So, what about the rest of you? What are your goals? For today's ride? This winter? Next season? Your ultimate goal? Share in the comments! I'd love to hear what everyone's working on. Let's inspire and encourage each other!