Goals, goals, goals!

Do you ever get caught in this thought process as a horse owner?

 

"I'll be really happy when my horse can jump a grid well."

"I'll be really happy when we can hack out on our own."

"I'll enjoy owning this horse when he/she loads easily."

 

I do. I feel impatient when I think about where Cady is in her education. If I dwell on it long enough and hard enough I can really spoil things by thinking about where we should be and what we should be doing.

 

Impatience is good for pushing you forward, but it can also take the shine off the present day by making you feel dissatisfied.

 

I feel like we're improving,  it just doesn't seem it when I think about what my friends do with their horses. Progress doesn't seem to come quickly for us, but I wonder if everyone feels like that?

 

Rather than get het up about it I've decided to lay out some goals to work towards.

Short term:

 

1. Practice loading and travelling Cady short distances

2. Lots of cantering while out hacking (our rockiest pace)

3. Ride three times a week over the winter

 

Long term:

 

1. Go on a pleasure ride

2. Do some cross country schooling

3. Go on a riding holiday with Cady

 

AND - Most important goal of all - practice being grateful for every day I have a healthy horse I can go and spend time with.

 

Now all I have to do is get my head down and work hard, while chanting: "Rome wasn't built in a day...Rome wasn't built in a day!"

 

* I'm getting organised this year so Cady is having an MOT. On Friday Joanne Forster came to adjust her saddle and we've got some physio and massage booked in.

 

This way I still have a bit of time to re- save up some money for Christmas presents!