Horse Trail Chicks

As the year is winding down and riding opportunities are dwindling, I think it’s important to look back on the year. I like to do this with a focus on two things: reflecting on progress and goals met and setting goals for the year ahead.

Reflections:

1. We have come a long way this year! One thing about working with and riding horses is that it’s often two steps forward and one step back and I make it a point not to dwell on those backward steps. When I look back and think about some rides that didn’t go quite as planned, I think about what went wrong, but then, more importantly, I focus on how far we have come in the past year or past several years. Maybe we couldn’t canter over a ground pole without jumping 2′ over it this fall, but last year we jumped it 2’9″ and five years ago we couldn’t even canter in the ring without people running for their lives. It’s all about your perspective. So, what progress have you made this year?
2. We did a lot of things! I like to think about all of the fun adventures we had this past year. Prophet and I went on an overnight to the Adirondacks (New York State) on the ferry, we went camping at The Bunkhouse for a long weekend, we did day trips to trail ride several times, we went on two trail rides with the Green Mountain Hounds, and we won a 17 mile Hunter Pace put on by the Green Mountain Hounds. It was a busy year! In addition to the awesome times with my horse, I also rode another horse for another long weekend at The Bunkhouse, took Tupelo to his first dressage show, and started writing this blog with Monica.

3. I learned a lot. With horses, you are never done learning. I feel like I am a better rider and horse owner now than last year. I have learned a lot about communicating with horses and I have a newfound appreciation for groundwork. 

Resolutions:

1. Seek out learning opportunities. Maybe this will be reading articles, listening to podcasts, and watching videos. Maybe it will be participating in or auditing clinics. Whatever form it takes, I want to make sure I keep learning and improving.
2. Go places and have fun trail rides with my horse. I don’t want to end up wishing I had gone camping or trail riding at the end of 2019!
3. Become more competent riding bridleless with just a neck strap.
4. Do more groundwork! I can’t explain how much groundwork helps me and my horse act as a team, especially when we are out trail riding. I want to continue and expand our groundwork exercises this coming year. 

That’s about all for now. I like to keep my resolutions attainable, but will often add to them throughout the year.

What are your resolutions?

Prophet had an answer (though I hope he forgets about some of them) – I ran this through Google translate for those of you that don’t speak horse.

1. Jump ever single jump a minimum of 12 feet. Anything less is for amateurs. MAXIMUM EFFORT.
2. Run faster and longer than any horse has ever run in the history of the world.
3. Make sure that none of the other horses in my paddock contest my authority (except Rio – he’s cool). 
4. Less dressage. Or… maybe no dressage…. 

Happy Trails!

Kerrie