Tips for Reaching Your 2007 Horsemanship Goals by Sherry Jarvis

Most of us think about setting new goals with our horses for the upcoming year.  Unfortunately, the stats show that many of us won't reach our goals.  Of course, you are an individual, not a statistic.  Whether or not you succeed is entirely up to you. 

Here are some tips to help you succeed with your 2007 Horsemanship Goals.

1.  Feel free to change your goals.  After all, they're yours.  You made them and you can change them.  It seems like we tend to make goals so difficult that many fail.

The average goal aims high—really high. My husband tells me I do this all the time. Sometimes we set them high because it is what we dream of. On the other hand, a case can be made that many goals are made too difficult on purpose because it makes it so much easier to stop trying.

2.  Take a holistic approach, it may help you be more successful.  Maybe instead of saying, "I will canter my horse or go on a big trail ride,” we could say; "I will canter my horse only when we are both ready and we have done the preparation to set this up for success for both of us."  Or, "I will go on short trail rides in a familiar environment with another experienced rider who has a calm trail horse, then I will progress to longer and bigger trail rides, as our confidence builds."

Maybe you could throw in "by the end of the year.”  Now you've got an entire year to work towards a goal and you won't feel so much pressure to perform.  If you do this, your horse will be more willing.  Horses can feel our pressure to hurry up and get something done.  When they feel this, they may resist more.  There is nothing worse than waiting until you're late for the show to expect an unconfident horse to load quickly in a trailer.  The more you hurry the more they say, "I can't get in there with this much pressure."

3.  Make a plan.  This is a big step, because given the above scenarios, without a plan it's unlikely that you'll change anything in your lifestyle until the following December.  Take a minute to look at your schedule for the upcoming year. This can help give you a realistic sense of what you want to attempt and a realistic time frame.  You might want to pencil in some kind of schedule where you will spend time working your plan during the year.  Planning ahead will stack the odds in your favor.  Why not pencil in a Horsemanship Camp at the Calamus Outfitters Ranch with Sherry to saturate yourself in four days of progress towards your goal.

4.  Remember the big picture.  This one has to do with the fact that most goals are about self-improvement (or helping your horse improve).  Some of the main goals we make are related to quitting a bad habit, changing the way we look or feel about something, and becoming more educated.  All of these things require our mind and body to change. And while it's possible to do a 100% turnaround in a short amount of time, it's not very likely, especially when horses are involved.

Your chances for success will improve drastically if you use your brain and make a plan that allows for failure, plays to you and your horse's strengths, and moves towards your overall goal in a way that makes it harder for you to quit than to keep going.

Here are some ideas that focus on the big picture.

Break the year into 12 months.  In order to be a good horseman you have to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit.  How fit are you in all three of these areas?  For January and February, you might want to start with an exercise program because you know that the better shape you are in the better you will be able to ride your horse.  So your entire first couple of months might not actually address your ultimate goal directly.  Instead, it can focus on something that you know will help you down the line.

Involve your family.  If you've got a family, find a way to involve them in your quest.  If not, you're probably going to have some trouble because they'll be pulling you in the opposite direction.  If you share your goals with them, chances are your family will be supportive and do anything you ask.

Involve your good habits and those of your horse too.  While this should fall in the "duh files," it's surprising how often people try and ignore their own history when they attempt to achieve new goals.  Get realistic and embrace the things you and your horse are good at.  Make sure they're a part of your plan.  Quit looking at what you still can't do with your horse, and look at how far you've come.  You may be amazed, and it will give you incentive to keep moving forward.  Celebrate the baby steps towards your goal.  Build on your horse’s strengths instead of worrying so much about his weaknesses and faults.

5.  Find strength in numbers.  Even the most independent of us need support from time to time.  Unless your goal is completely off the radar, there is support available.  Don't try to go it alone.  Find a riding buddy with the same principles of horsemanship that you believe and practice.

Support from a qualified, caring professional can be amazingly helpful and you can find one that can fit any personality type.  Even if you're very shy, just reading through what others say in books, on website, or chat groups, can help to motivate and keep you on track.

6.  Get educated!  Watch DVD's and RFDTV, read books, go to classes, clinics, shows, expos, demonstrations, etc. Get as much good education as you can afford, because without it you may have to stumble around much longer than you want to before reaching your goals.  Observe everything you can that has to do with horses, and learn by watching, listening and feeling.  Your most powerful tool as a horseman is your power of observation.

I wouldn't go sky diving without getting educated about it first.  I may figure it out, and even survive it, if I try to do it on my own.  However, my chances of success are much greater and safer with assistance from a teacher who has studied the finer art and finesse of sky diving.  I'm sure there's more to it than just jumping out of a plane and pulling a rip cord. Somehow, many people are under the false impression that horses are simple, and all you have to do is kick them to go and pull them to stop.

7.  Get going, be a doer!  There is no substitute for practice and experience.  You won't reach your goal if you don't get out there and try.  Nobody's going to do it for you.  All we can do is be there to encourage and support you.  You have to experiment while applying all that you have learned.  Give yourself permission to make mistakes, and find new solutions to old problems.

Best wishes on reaching your horse goals in 2007.

One word of caution before I close, try not to ever let your goals override or come before your principles, because if you do more than likely your horse will be the one to pay the price.

Best wishes on the journey in 2007,
Sherry Jarvis