My trainer just asked me what my long term goals for riding were. I completely blanked. I very rarely set long-term goals for riding as I often feel I get disappointed by them, so I typically just go day by day. What are things you consider when thinking about your goals?
1 Like
I think it more helpful to break it down into short, medium and long term goals.
For instance, your short term goal might be getting comfortable with asking and getting flying changes, your medium term goal might be really nailing your pace and 8 spots in the show ring and your long term goal might be qualifying for a year end show or zones.
Personally? (I don’t show.) My short term goal is to to get more comfortable over fences 3 - 3’ 6" with my lovely newish gelding, my medium term goal is to consistently hunt first flight and my long term goal is to develop my next horse, currently a three year old.
A follow up question, and please, I mean no offense - do you feel you have plateaued or stopped making progress with your current trainer? I find it odd that the subject of long term goals is coming up now, not at the beginning of your relationship. Are you struggling to stay motivated?
If not, then just share with her what your short and medium term goals are, and the long term will take care of itself.
4 Likes
I just changed trainers at the beginning of the year, and we went over goals I have with my current horse, but we’ve recently decided to put her on the market. She wanted to know my goals to find an appropriate next horse. I have the obvious goals of moving up/ doing specific classes which she knows, but I feel like I won’t know my goals until I have my next horse. In terms of my riding, I mostly just have fine-tuning to do. I’m at a good jumping height currently with no real fears, I’ve aged out of the majority of the major year-end stuff, whenever I go to shows I’m competitive in my division as long as my mare is willing to participate.
That’s a very reasonable question for your trainer to ask, then.
So sit down and ask your self what you did and didn’t like about your previous horse; and try to visualize what your ideal next horse looks like. (Unless you have an unlimited budget, you won’t get your ideal horse. Visualizing your ideal will help you figure out what’s important to you and what’s optional/flexible.) What are the deal breakers? Spookiness? An unpredictable stop? Another mare? Lots of maintenance? Tons of prep before showing? What can you live with? Cribbing? Ulcer protocol? A scope limit? Off color/Off breed?
Wanting to move up a division or do a specific class isn’t an obvious goal, and is worth re-iterating. There are many people who have no desire to jump bigger or move-up, so that is one goal right there you know you have.
You say you are “competitive in your division as long as your mare is willing to participate.” Maybe being more consistent in your division would be a goal then, which would then gear your trainer towards searching for a horse who is more consistently willing to play.
Have you achieved all your goals from your current horse? Or do you have some left you’d like to achieve with your next one?
I think that absolutely there are some goals that only come up once you have the horse (for example, one of my goals is to get a confirmed change on my greenie, and get him straighter to and from a fence). But overall I do think there are other goals that are independent of the horse itself (ex: I would like to get back to showing in the 1.15m again, eventually).
1 Like
To me the primary distinction is:
Do you want to perfect your performance at the current level?
Do you want to move up to the next level?
They are not inconsistent, but how you prioritise them will determine what your instructor will focus on.
2 Likes
I think you can set long term goals but understand they can change. Last year my goal was to get back into the show ring - but then I hurt my hip while setting up fly traps (I feel old!) and I was out of the saddle for 9 months. My goals in turn had to change, and that is ok. Finally went back to a show for the first time in probably 9 years last week, and my goal was just to not fall off 
Give yourself compassion and grace if a goal doesn’t work out or takes long than you thought. And flexible goals are ok too! For example, maybe your long term goal is to move up a division, but perhaps to do that you need to complete three smaller goals such as improve your auto changes, improve your hack, and work on your adjustability. Focus on those three smaller goals and then the long term goal will fall in place a bit better.
1 Like
