Monday 5 October 2009

Goals for October

I have been inspired by various bloggers to also use this blog to help me keep a check on how things are going. I love reading back over some of the earlier posts and looking at the earlier photos and videos, thinking about how far we’ve come. But as well as this, it would be good to be able to set out goals and assess them at the end of each month, keeping a record of our progress.
So – here goes.
• Bring Echo back into regular work
• One more massage session
• Lunge her at least once a week in the chambon to work on her stretching, particularly on the right rein
• Work at least 15 minutes in each session long and low, between periods of greater collection – not including the free walk for 10 minutes at the beginning and end of each session
• Work on ‘uphill’ upward transitions form walk to trot and trot to canter
• Spend at least 5 minutes of each session concentrating on my position and flexibility in the saddle
• Do at least one session of pole work to engage her hind legs
• Hack out – in company and alone
• Have a lesson
• One session of jumping – working on getting a good stride in approach

Obviously, some of the more athletic exercises here will need to be later on in the month, as she has lost some fitness in the last few weeks. As I write this, I’ve realised that this is more of a training plan than a set of goals. Perhaps that is one of my problems – maybe I am too focussed on WHAT I will be doing rather than what I want to ACHIEVE… Perhaps I need to concentrate on what my training objectives are first, then come up with the exercises afterwards. This is something I was taught very early on when training to be a teacher – I guess it follows that it would apply to teaching my horse too. Definitely worth thinking about.

7 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Your list of goals sounds like they will all be achievable. Good luck to you and Echo.

Vectormom said...

As I read your list of goals for the and weekly tasks to include in your schooling, it made me want to go out and take a ride on Belle! LOL! I don't know if she'll be stinkerbelle today or tinkerbelle but I'm going to find out....hava great week!
tailwindssouth.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

reading your list of goals makes me want to visit my own horse again, i havent been able to keep her on my property because theres so little space, but i think i really oughta get back into yakima and visit.

if you need any ideas feel free to visit

www.trainingayounghorse.com

Dog Life Jackets said...

My best wishes for you to achieve all your goals

Kathleen @ ForgingAhead said...

So how did those October (and November?) goals pan out?

My boy is down with an abscess just now...I miss riding!

Anonymous said...

nice~...................................................................

Saddleries.net said...

Happy new year! for horse lovers

Daily adventures while training my young horse.