Setting Goals With Your Horse in Mind: Turning Dreams Into Reality

Plan, Ride, Achieve: Smart Goal Setting for Equestrians

Goal setting isn’t just for riders—it’s for partnerships. When you set goals with your horse in mind, you create a roadmap that respects their abilities, your skillset, and the bond you share.

What Kind of Goals Can You Set?

• Competitions/outings: Are you aiming for a local show or a national level event?

• Clinics: Do you want to learn from experts and expose your horse to new environments?

• Movements: Maybe you dream of a smooth shoulder-in or a balanced flying change.

• Improvements: Better transitions, more relaxation, or improved responsiveness.

• Your Skillset: Building confidence, refining aids, or improving biomechanics.

• Bonding: Sometimes the goal is simply trust and harmony.

How to Make Goals Horse-Centric

• Consider their age, breed, and fitness level. A Friesian will need more time for uphill work than a Thoroughbred.

• Respect mental wellbeing. Goals should challenge, not overwhelm.

• Break big goals into small steps. For example, before aiming for canter pirouettes, master balanced walk-to-canter transitions.

Holding Yourself Accountable

1. Write It Down: A goal journal makes it real.

2. Set Timelines: Not rigid deadlines, but realistic progress markers.

3. Track Progress: Use videos or notes to see improvement over time.

4. Celebrate Wins: Even small steps matter.

5. Adjust When Needed: Horses aren’t machines, and nor are you—adapt your plan if either of you struggle or excel faster than expected.

6. Find Support: Share goals with your coach or riding friends for encouragement and accountability. Celebrate it baby!

Turning Goals Into Reality

Consistency beats intensity. Show up for your horse, keep sessions positive, and remember: progress is a journey, not a race.

What are your goals for the New Year ahead? Let me know in the comments, and maybe we can achieve them together and celebrate all types of wins (progress is a winner in my mind-practice for permanency)!

My Goals?

For 2026, I aim to:

• Share my knowledge, skills, positivity and silliness with the equine community

• Empower my students through their goals and amazing skillsets

• Refine Maestro's functional movement working towards counter-canter and further lightness

• Continue to refine both in-hand, saddle, bareback and bitless capabilities

• Expose my youngster, Thor to more outings/places

• Increase Thor's groundwork training in preparing him to his ridden pathway ahead

• Attend online and in-person events/clinics/lessons to increase my education and further refine my skill and understanding

We've got this! Any form of progress in the partnership with my babies is amazing enough for me-but I will set goals to build on opportunities for them!