Goal Setting

“What are your goals for this year?”

I am sure that by now, most everyone has heard of the importance of goal setting- whether that be financially, in academia, professional career, or general life choices…but what about for your riding?

At one point I was boarding Ruby at a very nice, quiet barn. There was no resident trainer, so Connie was traveling an hour each way to come teach me once per week. However, only so much can be done in only one weekly ride, and the fact that the other boarders had horses more as pets did not help my motivation. Stepping back, I realized that I was spending all this money on board and lessons for…what? Shortly after this epiphany, I moved Ruby to an active barn where others had more of the same goals that we did- showing the local circuit.

Debi asked me about my goals in my last lesson, and I honestly did not know how to reply. I mean, I knew I wanted to take Ruby to shows, but had not put much thought into what kind of shows/at which level/how far away. After all the years of incessant blood, sweat, and tears (literally), I suppose it never occurred to me that Ruby and I had finally reached a point where we had options: Did we want to compete Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, or continue with Horse Trials? Maybe all of the above?

Finances are still an issue for me at this point in my life: juggling the cost of living, Ruby’s other expenses, student loan debt, and retirement; because of this, I had to be especially careful/picky about this decision. Debi and I agreed that our near term goal would be our first recognized show in October: Middle Tennessee.

What is goal setting?

Goal setting is the process of defining goals (short-term and long-term). Seems pretty self explanatory, right?

In my opinion, there are a few requirements for goal setting that will make you more likely to succeed. For riding, the general guidelines for business goal practices are applicable:

1. Write your goals down: make sure to include a time-frame, specific terms, and make sure it is measurable. If you write/log your goals you are much more likely to commit to them!

2. Make a goal that has value- choose something that is important enough to you that you will not lose motivation when you hit obstacles.

3. Goals should be achievable, but challenging.

4. Choose a support group- having others who support your goals can help keep you motivated and on track.

I am going to start out with saying my goal for this year is: Finish BN at the Middle TN show with Ruby!

8 Years of Friendship

"Thanks for being you, Ruby"

Today marks mine and Ruby's 8 year anniversary.

That smile sums it up

Recently, I have been swamped with medical bills, car repairs, and one difficult cat that keeps getting sick. This has forced me into a very sticky financial situation; one where everyone automatically says "why don't you get rid of the horse- you'd save SO MUCH money then!"

I won't deny it- I WOULD save a lot of money; it was a financially irresponsible decision to have a horse while I was paying for school and living on my own back in 2007.

I will starve first.

Yes, it costs money. Yes, I sometimes wish I could have my own house now, or go out with my friends every weekend, and update my aging wardrobe. But what you have to consider is this: what has Ruby done for me, and what is the price of that? When my ex of 6 years cheated on me and all my friends had abandoned me- Ruby was there. When I was struggling with bullying, lack of self confidence, and depression- Ruby was there. When I graduated college and had to deal with the stress of my first 'real' job- Ruby was there. Even when I showed up only once a week at 11pm, she was there to greet me with her cute Ruby nicker. No matter what, she is always there; to hug, to make me laugh, to remind me that not all strong bonds have to be human. She will never betray me, she will never tell my secrets, and she will never give up on me.

How do you put a price on that?

So to Ruby:Thank you. Thank you for being there when no one else is. Thank you for your patience, your kindness, and your uncanny habit of not allowing me to mope. Thank you for your willingness to give in a world full of takers. Thank you for helping my dreams become reality. But most of all, thank you for being you.