Goal Setting
This is a big day – setting up the goals for the year. But I am limiting myself because I know what happens when I start goal setting. I keep building and building this huge plan of everything I want to get done in an extended amount of time. But I always poop out long before I have reached the goal. So none of that.
I will, however, lay out the ground floor of my goals, which will basically be my resolutions for the year.
I have found that in order to make my goals achievable, I need to do them in 30-day increments. I can commit to 30-day challenges for myself. And although it isn’t easy, it is achievable. And to actually be able to achieve the goal after 30 days is mind blowing to what it does to your motivation.
So here are my 2024 Resolutions (Goals)
- Pay off all credit cards
- Lose 25 pounds
- Ride Jesse off-property (trail ride)
- Compete in an online dressage show in May
- Compete in an online dressage show in July
- Compete in an online dressage show in September
And that’s it. I know my goals are not entirely horse related, or dressage related for that matter. But I do think the goals I have set for myself will help me with my equine related goals overall. But I am setting all my goals in one shot.
So now, how will I get to these goals? One day at a time is the best answer. So I will break it down one month at a time, beginning with January.
January Goal setting
- Lose 5 lbs for January (1 lb a week)
- Get a dressage saddle that fits
- Get show bridle
- Find the bit Jesse likes the best
- Apple Fitness 3 times a week
- Learn intro dressage test A (walk the test)
- Make dressage arena cones
- Weekly grooming sessions
Alright, I think that’s it! I will consider January a success if I am able to get these 8 things done. I do feel this is attainable. The 10 lbs thing will be the hardest part of my challenge, I know for sure. I need to state this – I love food. No, I mean I LOVE food! I love to eat, I love to bake, and my husband is a legit chef. So I need to rethink my food choices and save my calories for meals when I am at home, not so much at work. I have been making smoothies for breakfast and taking soup for lunch. I don’t have a problem eating throughout the day, but I eat so fast that I eat a lot. I am going to have to rethink my snacks if I need them and work on portion size.
This will work well with my Apple Fitness plan because they have different programs, like biking, treadmill, and even dancing for exercise. I am confident I can achieve 3 workouts a week with the different programs they offer. And I know this will ultimately get me to my goal weight faster. 180 lbs is my breaking point – and where I am right now. I can’t continue with the weight, and I will change my habits to get this excess weight off so I will feel better about myself, especially when I need to get into white breeches for a show.
Finding the Saddle
For my dressage saddle, I found the most incredible saddle – the Wintec Isabell Dressage saddle – Oh. My. Goodness. I have never felt so balanced. I got a 17″ very, very, very used Wintec Isabell dressage saddle at a tack sale from where I adopted my horses, Drifter’s Hearts of Hope. I paid $100 for it.
But I truly need an 18″saddle for this booty of mine. And although the seat size is really measured for your leg length, I am more comfortable in an 18″ seat size. So I have been on the hunt for my Wintec Isabell dressage saddle in an 18″ seat, and I think I have found it. But I don’t want to jinx myself, and I won’t write anymore until I actually have said saddle in my possession.
And the Bridle
Regarding my bridle. I have multiple different black snaffle bridles. I think I am a bit of a collector when it comes to tack. But I don’t have a quote – ‘show bridle’.
I was goofing around on Google and typed dressage bridle into the search bar, and one of the options that came up was from a company called Lumiere. I had never heard of them. But I found a gorgeous bridle on their site called Madeline. They had a Boxing Day sale going on until the end of December, so I ordered it. So I guess once it gets here, I can cross the show bridle off my 30-day goal list!
Next the Bit
Onto finding the bit, well, this is a work in progress, so I will keep playing around with the bits I have, and maybe if I can find some on sale, I will buy a couple to try out and see if he likes them. I have enough bridles to keep the bits that I have in use. I think I do need to make a ‘bit board,’ though, or some way to store the bits I have. I am curious about the Myler bits. I have read they are good, and horses like them. So I might have to see if I can find one on Marketplace or eBay. Why is everything horse-related so expensive?
Onto the Training Plan
Learning and memorizing the dressage tests will be a bit of a challenge. But I have the Ride IQ app, which I use for my riding lessons right now. During the winter, there isn’t much sense in paying someone to watch me ride, especially since I can’t for the time being. But Ride IQ has all of the dressage tests in lessons. So even if I can’t ride the test, I can certainly walk it. Now I just need to memorize it. I like that I can listen to the lessons, and there are hundreds to listen to.
And to make it easier to memorize, I need to work on my dressage arena. At one time, I had the letters on stakes that you put in the ground. But the weather worked all of the sticker letters off. So I have decided to make my own diy dressage arena using Dollar Tree Cones and left over supplements containers.
I have to paint everything white, and then I will apply black vinyl stickers for the letters. I only need 8 to begin with. But I may make all of them if I have enough supplies. It’s not like I can ride right now, so I can make use of my downtime by getting prepared for when I can ride again.
A Word on Grooming
Weekly grooming sessions will be challenging, but I will figure out a way to make them happen. I know Jesse will appreciate it. Now I just have to get over myself, and go out in the cold and get to work!
