Goal Setting

[Dyllymoo]

I love a list (work, home, you name it... I have post it notes galore!)

I need to do some goal setting for the next year 8 months. My main goal is to be able to solo hack J (for longer than 10 mins around the block), happily and confidently (both of us). I would also like to be able to walk, trot and canter in that hack if we so wish.

I would like to do weekly and monthly goals, so the weekly ones would be smaller and the monthly ones would probably be a combination of the weekly ones plus a bit more?

Does anyone have any idea where I can start with this?

Briefly J was sold to me as a confidence giving hacker who would solo hack (and he did on the viewing and we walked, trotted and cantered in a field which I haven't done for years).

I have hacked him with others and he has been quite chilled. He had a flighty hack before Christmas where he was spooking at trying to run away from EVERYTHING. I haven't been asked out to hack since. I have taken him on his own with my OH on foot, but we have gone around the roads around the village (he is a star with traffic) and then I took him on his own around the same route (he was nervous but listened).

I work full time, DIY livery BUT I can do things in the morning (as long as I am in work by 10am) so until the clocks change I can do stuff in daylight if I plan it properly. I have weekly lessons in the school where we just concentrate on getting him forward and more confident in himself in ridden work (he can be quite a worrier I think).

What would be your plan of action to get him out hacking on his own?

I'm happy to put in the time and effort and understand goals may need to be flexible depending upon how well he does with certain things and to bear in mind he is only just 5 so I'm sure we will take a few steps back as well as forward

Any suggestions welcome (I'm happy to long rein, lead in hand, ride with someone on foot (my OH is great!) and eventually he would like to ride his bike (push bike!) with us.

 

[Roxylola]

As daylight at the moment in the morning would mean rush hour riding, I think if you are more confident going for little walks in hand together I would stick to that until it is getting lighter early enough to be before peak traffic. I would think the more you do on the ground with him the more you see he is ok with being on his own the more confident you will feel riding him when it comes to it. Even get your OH to come and wheel his bike out with you a bit.
Otherwise hack in company or at weekends (ideally with your OH for reassurance for you both) and just get him used to being up sides behind and in front on some nice quiet hacks

 

[Dyllymoo]

As daylight at the moment in the morning would mean rush hour riding, I think if you are more confident going for little walks in hand together I would stick to that until it is getting lighter early enough to be before peak traffic. I would think the more you do on the ground with him the more you see he is ok with being on his own the more confident you will feel riding him when it comes to it. Even get your OH to come and wheel his bike out with you a bit.
Otherwise hack in company or at weekends (ideally with your OH for reassurance for you both) and just get him used to being up sides behind and in front on some nice quiet hacks

Thank you for your reply. With regards to morning riding our village is quiet and I would be aiming to ride in the fields opposite the yard. In hand is a big option but the first week of having him I took him in hand and he bolted across the fields (without me!) and headed home after a very scary 10 minutes of blind panic running around the fields. I know he is a bit more confident now, and trusts me more now but I actually feel safer on him, maybe this is something we need to work on. Unfortunately OH cant do weekdays as he leaves the house at 5.30am.

Hacking in company isn't really going to happen either now as I have been "blacklisted" I fear (because I just want to walk at present). It is what it is and he is actually fine in company but is anxious on his own, so I was thinking repetition of small steps on his own and he would get the confidence needed (in hand or ridden whatever is best suited for him).

 

[Roxylola]

Oh, stay on board in that case, keep it nice and quiet. What a shame you aren't able to go out in company, I love having a nice walk with friends - I much prefer to do fast hacks on my own.

I'd stick to places you know - maybe at weekend do a route with you and OH then that week do the same route, next weekend expand it a bit or change it etc

 

[JFTDWS]

I would pick the shortest circular route you have, and walk / ride it ad infinitum, and gradually add extra loops on when you have a husband-shaped companion, and when the stars align (pony in calm mood, nice weather etc), reverting to the short route on days when everything is a bit more up in the air. Stick on a neck strap, make sure you have brakes, and a nice mantra or distraction for yourself, and just focus on getting round, worry about the finer points of equitation as time goes on.

Repetition builds confidence - yours and pony's - and if in time you're sick of doing it, you're more likely to go further and enjoy it rather than worrying about it.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I would pick the shortest circular route you have, and walk / ride it ad infinitum, and gradually add extra loops on when you have a husband-shaped companion, and when the stars align (pony in calm mood, nice weather etc), reverting to the short route on days when everything is a bit more up in the air. Stick on a neck strap, make sure you have brakes, and a nice mantra or distraction for yourself, and just focus on getting round, worry about the finer points of equitation as time goes on.

Repetition builds confidence - yours and pony's - and if in time you're sick of doing it, you're more likely to go further and enjoy it rather than worrying about it.

That's basically my plan with Amber. Not because she needs more confidence but because I do!

Good luck Dyllymoo. x

 

[JFTDWS]

That's basically my plan with Amber. Not because she needs more confidence but because I do!

It's what I do with Skye in the winter, not because we lack confidence but because I worry about creating a confidence issue with her when it's muddy and horrible and hard to fix.

And yes, in my case, the only thing to fear is, counter intuitively, fear itself My brain is a bastard!

 

[Dyllymoo]

I would pick the shortest circular route you have, and walk / ride it ad infinitum, and gradually add extra loops on when you have a husband-shaped companion, and when the stars align (pony in calm mood, nice weather etc), reverting to the short route on days when everything is a bit more up in the air. Stick on a neck strap, make sure you have brakes, and a nice mantra or distraction for yourself, and just focus on getting round, worry about the finer points of equitation as time goes on.

Repetition builds confidence - yours and pony's - and if in time you're sick of doing it, you're more likely to go further and enjoy it rather than worrying about it.

Thank you, will see what route I can find that is quite a nice one. I feel like I would probably be tempted to stick to roads initially, unless I had someone at his head so will see what I can think of Thank you

 

[Red-1]

I would not even worry about it until the weather brightens up. It is rubbish at this time of year, but in summer when they are warm, fat and happy I bet you won't have even half the problem.

Once you get hacking in summer it is then easier to keep it going into next winter.

 

[Dyllymoo]

I would not even worry about it until the weather brightens up. It is rubbish at this time of year, but in summer when they are warm, fat and happy I bet you won't have even half the problem.

Once you get hacking in summer it is then easier to keep it going into next winter.

Oh yes definitely, I agree, but I want to lay some foundations now so that when it comes to spring/ summer we can be well on our way