How do you plan what you do?

[I'm Dun]

I'm in the process of getting my horse fit and ready to hopefully event later in the season, but I am horribly scatty and have some very strong ADHD like traits which impact on me a lot. I really struggle without structure and a plan. I have no issue knowing what to do with him, but I somehow I need to make that a more concrete plan or 6 month from now I'll still be bimbling about aimlessly.

I have seen some youtubers using a white board, other people have suggested using a phone calendar. I break phones a lot so that is probably not my best option. I thought I'd ask here in case I'm missing some genius solution to keep me on track!

 

[greenbean10]

I've got an equestrian diary. There are some good ones that you can buy online and writing it down means I'm more likely to stick to it even if the weather is bad.

 

[SEL]

With two doing rehab I'm feeling brain dead and disorganised so I'm about to measure up for a white board. I'm going to put it where I tie up so I can see what each horse should ideally do that day and tick off. A whiteboard appeals because if weather forces a change in plan I can rub out / rewrite etc.

Plus you can't drop white boards in a canal ???

 

[bouncing_ball]

I'm in the process of getting my horse fit and ready to hopefully event later in the season, but I am horribly scatty and have some very strong ADHD like traits which impact on me a lot. I really struggle without structure and a plan. I have no issue knowing what to do with him, but I somehow I need to make that a more concrete plan or 6 month from now I'll still be bimbling about aimlessly.

I have seen some youtubers using a white board, other people have suggested using a phone calendar. I break phones a lot so that is probably not my best option. I thought I'd ask here in case I'm missing some genius solution to keep me on track!

I try and alternate hacking and schooling. So maximum two days schooling in a row before hacking.

I aim for 2 flatwork sessions, 2-3 hacks, a flatwork lesson, and 3 sets of raised walk pole sessions (in hand) as week. (walk pole work can be done as warm up before other work sessions).

So hacking 2-3 times, a lesson, and doing my lesson homework in the school. I probably do one non ridden in hand / groundwork session a week too.

He doesnt strictly have a weekly day off, though does have days off, but I do aim for a non ridden day every seven days.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I am fairly obsessed with planning so here is what I do:

I have some short/medium/long term outcome goals which are listed.
I then write out my process goals to get to that outcome.

Eg GOAL - Dressage Comp
Process Outcomes:
* Have enough quality for 6s in all areas at home
This needs:
More consistent outline
Not taking over in canter
Better balance in canter

* Prepare her for a comp environment

Then I decide on what steps will achieve those process goals:

- Weekly lesson working on her limiters
- Weekly schoolmaster lessons so I ride her better
- Test riding practice at home.
- Expose to boards

Then I plot 2 weeks training in advance on a whiteboard. And every session is ticked off with comments.
I also plan and write up the session in more detail in my Lottie Progress Diary. So every session has a purpose and every session is reflected on for learning opportunities

I also have my long term goal of eventing very clear in my mind and everything I do is aimed at that - whenever the process outcomes have been ticked off.

Another goal is Clear Round SJ at a local venue. As a stepping stone for SJ in eventing.

But before that she needed to be much more rideable at home over poles and overcome her stress about jumping. So all the goals were then around being relaxed and listening. As a pre-cursor to anything else.

The steps change depending on how she is doing and what she seems to need. So I am in no hurry and I don;t have a timetable - but that works both ways. If she seems ready to crack on I crack on. I actually feel like a Brigante Cup Qualifier at 80 in April feels achievable now. So that is up on my GOALS board as a 'possible' but I won't enter till much nearer the time and only if the process goals have been achieved first.

These are:
SJ and Dressage separately on surface in comp environments; then SJ and Dr practice on grass
XC on grass.

Pics so you can see my anal behaviour in action!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I use a planner-you can get them with habit trackers which I use for ticking off what I've done with the pony. I also use goal setting techniques-ie where I want to be in X weeks time, x months time, end of the year. On a dialy basis, before I do anything with them, I have a clear plan and goal for that session.

 

[greenbean10]

I am fairly obsessed with planning so here is what I do:

I have some short/medium/long term outcome goals which are listed.
I then write out my process goals to get to that outcome.

Eg GOAL - Dressage Comp
Process Outcomes:
* Have enough quality for 6s in all areas at home
This needs:
More consistent outline
Not taking over in canter
Better balance in canter

* Prepare her for a comp environment

Then I decide on what steps will achieve those process goals:

- Weekly lesson working on her limiters
- Weekly schoolmaster lessons so I ride her better
- Test riding practice at home.
- Expose to boards

Then I plot 2 weeks training in advance on a whiteboard. And every session is ticked off with comments.
I also plan and write up the session in more detail in my Lottie Progress Diary. So every session has a purpose and every session is reflected on for learning opportunities

I also have my long term goal of eventing very clear in my mind and everything I do is aimed at that - whenever the process outcomes have been ticked off.

Another goal is Clear Round SJ at a local venue. As a stepping stone for SJ in eventing.

But before that she needed to be much more rideable at home over poles and overcome her stress about jumping. So all the goals were then around being relaxed and listening. As a pre-cursor to anything else.

The steps change depending on how she is doing and what she seems to need. So I am in no hurry and I don;t have a timetable - but that works both ways. If she seems ready to crack on I crack on. I actually feel like a Brigante Cup Qualifier at 80 in April feels achievable now. So that is up on my GOALS board as a 'possible' but I won't enter till much nearer the time and only if the process goals have been achieved first.

These are:
SJ and Dressage separately on surface in comp environments; then SJ and Dr practice on grass
XC on grass.

Pics so you can see my anal behaviour in action!!

Love all of this! Very inspired

 

[Alibear]

I have my goals usually competition based but also hacking solo wherever I want is a goal this year.
I then have a breakdown of the myriad of things/steps to get there and these include tiny things like suppleness, happiness in outdoor school, hacking baby loop solo, happy in company round woods, happy to be bathed. Those happy comments all break down into little steps to achieving that task in a happy manner too. So happy to be bathed, starts as stands calmly in wash bay when held, etc.
I have this scatter of things written down and then I aim to ride 6 times a week. When I turn up I assess how she is and how I am and external things like the weather and other people riding in schools etc and pick what seems suitable to work on that day. So although it is a plan, it's very free form. I used to beat myself into some sticky situations with rigid plans. E.g. we're solo hacking up the track even though it's strong winds and raining hard, Amber hasn't had her usual turn out etc, because the plan says so. That doesn't set you up to succeed So this works better for me.

 

[Lammy]

Similar to others, I will have little goals and bigger longer term goals. But I just have those in mind I don’t write them down anywhere, particularly as the little goals evolve often.

I have ADHD so I find having my weekly plan somewhere I can see it very helpful else I will forget. So I have a whiteboard above my feed as I go in there twice a day, it also has things on line next farrier visit/when injections are due etc. If I wrote these things down in a diary they wouldn’t be looked at again for weeks! It has made life a lot easier and I plan my week on a Sunday and write out what I want to do and I like that I can easily change the plan on the whiteboard.

 

[I'm Dun]

Similar to others, I will have little goals and bigger longer term goals. But I just have those in mind I don’t write them down anywhere, particularly as the little goals evolve often.

I have ADHD so I find having my weekly plan somewhere I can see it very helpful else I will forget. So I have a whiteboard above my feed as I go in there twice a day, it also has things on line next farrier visit/when injections are due etc. If I wrote these things down in a diary they wouldn’t be looked at again for weeks! It has made life a lot easier and I plan my week on a Sunday and write out what I want to do and I like that I can easily change the plan on the whiteboard.

This is my issue. I dont have a diagnosis mainly as in middle age its such a fight and theres 3yr waiting lists for assessments in my area, but I have it and have just learnt to live with it on the whole. But I know a diary would end exactly the same, keeping it in my head isnt enough accountability for me.

I think I need to sit down and plan out like Ambers Echo and others have done and then I think a big white board where I can see it is probably the way to go. I am sick of my random scatter gun approach and really want some consistency with what I do!

 

[Fransurrey]

Dunno about anyone else, but I think I need Ambers Echo as my PA/carer.

I also have ADHD, but no desire to event (I'm too chicken). If I did, though, I'd make a plan with my instructor. The reason being that if I'm accountable to someone (through homework, lessons and so on), I'm much more likely to follow the plan.

 

[sbloom]

I would look to other parts of your life and take what works there. Often we ADHDers can be organised and plan in some circumstances, see if you can adapt the same approach/techniques. And yes, being accountable to someone works very well for some.

 

[sbloom]

theres 3yr waiting lists for assessments in my area, but I have it and have just learnt to live with it on the whole.

I don't know if it was your thread I replied to before but you do not have to wait for 3 years in most areas, you can utilise the right to choose pathway in the NHS. I know there were issues where the private providers actually provide the NHS service in a CCG area but otherwise you can demand to go that route and the wait would be way less.

 

[smolmaus]

I am ordering a whiteboard now. Been stuck in a big rut and blaming the dark evenings for doing v little but won't have that excuse for very long! I suspect I have some form of ADHD related brain nonsense going on, or maybe just a different manifestation of anxiety. There is a big hole in my brain that plans fall out of no matter how good my intentions. Similarly to some of you, a diary gets things written down in it then I avoid looking at the diary so I don't have to feel bad about not having done said things. Whiteboard will be harder to avoid!

 

[Goldenstar]

Now a days I am overly relaxed .
When I was more focused I always had short medium and long term plans for each horse and my self .
I wrote these down in a book on a double page and then wrote under them what the aims where and on the other page how to achieve them .
Short was six weeks medium for four to six months long a year I revisited them every four months or so .

 

[daydreamer]

I have very loose plans in my head. I have recently started keeping a diary in my car. When I have finished a session with my horse I write what I have done that day and a very brief comment on what I want to do in the next session. So far this has been working well for me. I used to do it years ago when I first got my other horse but then got out of the habit. I need to do it now as I have a youngster so I am conscious that I am bumbling about a bit and not getting very far very fast. I try not to worry about that too much though, we'll get there eventually and there is no rush. I can't be doing with hardcore planning months in advance, I think partly because I am a teacher so making a very strict schedule of things to do just feels like being at work.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Dunno about anyone else, but I think I need Ambers Echo as my PA/carer.