How many of you really want to go to the top?

Supanova said:
This pretty much sums me up too. I am under no illusions that I could get to the Olympics or the international, national circuit but my dream competitive aim is to be able to compete in reasonably big classes (foxhunter, 130m) against the pros. I'm a long way from this at the mo but thats always the end game. I am horrendously competitive and my total aim is to improve, improve and improve. Having said that I do just love riding and training horses generally so its not the only reason i do it, but I certainly have a goal.

I have been lucky enough to mould my job so that i get just enough time to ride my 2 horses to compete at a decent level and to have enough money to thow at the "hobby" (a hobby which pretty much consumes my whole life and most of my waking thoughts!). Me and my husband don't plan to have kids, otherwise i imagine it would change things dramatically.
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Yep, I'm with you guys. I don't really have any talent, but I am incredibly stubborn and competitive. I had almost coerced my OH into buying an older PSG schoolmaster last week with no thought of the fact that there's a financial meltdown going on and my job isn't guaranteed beyond 2012 ... So I told him I'd get a nice (read, more expensive) youngster in a couple of years instead :D:D:D

I definitely want to get to PSG, as I know in the right hands my four-year-old could go at least that far, but as I can't even seem to find a trainer right now, that's looking quite far off ... There's just so much luck involved with horses, nothing is guaranteed.
 
Personally I want to compete at 2*. It is my ambition to do a 2* and I don't mind how long it takes me to do it. After all, I am only 20! Even though it is an ambition I still want to have fun along the way :)

Other than that, I would love to ride dressage at medium/advanced medium level - not too fussed on actually competing at the level, but being able to do the movements would just be an ambition! :)

I think you need to have an ambition in life otherwise you will never have the drive to succeed :)
 
I would say the second option, I competed at a high level in the past but due to a very bad injury had to stop riding, 4/5 years now of physio later my knees are sorted and I've established a relationship with a breeder to buy fancy bred showjumping babies yearly, the first of which is now being backed. I am hoping that another year working (in finance in the city) will provide enough that I can leave finance and go into a job where I can ride and compete a couple of horses at a good level. However I know that if I were to be competing at the 1.10, 1.20 level in SJ and not progresing that I would find it incredibly hard to continue.
Obviously this is quite a different answer to some of the others that have been given so please don't shoot me down!
 
I've always said that I wanted to compete at BE novice, and do a 1*... Hopefully that's a realistic aim, and as lovely as it would be to ride round Bramham or Burghley I know I don't have the talent (or the balls!) to jump those kind of fences - much easier and less frightening just to groom at those events!
 
Great answers guys!
In response to tigers-eye, I think people may be more cautious to openly admit ambition now not because there's anything to be ashamed of (theres not!) but because of the way the world is. 5 years ago the economy was soaring, everyone was ambitious and optimistic, money from the banks was flowing and anything seemed possible.
Now we are in the worst financial crisis since forever (according to the man on the radio :p), people are being more cautious. Fuel is hideously expensive, people are worried about their jobs and there's an attitude of tightening belts and riding out the storm. It's harder to have dreams when it's like this as people struggle to maintain what they have.
It seems to me that a lot of people on here are what I would call serious amatures :).
I do have ambition. It's more of a quiet ambition to be the best of me! For my horse and myself to be the best we can be together :). I want to hold my head up high and know I did a good job. I never want to go to Badders I simply would not be able to cope with the pressure I would put on my self.
 
....hmmmm, define "the top"? Olympic gold?..... maybe not that ..... getting safely round a 4* (maybe not even winning, just getting round safely) - well, I'll humbly say that actually yes I do really want to do that! :) I have dellusions of grandeur :)

..... tho in my defence, I am realistic about a few things, not least the fact that I can't bring myself to be as callous about horsepower as probably you have to be to get right to the top -but hey, that's why I'll settle for riding round badders, rather than winning it!

.... but do I really want to do it - hell yeah!!!
 
tigers_eye said:
I think if you'd asked that question in this forum five years ago you'd have had a lot more openly ambitious answers. Whether that's a reflection of the users, or times in general, I don't know. It seems suddenly it's not ok to be ambitious, better to be a big fish in a small pond etc. I think with horses it's difficult anyway, ambition alone will not get you anywhere. It was when I stopped trying to achieve xyz though that I managed. I've achieved childhood dreams of riding at 4* and in a World Cup leg, I have my doubts that riding at a senior Championships will happen, but what realising those other ambitions has shown me is that I'm still the same person, my friends and family whilst proud for me do not really care whether I'm a success or a failure by the standards of competition. That was quite a surprise for me I think, it wasn't a life-changing experience.
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I think this is a very interesting answer. When you have a dream I think it's only natural to think when you accomplish it, it will be like a light switching on and nothing will be the same again. But it's not - it might be an amazing day but in the end, it's just a day.

When I was still a teenager I went early one Monday morning (the traditional "dark day" in barns in North America) to drop off a horse with the trainer who is still the only Canadian to have won an individual sj Olympic medal. When I got there the staff was off and he was mucking the whole barn by himself. It made a big - and good - impression on me at the time. Since then I've seen the "inner workings" enough to know that the work never stops and everyone who goes anywhere in horses works very hard and often the difference between a medal and no medal is a tiny turn of Fate.

For myself, I would love another good horse but my "ambition" is much more personal. I love seeing horses and people I've had a hand in producing succeed and am much, much more interested in the process than competition. I'd much rather ride ten horses a day, by myself, in my chaps, and teach interested students. I figured out long ago if I wanted to "do" horses I would not make the sort of money doing the things I love to run a competition horse at the level I'd want to compete at and I'm happy with my choice. That said, I wouldn't turn a good horse down! :)
 
I would love to ride Grand Prix dressage, I have a talented horse but I know that it takes alot of training/talent etc to get there, I would like to be competitive at PSG level though and I see that we could do that given time. I would also love to get to Advanced level eventing again but know that i probably don't have the bottle to be honest.

I just love starting young horses and getting them going, i am happy doing that, as i sometimes get too stressed competing and in all honesty mostly prefer to stay in my comfort zone but as i have the opportunity with a young talented horse I am going to take the opportunity to learn how to ride and train the high level movements while i can. If I ever get an uber brave young eventer i'm sure i would see what we could do together aswell though. So to aswer the question I guess i'm in between the two ie not too fussed if I am never really get to top level but equally will try.
 
To get to HOYS in a few years showing my young man. I am hoping he will make a nice stamp of a MW hunter, but to be honest, HOYS is probably out of our reach - I think county level is more realistic for us, and I would be thrilled if we got that far, but its nice to dream! x
 
To be fair I think it's a question of age as well. I am nearly 40 and it has taken me 10 years from first registering with BD to get from Prelim to Medium (barely! I only have two points at Medium so hardly smashing the world record!). With that in mind it would be a bit silly to be talking about the Olympics, or even National titles, or to be fair even competing at GP.

Younger people have more open possibilities and it's more realistic for them to be more ambitious - good for them, they should go for it!!!! :)
 
Personally, no I dont. Never did and am far too old now. Professionally yes absolutely. However, Mini TX is another kettle of fish entirely. She's had some setbacks in the last couple of seasons, but is still determined to achieve her dream which is being selected to ride for our region at next year's JRN finals (still cant get used to calling it ONu18). Following on from that, she would love to be selected for the junior team at the following year's Euros. Realistically it wont happen, we both know that, but she can dream. cant she? Her mare has the scope, its just getting her head right!

I think she does dream sometimes though that I will fund her a yard full of eventers and spend my life driving her around the country. Dream on love, it aint going to happen because although she gets sponsorship, my company wont stretch to all of that without bankrupting us. However, when she is being realistic she would love to take her mare to the top, whatever the top is!
 
I aim to go to the top, always have wanted to be the best in everything ive ever done. I love a competition and im dying for success! Just how i am though :P
But yes, hopefully one day i'll think, "well, i've done alright" cos normally its, "well done pony, but we need to do better/get higher scores/get next level/ beat that snob next time". Don't get me wrong, i'm not one of these people who are unbearable when we are beaten or haven't done too well as its all part of the experience and i ALWAYS congradulate the winner, no matter who it is.
But it's just how i am and i always think i can do better
 
Meeeeeeeee!

Quite shamelessly!

I would love to get to 4*... i have wanted to get to 4* ever since i can remember, whether i ever get everything together to be good enough i don't know... but if you don't try you'll never know

to be quite honest, it's having an ambition that drives me.... my husband thinks i'm obsessed, but is supportive, providing i don't sell our children to the devil in my quest!! :D :D

i think there is alot to be said for believing in yourself, years ago i never had any faith in my ability to do anything, now i have alot more. (the wonders of being older & wiser!)
 
Love to but don't have talent or money. I think most of us on here who compete always come up against a competitor time and time again who we want to beat. I can think of 3 myself. I'd like to think that I was capable but even if you gave me a top horse belonging to Mary King or WFP etc I doubt I could jump a 3ft 3" xc course on it or do a decent elementary Dressage test.
 
To follow up on TarrSteps' point, a friend of mine summed it up really well I think:

When you are striving to achieve something, that something seems all shiny and golden and really worth having and working for. Then when you actually achieve it, you immediately think, well, it can't be *that* special/difficult/amazing to get here because I did it, so really anyone probably could. And so you search for something new, because the glittery thing isn't glittery anymore.
 
I have always strived for the next level whatever level I am at. Initially my ambition was to compete at Intermediate that once achieved was superseeded. I want to compete at top level but I am frustrated that I am unlikely to ever be competitive at that level and certainly under no illusions about this.

In a way my drive has helped me achieve what I have but honestly it has at times taken the fun out of it.
 
If somebody had asked me this question 3 years ago I would have said I was in the second category without a moments doubt. However in the last 3 years things have changed. I tried to make it on my own, put alot of pressure on myself and stopped enjoying it. After 2 years i've conceeded defeat, and now i'm back in full time education doing a degree as a mature student. I've cut down my horses and now just have 2 to compete. 1 of these may or may not go novice, but is pretty consistent round BE100. She is the easiest horse i've ever sat on, and as I now don't have alot of time to ride, to be able to get on a easy horse is more important than having a world beater. The other has potential to easily Intermediate, and possibly higher, but he is a very green ex racer, who has a few brain issues to get over before he goes out eventing.

I also have a couple of homebreds I want to get out, who will be my next horses. I want to enjoy the journey with my lovely horses, rather than push us all to be things we are not. If 4* happens it would be amazing, but it is not the be all and end all. I would rather enjoy myself at 1/2* level, than struggle round a 4*.
 
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Me :D However the dream has changed in recent years, when reality strikes. My dream is to be an Aus representative at either WEG or Olympics, so of course I need to relocate to the UK to get top notch experience over the 4* courses there :o But the first goal in the dream is to get to 3*. I was so close too, before I career ending fall for my horse and shattered confidence on my part. It's a hard road finding horses with the ability to go that far again.

Since then, I heave leapt head on into my studies, hoping that in the future I will be earning enough so that I can set myself up and do it properly ;) The 'dream' still stands, but there is another dream in front of that one, I just want to be a well respected rider at 2*/3* level, I know now that I will never be a world beater, I don't have it in me, but that doesn't mean I can't reach other dreams :D
 
SpottedCat said:
To follow up on TarrSteps' point, a friend of mine summed it up really well I think:

When you are striving to achieve something, that something seems all shiny and golden and really worth having and working for. Then when you actually achieve it, you immediately think, well, it can't be *that* special/difficult/amazing to get here because I did it, so really anyone probably could. And so you search for something new, because the glittery thing isn't glittery anymore.
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That is a brilliant summary of how I have often felt.....what I am good at can't be important, because if I managed it...etc etc. almost as if we try to sabotage our own achievements & undermine our own self-confidence.

I would still love to think I would be capable of riding at 3 or 4*, but realistically, after all these years, it would have to be a truely exceptional horse to carry me back to advanced level....eventing has changed out of all recognition in the intervening years.

Never mind, I will aim to go as far as my horse |& my nerve are capable of.....while my husband keeps reminding me to have fun too!
 
Through my 20's and early 30's I was very much in the first category. My interest was in endurance. My horse took me to what is now called Advanced level and to a 5th place in Belgium as part of a British Novice team. Not quite the top but pretty close. One day I was more than happy to turn my back on the whole thing and have children. I think I'd burned out in a way trying to compete two horses seriously and hold down a demanding full time job. (I still have both horses, now 28 and 23 :D ... amongst others) I lost all will to compete and was more than happy without just pootling and playing with riding and with the kids and their ponies.

Now that they are older and showing considerable competative instincts of their own, mine seem to be wakening again! I thoroughly enjoyed being an owner at HOYS in 2010 with a professional friend on my horse - but I will never be decorative enough to make a pleasing picture in the showring :rolleyes: so that didn't feel like she was riding him "instead" of me. However, I took him on his first novice endurance rides this year... and I think I shall have to seriously consider getting properly riding fit again :D

Maybe it never really goes away - just life takes a detour at times!
 
I want to achiecve as much we can together. I am realisitic in that I have a pony whos not the boldest and we are limited but I would like to get a season of BE after I have finished uni. I would love to get round some BE100s with him feeling confident. When I get another horse I will hopefully get something with a bit more scope that we could go a bit further together but I will not be getting another untill I am in a position to have 2 as my boy isnt going any where. So ambitious yes but ambitious to reach our potential together not to go to the top.
 
:)
SpottedCat said:
To follow up on TarrSteps' point, a friend of mine summed it up really well I think:

When you are striving to achieve something, that something seems all shiny and golden and really worth having and working for. Then when you actually achieve it, you immediately think, well, it can't be *that* special/difficult/amazing to get here because I did it, so really anyone probably could. And so you search for something new, because the glittery thing isn't glittery anymore.
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Totally agree - This time last year, at the grand old age of 51 I was looking forward to doing Badminton Grassroots and then thinking of getting someone to ride my mare round Novice tracks for me - So much for that ! .... We have just done our first CIC* and that was with me on board - not a hired jockey! and on a 6 year old too. So now I'm mulling over whether to get someone to ride her or whether I have the confidence or ability to aim for the CCI** 7 year old at Osberton next year. :)

I think we all need to set realistic goals rather than over optimistic goals, then when we achieve them, we can aim for the next one - that is unless we are supremely talented but not many of us are!!!!
 
My main ambition in life is to become a vet! But riding-wise my mid term aim is to do an intermediate with Tammy before I go to Uni in a couple of years. Ultimately, I'd love to go to the very top, if the oppurtunity came along, and I'm really competitive and keen to better the last thing I did, but as I'm starting to think about Uni and the massive task of doing what I want to do as a job, I'm happy to think I can be an Amateur at the top of an Amateur's game - and I don't there's any reason why that can't be Advanced level :D Just probably not the Olympics sadly which is my real dream!!! :L
 
TheoryX1 said:
Personally, no I dont. Never did and am far too old now. Professionally yes absolutely. However, Mini TX is another kettle of fish entirely. She's had some setbacks in the last couple of seasons, but is still determined to achieve her dream which is being selected to ride for our region at next year's JRN finals (still cant get used to calling it ONu18). Following on from that, she would love to be selected for the junior team at the following year's Euros. Realistically it wont happen, we both know that, but she can dream. cant she? Her mare has the scope, its just getting her head right!

I think she does dream sometimes though that I will fund her a yard full of eventers and spend my life driving her around the country. Dream on love, it aint going to happen because although she gets sponsorship, my company wont stretch to all of that without bankrupting us. However, when she is being realistic she would love to take her mare to the top, whatever the top is!
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Just want to say that I have no ambitions in the horsey world besides one day being able to fund my little sister's eventing and buy her horses and fund her training and competing. We always joke about this but I would love to do this. She's a good rider who battles through regardless and is genuinely a pleasure to groom for so I'd love to be an indulgent owner! She could also then keep my horse sweet for me so I can achieve my ambition of hopping on at the weekends and having a blast :D
 
Years ago I desperately wanted to go to the top - but then reality kicked in!

I have ambitions but they're not extreme ones. I'd love to be competitive one day at 1.10-1.20 SJ, and at Novice BE. Perhaps if I got to that level and had the right horse and was finding it easy I'd want to try going further.

But to me that's a level where I would consider it an achievement to be, and would be fun but also a challenge.
 
I'm not sure where I'd fall, but more into the second group I think.

When I was 14 I competed very seriously in Endurances, not the FEI level 160km (:eek:) rides but as a junior in my distance. I did it properly researching nutrition, training schemes, talking to 160km riders for tips/adivce. Drew up monthly training plans of rides (their distances & times), timing of shoeing etc in the lead up to comps. I was very competetive and I did well. (IM-notso-HO ;) )
But, I was riding for an 'owner' - the YO. The agreement was I had free loan & control of the horse in return for being a walking add for her yard & riding school. So there a lot of pressure to win/place particularly towards the end of the year (point score based 'Champs'). And it did take the pleasure out of it. I still enjoyed the riding and the actual comps but all the lead up & surrounding pressure was not fun. I'm lucky (?) that in a lower level way this gave me exposure to the pressure of being 'at the top', since then being a Pro / or having a string of horses & owners has never been part of my goal.
NB - this was only possible with the great support of my mum, the fact that lessons were not required, and I had the Andes at my back door to train in so didn't need to go places to do fittening work ;)

So while I am still competitive and if things start to go well I do have the drive to push for more, for a goal, but I want to be able to do it on my terms - ie my horse & goals, not ride for some one else.

I would love to ride round Badminton, not nessicarliy other 4*'s but, since I was 12 the dream has been, and always will be Badminton (preferably long format!).
More realistically I'd like to reach Novice/1*, Advanced DR, and 1.20m SJ, complete the Quilty, complete a 160km endurance, and be competitive/succesful at that level.
This is my 'top'.

With the right horse if it was all working maybe I'd keep going higher... <shrugs> But I'd want to get there while still having fun a doing a range of things like hunting, having a crack at WH showing, what they call 'horse agility' here, fun rides etc.

Did I answer the question - goes back to look at all the waffle ;)
 
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Im a realistic ambitious amature. My current situation means competing is on hold and i hate it, while yes i can use the time to improve etc i've always used competing as a bench mark for myself. I want to be the best I can be, i want to move forward all the time and im always working to move on and up. I have an idea on what level i want to get to and i would class it as the top end amatur 1.20/1.30 and the being able to compete at the bigger shows at at the lower levels. I want to carry on enjoying it while i do it, i put myself under pressure to improve so ive got to carry on having fun and not let it consume my life. I will be happy if i can strike that balance.
My problem is im not sure what i will run out of first, money or talent :o im thinking talent closely followed by money trying to improve said talent :rolleyes: :D
 
I don't get why those that are ambitious are made to feel silly/stupid for being so - being ambitious is nothing to be ashamed of, it is a great thing to be!!
:)
 
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