The New Year brings the opportunity to start fresh. Out with the old and in with the new, right? As the New Year is quickly approaching, I want to start forming a list of riding-related New Year’s Resolutions. Here’s to improvement!
1. I will always smile in my dressage lessons.
Smiling will send good vibes to my horses which will (hopefully) improve their performance. Or I can channel Charlotte Dujardin here and maybe my horses will pretend that they’re Valegro.
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro at WEG. Photo courtesy of FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst / Pool Pic.
2. I will clean my tack daily.
Clean tack leads to comfortable and happy horses. Also, since I’m a control freak, always having clean tack will lower my anxiety and increase my overall mood.
3. I will look at the big picture and understand that good things take time.
The Great Wall of China wasn’t built in one day. Riding takes lots of time, practice, and dedication so, as riders, we must look at the big picture and not take a bad ride too personally; look at the overall progress you’ve made.
4. I will do daily ab workouts.
Stronger core = stronger rider. I’d love to have a six pack too.
5. I will run three times a week.
Stronger legs = stronger rider. If I have stronger legs, I’ll be a more secure rider and I’ll be more comfortable riding with no stirrups for a longer period of time.
6. I will clean my trailer right after every trip (aka I will not be lazy).
I don’t want to forget about the piles of horse poop in the back of the trailer and then wake up early for a trip and realize that I have more work than I’d planned on having.
7. I will always change into ‘normal’ clothes after the barn before going into public.
The picture pretty much sums this one up. At this point, my friends have gotten used to my parading around in my tight fitting pants and dirty boots; they’re used to the weird looks we get. Through this resolution, I hope to embarrass my friends less.
8. I will learn to understand that the smell of horse doesn’t appeal to all.
This is going to be a tough one. Honestly, to me, there’s nothing that smells better than horses, and more specifically, my horses. Now, non-horse people don’t think that’s the case. I want to be able to understand and accept their opinion, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I will smell like horse less (sorry…actually… not sorry).
9. I will stick to a healthy diet.
Fit fit fit fit fit. This resolution goes with my two other exercise ones. In 2015, I want to be even more fit for riding than I already am. Overall, I’m a decently healthy person, but maybe I should eat less ice cream.
10. I will find a healthy balance between barn time and social time.
I give this resolution two weeks before I go back to my old habits.
Photo by Deanna Behring
These are all easier said than done… Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Put them below in the comments!
