New Year’s Resolutions
I don't know about you but I for one love New Year's resolutions. As long as they are realistic and not overly ambitious they can bring a lot of joy and be a big motivating factor in the cold winter months. Besides trying to eat more veggies and exercising more, you can try out some resolutions that will benefit your horse as well. Here are some ideas to make 2023 a better year for your horse!
Keep a journal. This is one I struggle with every year. Keeping a journal of work you do with your horse, his medical appointments, hoof care appointments and everything else you do with your horse can help keep things organised and systematic. It can give you a good insight into how much of each type of work are you actually doing with your horse and how he responds to it. This one is especially worthwhile doing if your horse struggles with any chronic conditions or mysterious issues.
Do the »boring stuff«. Everyone knows that adding static core exercises, stretches, and proprioceptive work to the horse's training regimen can be very beneficial, but as long as our horse doesn't have any issues, we tend to forget about »the boring stuff«. Writing a list of exercises you want to do on a regular basis can be very helpful. Make sure it is not overly ambitious, aim to spend 5-10 minutes on it, then commit to doing it three times a week. Keeping a journal will help you keep things on track.
Expand your knowledge. A part of being a responsible horse owner is to keep learning – and with horses, the learning really never stops. Pick a subject you would like to know more about and aim to educate yourself on that subject throughout the year. Maybe set some goals for yourself, write them down and read them again at the end of the year. Get a good book on the subject, explore YouTube, join some Facebook groups. In the age of information, knowledge is everywhere, we just need to go out and get it!
Track your horse's progress. It can sometimes be tricky to know if we are on the right track with our horse, especially if we own one of those non-complicated, easy-going fellas, that don't complain too much. The beginning of the year can be a great time to start tracking your horse's progress. Take photos from all angles to track muscle developments, make videos of the horse moving freely, of him moving on the lunge and under the saddle. Then make those same photos and videos again every three months (I suggest you set up a reminder, otherwise it will be the end of the year before you know it) and see how the horse has changed. If you don't like the changes you see, think about what could be changed to make the next set of photos and videos better.
Take care of yourself. How many horsey people do you know that do everything for their horses but run out of time, energy, or money when it comes to taking care of themselves? Don't forget that a team is only as strong as its weakest link, so you owe it to your horse to be the best version of yourself that you can be. So schedule a massage appointment for yourself, join that yoga group and take time off from barn duties as often as you need it.