| "A goal without a plan is just a wish" ~ Antoine de | | | | - Education: Has your horse the level of education to |
| Saint-Exupery | | | | achieve what you require? |
| Whatever horse training method or technique you | | | | - Fitness: Is your horse up to the level of fitness to be |
| intend to use, having a clear vision of what you are | | | | able to do what you require? |
| trying to achieve, or what obstacles you may need to | | | | Step 3 Assess yourself - recognise your strengths |
| overcome, can set you up for success! | | | | and weaknesses and manage your own |
| Getting clarity and focus on your outcomes during the | | | | expectations... |
| initial assessment and planning stage of your training | | | | - Temperament: Are you calm or excitable, nervous or |
| program will pay dividends. Jumping headlong into any | | | | confident, laid-back or impatient? |
| horse training program without proper planning will only | | | | - Education: Do you have the knowledge and |
| lead to resentment & frustration for you and your | | | | experience to teach and train your horse to the level |
| horse. | | | | you wish to reach? |
| Following these 4 steps will help you identify if you | | | | - Fitness: Are you physically fit enough to be able to |
| have a good chance of success; | | | | train your horse or ride/compete to the level you want |
| Step 1 | | | | to achieve? |
| Make sure you have CLEAR and SPECIFIC goals for | | | | Step 4 Plan your training - planning your training |
| what you want to achieve with your horse... | | | | program in advance will ensure a greater chance of |
| - "I want to hack out safely on my own or in | | | | success... |
| company" | | | | - Plan your training in stages that are achievable, |
| - "I would like to compete at a local show and jump a | | | | measurable - and most of all, enjoyable! |
| 2'9" course/complete a novice dressage test/ride a | | | | - The progression of your training programme will be |
| 2'6" cross-country course/..." | | | | governed by the extent of your knowledge, the |
| - "I want my horse to behave when being groomed | | | | capacity of your horse to learn and the amount of |
| led/mounted/shod/..." | | | | time available to you |
| Step 2 Assess your horse - be realistic in what you | | | | Do not expect your horse or yourself to graduate |
| expect you horse to achieve from a programme of | | | | from Nursery on a Monday to University on a Friday! |
| training... | | | | "Organizing is what you do before you do something, |
| - Temperament: Is your horse's temperament calm or | | | | so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up" ~ A.A. |
| excitable, stubborn or stroppy, or just unpredictable! | | | | |