There’s a moment I see over and over again with riders. And if I’m being honest, I’ve been there myself more times than I would like to admit! Maybe you can relate… It goes a little like this: you’ve got a horse and you’ve got the tack. You’re even lucky enough to have access to a place to ride… And yet, you’re not actually riding the way you want! Or even, not riding at all!
Every week that goes by, you find yourself muttering the same old question on repeat in your head, “I know what needs to be done. So why am I not doing it?!”
If that sounds even a little bit familiar, take a deep breath, because this post is for you. Let’s dive into what’s really going on… And how to break that cycle this week and get you on the road to regular riding the way you want it to be!
Motivation or Clarity
After years of chatting with riders who are feeling stuck, I can tell you that less to do with being lazy, undisciplined, or uncommitted… Nope! So often, riders are not riding how they want because they don’t actually know what to do next! They have been stuck in the same way of doing things (riding or not riding) for so long that there appears to be no clear way out!
Not riding the way you want is less to do with ‘getting motivated’, and far more about becoming crystal clear on what you’re working towards with your horse, what’s getting in your way, or where to begin.
Instead of taking the time to honestly assess these things so that you can make a clear decision, you’re doing the opposite. Spinning your wheels with hours of aimless time in the saddle… Or, worse, you avoid riding altogether!
Here’s a simple process to break out of the fog and start creating real momentum again, one tiny step at a time.
What Do You Actually Want to Be Able to Do?
Let’s fast forward to 6 months from now. It’s the end of the year (or whenever it is 6 months from when you’re reading this post). What do you want to be able to say you and your horse did? And I’m not talking wishy washy things… So no ‘ride better’ or ‘feel more confident’ type answers!
I want you to come up with something tangible, specific, and visual. Something that anyone would be able to see you do if they were watching. Something that can’t be disputed over whether it happened or not!
Here are a few examples to get you thinking about what might be possible for you and your horse, depending on where you are in your journey together:-
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- Ride a full trail loop at your local nature reserve or along your local bridle path without issues
- Compete in a walk/trot class at a small local schooling or practice show
- Canter in a balanced 20m circle on both reins (with correct lead) without breaking
- Ride a simple gymnastic grid with confidence
- Compete in an in-hand showing class at a local show
- Work through all three gaits with rhythm and softness
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It can be big or small, mounted or in-hand. The details will depend on your unique situation. However, it does have to be crystal clear! And once you have identified ‘your one thing’, write it down! Seriously. Pen and paper! I personally love going to a local hardware store, getting some of the paint sample colour cards in colours I love, and writing on them. Then I pin them in places where they will be seen daily… Sounds odd – but, for me, this works!
The Gap Between “There” & “Here”
Once you know where you’re going, the next step is to look at where you are now and spot the differences! What’s missing? Or what’s changed? It is so important to get as detailed as you can here. Yes, start with the big picture. But then hone in and really look for the little things that, right now, are not aligned.
How are the ‘there’ situation and circumstances different from where you are right ‘here’ and right now?
There are so many different ‘differences’ you might identify. Most of these will depend on, again, your unique situation. Start big. Look for the obvious differences, and then chunk it down. The smaller the ‘chunks’ or steps, the more ‘doable’ it will become for you to move from ‘here’ to ‘there’.
Here are a few examples of what you might notice as being ‘different’:-
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- Your horse’s fitness (can’t hold a canter or gets tired fast)
- Your consistency (you ride once a week, if that)
- Your confidence (you feel anxious mounting up)
- Your horse’s training (rushing, ignoring your aids, lacking rhythm)
- Your riding skills (you can’t yet ride sitting trot or tell your diagonals)
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The key here isn’t to get overwhelmed by the list. It’s to get honest. If you’re still struggling, imagine putting a video of you riding now or of your current situation side by side with the video of what you want. If you’re struggling to see yourself in the ‘there’ video, put current you side by side with a video of someone who’s already doing the thing you want… And remember, the key is to ‘spot the difference’; not berate, shame, or guilt yourself!
When you can clearly identify the gaps between where you are and where you want to be, you can finally stop guessing what to do, and start actually doing something :)
One Action in the Next 3 Days
Okay, so now you’ve got a specific goal. And you have a list of the current gaps that need to be filled in order for you to make that goal a reality in your riding. The next step is to choose one tiny action that begins to close one of those gaps. Tiny is the key word in that sentence! In fact, the smaller the action (remember, chunk it down), the greater the chance of you actually getting this done.
This is where many riders fall into the trap of thinking that creating a plan is the action. Nope, it is not! Neither is making a decision. I want you to physically DO something. Take action. And, you’re going to do this within the coming 3 days. Here are a few real-world examples:
For the Horse:
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- Fitness gap? 10 minutes working on halt-walk-trot transitions in the arena
- No rhythm in trot? Similar; work on transitions between walk–halt–walk with focus
- Spooks on trails? Lead your horse past 1 “scary” object this week
- Breaks in canter? Practice trot-canter-trot transitions on the lunge.
- Won’t move off the leg? Do 10 mins of in-hand responsiveness exercises.
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For the Rider:
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- Don’t know diagonals? Sync your ‘up’ ‘down’ with the forward and back of your horses outside shoulder in the walk. Do this until you can literally glance and know if you’re correct. Then try in trot
- Too unfit? Commit to a 15-minute walk on foot each day this week
- Feel anxious? Mount up. Sit or walk for 30 seconds. Then dismount. Done
- No plan? Write down 1 intention and one exercise for your next ride, just one!
- Not riding enough? Groom your horse 3 days this week, even for 10 minutes. Work on creating the rhythm first
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This doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to be done. And done inside of 3 days from reading this blog post or listening to this episode! You’ve 72 hours to make it happen. And if you’re thinking that there’s no way you will get this done in 3 days, go smaller. Chunk it down some more so that the resistance between here and there (there in this case being the other side of your action) is minimal. Tiny. A step!
Get Moving So You Can Get Clear.
I see riders kid themselves over and over by believing this sneaky thought. The “I just need to get a little more confident/motivated/organized… And then I’ll get going.”. If you tell yourself that – stop! This thought is what’s holding you back. It’s the handbrake that’s keeping you stuck in the cycle of not riding how you want.
You have to begin taking action when you don’t feel ‘ready’. That’s what will build your confidence and clarity. Doing one small thing will move you out of indecision and start building your positive momentum.
This can be as small as a 5-minute groundwork session. Or finally pulling out your planner and scheduling two rides this week. It can be marking out 2 different school movements to ride tomorrow in the arena. Or it can be mounting up and walking to the gate and back.
You have already identified what you can do. That smallest of small action steps. Now it’s your responsibility to get it done. Within the next 3 days. 72 hours. No excuses ;)
Review & Planning Call
So if you’re reading this and thinking,“Okay, Lorna, I hear you… But I still don’t know what my action should be…”Then I want to personally invite you to join me this Friday inside the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community on Facebook for a free live call.
I’m going to walk you through:
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- Clarifying your 6-month goal
- Identifying the real gaps in your horse’s training
- Choosing one action to take in the coming 72 hours or 3 days
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It’ll be fun, low-pressure, and practical, and it might just be the spark that sets your next 6 months on fire! So make sure you join me there (or get the recording if the call has already happened).
Personal Coaching to Get You Riding
And if you feel that you want a more personalised approach, my private coaching program Restart & Reschool will give you just that. Every quarter, I work privately with a small group of select riders. If you would like to find out more, you can fill out an application HERE. There’s no obligation or pressure. Just clarity on whether this is a good fit for you right now in your riding.
If you’ve been telling yourself for months now ‘I just need a plan. I just need someone to help me make it happen’, this is the help. This is the plan, and it’s your next step.
Make It Happen for You
Okay, if you have been feeling down about not riding the way you want or as much as you want, you now have a plan to change that. You don’t need more time. And, if you’re honest with yourself, you probably don’t need the new equipment or whatever it is you’ve told yourself you can’t possibly do without. If you do, your ‘next step’ is too big! Make it smaller!
You just need to take one action that moves you toward the rider you want to be. And then the commitment to yourself and your horse that you will go take it.
I am so excited to hear what you do with this. You’re always welcome to email me lorna @ stridesforsuccess . com. Or, come join me inside the Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians Online Community. I’ll see you inside the group on Friday, and maybe even inside Restart & Reschool.
Happy Riding
Lorna
Online Training to Help Your Riding
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- Information on Virtual Horse Riding Lessons
- Pivo Motion Tracking Software (*affiliate link) use coupon DailyStrides for 10% off
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Connect with Lorna online:-
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- Connect in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailystridespodcast
- Instagram @LornaLeeson
- Instagram @StridesforSuccess
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