Introducing Goal Setting to Young Riders

By Christine Olsen

Setting goals is an important skill to develop not only for riding aspirations, but for all aspects of life. I start teaching goal setting techniques to my young riders for them to get the most out of their weekly lessons and also to achieve greatness in the show ring. Teaching the concept of long-term planning to younger riders can be challenging, so I will share a technique I have had great success with.

I first talk to my riders about goals they can control. These goals are based on their behavior and their performance. For example, a goal focusing on behavior can be “I will come to my lesson ready to work with my horse”, and the goal “I will keep my heels down” is based on performance. I discourage riders from setting goals such as “Winning at the horse show”. The outcome to win is a goal that cannot be controlled and will often lead to disappointment.

There are a few other rules I set into place when students are goal setting. Goals have to be positive - no self-shaming! This means instead of writing “I will not forget my pattern” they must write, “I will remember my pattern”. The riders are then asked to start thinking about a goal for themselves. You may find some students will find this easy while others will need help identifying a goal. Spend some time with them reviewing some skills they are currently working on in their lessons.

Once each rider has identified a personal goal I use construction paper cut-outs of a star or ribbon for them to write it down. On the back they will write three action steps they will take to achieve that goal. I do this exercise with them to provide an example and when everyone is finished, we share our goals with one another. Sharing goals can make riders feel vulnerable but it is an important step of accountability. Goal setting, along with goal achieving, takes practice and time. Keep this activity as fun and light-hearted as possible.

A performance goal I often use as an example is: Keep my right shoulder back • Do warm up exercises before getting in the saddle for my shoulder • When mounted, do a self-awareness check every time I pass the letter ‘C’ • Be aware of how I carry my shoulders in other activities outside of the barn I like these pieces of paper to stay with them, maybe in their barn bag or tack box. A club room wall might be a great display area for completed goals. This is a way to show success and inspire other riders. They are encouraged to reward themselves when a goal is achieved. Rewards don’t have to be extravagant. A victory lap, round of applause, a barn chant, a special privilege at the barn… be creative with what motivates your students. Prepare them to set another goal. I do this exercise for my adults as well but without the fun shapes. They might keep their note card at the desk at work, a table at home, a post-it card in the tack trunk, or a memo on their phone - anywhere they will see it. Teaching riders how to set goals is not only a valuable lesson to improve their equitation and general horsemanship, but it is also a valuable tool in all aspects of life. Try this exercise with your students and have fun doing it with them. I have enjoyed watching riders participate in their lessons more actively with a goal in mind. Additionally the clear action steps help them focus on achieving their goal. As I am writing this, I am thinking of a goal I can set today. I will be prepared for today’s lessons

I will review my notes from last week

• I will check for any messages on changes to the schedule • Any additional tack or equipment needed will be set out ahead of time Stress-free grocery shopping • Write a list • Check for any coupons I’ve kept • Go during off-peak hours Have fun helping your riders (and yourself) create good habits that will stay with them in and out of the saddle.

About the author: Christine Olsen has 15 years ofexperience in the industry as a rider, trainer, clinician, and instructor. She manages a private farm in Richmond, Illinois and enjoys sharing her passion for horses with her students.