| Attention Horse Owners and Horse Lovers: | | | | know I wouldn't have wanted for myself and I |
| Five reasons why it's important to plan for the | | | | have to admit I have had similar lessons through |
| competition you want to do. | | | | the years of involvement with being a horse |
| Here are five very basic questions to have | | | | owner. |
| answers for before you plan a competition: | | | | I am a life coach and using lifestyle coaching |
| 1. Do you need extra work with your trainer or | | | | techniques we created a game plan. |
| extra time to work with your horse? | | | | Together we came up with solutions for all the |
| 2. How do you get your horse to the | | | | problems she encountered. |
| competition? | | | | 1. She realises that she needs to take her horse |
| 3. Do you need another person to help | | | | to other venues for training to get new |
| beforehand or at the competition? | | | | experiences that will give them both more |
| 4. When was the last time your farrier came out | | | | confidence and experience. |
| for your horse? | | | | 2. She will sit down with her partner and see if |
| 5. Is the equipment you have for you and your | | | | they can budget in a trailer that they know is |
| horse suitable for this event? | | | | always ready to go and road worthy because |
| This reminded me of a friend who was so | | | | they will take care of it themselves. Luckily they |
| excited about an event she was preparing to do. | | | | already have an appropriate vehicle for pulling it. |
| She was a new horse owner and assumed a few | | | | 3. She knows to line up her help early and have a |
| things that she had to learn the hard way. She | | | | backup plan just in case... You know how Murphy |
| had been riding for a few years and if prepared | | | | is.... |
| this would have been as simple as a walk in the | | | | 4. She will keep a regular schedule with her farrier |
| park. To make a long story short, Murphy's Law | | | | now and discuss with him her intentions so |
| kicked in at practically every opportunity that it | | | | together they can work out what is best for her |
| could. The borrowed trailer had a flat tire on the | | | | horse. |
| way. She didn't know a certain piece of | | | | 5. She will know the rules beforehand for any |
| equipment couldn't be used. She figured she was | | | | competition she chooses to do so she never gets |
| getting enough training by having the trainer come | | | | caught again with the wrong equipment. |
| to her and to top it off, her horse threw a shoe | | | | After her next competition she called me to tell |
| during the event. | | | | me how excited she was. No, she didn't win, we |
| Yep. Just a little bit of the right knowledge could | | | | didn't expect that, but more importantly she had |
| have saved her time, money and a bit of | | | | a very successful day. No hassles, nothing went |
| embarrassment to boot. After she told me her | | | | wrong, her horse was happy and relaxed and so |
| story I asked the five questions above to get her | | | | was she. She realises when her ability improves |
| to think about how the lack of planning created a | | | | she will get those trophies but to her.... |
| day that was very discouraging. How much time | | | | She had a winning day! |
| was wasted and money spent for results that I | | | | How would you like to have a Winning Day? |