As 2024 ends we look into 2025 as a new opportunity.
Every day…every moment is an opportunity but for the sake of our societal need to “begin anew” each January I’ll play along.
Where We Came From
In 2024 I had some goals for Stanley and I. I had a full wrap up last week in Looking Back at One Year Past.
GOAL 1
I needed new saddles. Stanley made it quite clear last winter that the Pessoa would no longer be suitable for our needs.
In 2024 I worked with my amazing fitter to demo an Erreplus Saddle. Unfortunately, it was not suitable for me as a rider. By midyear we worked with a new fitter to obtain two saddles within my budget. We now have a Fairfax Monoflap Jump and Fairfax Monoflap Dressage saddle. At our latest fitting we confirmed that he is still happy in the jump and we adjusted the dressage to hopefully make him happy in the dressage once again (we initially loved it until it was broken in and he grew more muscle).
GOAL 2
I wanted to work on Stanley’s nerves while we’re off the property. He can be such a calm dream boat guy at home…and I really want to show the world what he’s capable of without having to tire him out first or make a scene. I decided that I wanted to travel with him off property 2-3 times per month within the appropriate months (we don’t typically trailer when there is salt on the road if we can help it).
We traveled a lot this year!
MAY: 2 Trips (SOEE and Trail Ride at Vischer Ferry)
JUNE: 3 Trips (ENYDCTA and twice for Tik/Sinead)
JULY: 3 Trips (ENYDCTA, Vet, Stockade)
AUGUST: 0 Trips…we were mentally spent and needed to focus on what we could at home. We did field training rides and grew our bond in other ways.
SEPTEMBER: 2 Trips (Stockade, Kalabus Perry)
OCTOBER: 1 Trips (SPAC) This was a busy month…hosting the clinic on site was beneficial and simulated going to a busy place…it was different and beneficial in a different way even though we didn’t travel for it..
NOVEMBER: 2 Trips (Saratoga Battlefield, Jennifer Mitchell)
We traveled a total of 13 times. Each time gave us a notch in our belt and gave Stanley an opportunity to see the world and gain coping skills. Each trip was something different but never brought him over his comfort threshold. He’s not deadhead but he’s grown up so much.
GOAL 3
I wanted to make progress on getting our left lead on the first try. Stanley has a fantastic canter…and the left lead is amazing once you get it…but actually getting it on the first second or third try can sometimes be tricky.
Any horse trainer will tell you the path is non-linear. Just as we started to gain progress and nail the left lead a few rides in a row we’d face a setback of some sort. What’s important to note is that each setback is taking less and less time to overcome. We struggle to get the left lead semi-regularly but I can honestly tell you I’ve gotten it right the last four rides in a row after having struggled with it for a few others. I don’t expect to get it right every time from now on but I am very pleased with the progress we’ve made. He’s beginning to get more balanced and understand the cues better and better. We’ve tried so many tricks to help him along the way.
Even better…..in a recent ride I not only got my left lead but we were able to swap leads (flying change) over a pole twice in each direction. THAT nearly brought tears of joy to my eyes.
BLOGGING
For The Green Horseman I wanted to stay active and not fall behind.
We had a month of busy, busy, busy but I made up for it the next month. For the most part I remained very active with this blog all year long.
In 2024 on The Green Horseman:
58 Total Posts
9 Product Reviews
10 Book Reviews
We officially hit 100,000 views!
What’s Ahead: A new Mantra
I don’t know what 2025 has in store for us, but I want to focus on some important foundational ideas.
DIET
I’ve been struggling with my weight for a long time. I have tried gluten free. Calorie counting. Intermittent Fasting. Problem is I find it hard to be sustainable. This year I have decided to recommit to meal prepping and “sucking it up” to stay focused on what’s important. My health….and how my health and weight affects Stanley. I am also planning to work with my doctor to ensure my thyroid and hormones are balanced.
DISCIPLINE
When motivation wanes discipline will carry you through. This year we have strengthened our discipline with a few things around our home. I intend to take it slightly further to ensure I get what I need to get what I want to go. Simple tasks like doing my stretches and small exercises regularly. Getting to the basement to workout or get the things done that I’ve been putting off.
DELIBERATE
I often get on Stanley without a plan when I’m not in a lesson. I don’t need every ride to be totally structured but I want to bring more intention in my life. I ride better and Stanley enjoys a leader with intention. If I am not being deliberate in my actions Stanley calls me out on it. Every Time.
DETAILS
They say that you win shows by focusing on the details. I believe that. I take it to heart when I hear this from professionals and see them back their words up with their own actions. Beth Baumert told us good riders don’t do bad transitions. I aim to make every transition a good one. We get better and better. I pay attention to Stanley’s habit of walking away from the mounting block. Tik Maynard once told us that the professionals to watch will school and transition properly after a jump round while the mediocre just throw the horse on the buckle and sloppily ride out of the arena. The details form good habits and can make a huge difference in the manners and training of a horse. I aim to continue and hone in my focus on details.
There are a lot of positive “D” words I could add to this but these are the four that spoke to me the loudest. Among the top contenders were: Determination, Devoted, Daring, Decisive, Driven, Dream, Deliver, Direction.
STANLEY
I want to continue traveling with Stanley in the coming year. I don’t have a set 2-3 times per month in mind this time (just yet) but then again I’m also waiting on the farms and venues to release dates.
I don’t know if Stanley and I will pursue eventing in 2025…but I want to cross country school…I won’t truly feel good about DOING the eventing until I can get confident away from home and in the field. I can tell you I WON’T be XC schooling by taking him to a schooling trial (we all know how that ended).
I want to do some more western dressage.
I want more English dressage.
In my dressage tests both English AND Western I’d like to get to the point where I can perform a test that includes canter…and get the correct lead.
I’d like to experiment with working equitation. Originally I wanted to ride in our local show but they recently made it into a licensed show (and I’m just not sure I’m ready to pay all of the membership fees required when I’m still experimenting). Either way we will be doing obstacles and other fun type training.
I’d REALLY like to ride a limited distance endurance ride 10 or 15 miles.
I might bring him to a ranch to meet cows.
If I’m lucky I’d like to take him camping at least once. I haven’t been camping since 2022 and it would benefit our endurance conditioning.
TRAVEL?
For travel, I don’t plan to go to Maryland again this year. We’ve done it two years in a row. Instead, we may go to Canada for Bromont in June.
It may or may not be this year but if time and finances allow…maybe I’ll volunteer at the Retired Racehorse Project in Kentucky (in October).
As for The Green Horseman
I’d like to continue serving you. What do YOU want to see more of?
My current structure is:
WEEKLY: 1 Saturday Post 9am EST
BIWEEKLY: 1 Sunday PRODUCT review and 1 Sunday BOOK review both at 9am EST alternating
Lately I have been reading books faster than I review them so there have been a few book reviews back to back. I don’t know how long I can keep that up.
Do you have any products you’d like to see reviewed?
Personal and Professional
I am definitely planning to continue growing my woodworking business. My aim is to have enough items in stock at all times but to never become complacent is my inventory. I’m always designing and developing.
I would love to take on more photography gigs. Paid ones. I love doing shows and clinics the most. I decided if I can book one or two this year it would be worth it to use my photography Pixieset site more regularly. It would be a lot easier for people to find and order their photos.
As a devoted member of ENYDCTA I want to play a bigger part in continuing the group. I hope to help once again with the auction but also take on some event coordinating.
It should go without saying but goals are meaningless without a plan. And they are harmful when the goals become greater than the reality.
I have set very reasonable goals for this year and I have a plan to achieve them. This time of year I’m sure you’re going to hear all about SMART goals. That’s not me. It doesn’t work for me and it doesn’t work for my lifestyle with horses. I’m at peace with that. As an amateur my aim is to bring Stanley along and develop my bond with him more than committing to any one discipline or activity. I also tend to derail myself easily with SMART goals. I don’t follow them because I am too extreme to both ends of the spectrum.
I LOVE where my life has taken me without SMART goals because I have left myself open to new opportunities…and still achieved. When I have setbacks I take a moment, regroup, and I sometimes get creative.
Also important to mention is caring for the self. I have been dealing with a lot of stress lately. Learning to take care of my own needs, care for my mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing is just as important as caring for my horses. That will all be part of my focus in 2025.
What are your plans and goals for 2025?
Do SMART goals work for you?
The Green Horseman 
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