Horse Goals: New Year, New Decade

3 Tips to Accomplish Your Horse Goals in 2020

2020 is here! It's hard not to feel excited about a New Year, isn't it? There's just something about this special time that makes us step back to reflect, and look forward to ponder the possibilities for what's to come. And as horse owners, much of that includes the lives we share with our equine companions. But this isn't ANY ole' New Year. Instead, it's the start of a new DECADE! So we have to wonder, what's ahead for 2020? And the next ten years to follow?

In this article, we're going to give 3 powerful tips on how you can obtain your horse goals this year. And, we're going to discuss why now is the PERFECT time to think ahead to the next ten years to come.

1. Reflect and Appreciate

As humans, we tend to focus on the negative. Because for a long time, remembering not so fun events was crucial to our survival. But in todays world, it's easy for us to turn that inward and doubt ourselves. However, there's a simple technique you can use to overcome this...

Write down the good stuff.

It's simple, just grab a pen and paper and start to jot down all the AWESOME experiences you had with your horse this past year. That show where you had your best performance? Detail it. Those trail rides where time didn't seem to exist? Describe it. The hardships you and your horse finally overcame? Let those emotions pour out!

But don't doubt the power of writing down the negative experiences you learned from. Just make sure you are writing down what you learned, not just what happened. Something we consider a bad experience tends to be a good lesson learned. Embrace that.

And don't just do this for the New Year, try and do this as often as you can. Maybe that's once a day, a couple times a week, or just once a month. Whatever works for you, meditate on that positive energy so you can nurture it and help it grow.

2. Take Time to Make Time

We all know how easy it is to SAY we're going to do something. Actually doing it? Not so easy. After you've reflected on your accomplishments and you're ready to set some new goals, consider the time these things will take.

This year, I want to go on an overnight camping trip with my horse Billiam. But how much time is involved in a trip like this? What do I need to prepare? When will I do that? How long does it take to get there? Is my trailer ready for a long haul? If not, what work does it need done?

Once you write down your goal, follow that up with as many questions you can think of that surround it. And take the time to answer those honestly. When it comes to estimating time, more is always better than less. Give yourself the padding, future you will give many thanks!

3. Look Even Further Ahead

It's a common saying, "Don't get too far ahead of yourself." But in horse ownership, sometimes we need to think about the long haul.

Owning horses is an honor that us equestrians are beyond lucky to cherish. Because as many of us know, it's not just the fun times and accomplishments. It's the lows, and the loss. There is something to be said about accepting these thing before they come. Whether that's a bad fall, or a harrowing illness. Simply knowing these things can happen and working on accepting them can be beneficial. Just by acknowledging these things, you'll be able to live more in the moment with your horse.

Take the start of this new decade to think about your roll as a horse owner for the next ten years to come. Do you have a foal who just entered life? A middle aged horse who's in their prime? An older horse who will start to show his age? What are some of the steps you can take to make sure you can give your horse the best years possible? So go ahead and write those steps down, along with a plan to go with it!

Cheers to 2020! Tell us YOUR goals!

The COAT DEFENSE® family is beyond thrilled to start our New Year. And we want to share all that buzz with you. So, please, stay tuned for some exciting announcements to come! Until then, we wish you all the best in the year, and decade, to come!

In the meantime, we'd love to hear your goals! Leave a comment below, or share this article on Facebook with what you'd like to accomplish with your horse this year!