New Year 2016

Every January, for the last bunch of years, I have come out guns a'blazin’ after the holidays with a crisp focus on what I wanted to accomplish in the coming year.  I would sit quietly and let The Plan condense itself in my mind.  A To Do List was made, and the planning started.  But this year, no answers came, and this troubled me. 

I did a little research on what the 'problem' might be, and learned that I might be focusing in the wrong place right now.  GOALS, which I am very familiar with, are the WHAT, WHERE & WHEN of planning.  They are the measurable, specific, quantifiable markers of growth that require action.  What I've been missing is the WHY.

INTENTION is WHY those goals get written down in the first place.  Intention is the internal feeling, attitude and focus.  It's also the motivation, the reason and the process.

Spankin' new competition passports for Ludi & Ehren arrived this week

My accreditations in judging and coaching are maxed out for now.  I have ordered competition passports for Ludi & Ehren, and I know where I'd like to take them to compete some day, but I am very aware that we are starting from scratch and anything can happen at a young horse's first show.  Only training can help override instinct.

My first pair of (second-hand) dress boots at left, and my new ones at right.

The reasons why I live my lifestyle are always easy to articulate.  I adore those gentle, fun-loving creatures called horses, and in return for my caring for them, they have brought more gifts and reward to my life than anything else.  It's the process that needs my attention.  We have done a ton of work here and are now settled.  I have the 'year-round' facility, I have my health and years of training and experience, I have two fascinating young horses who want to work with me, and everything I need to care for them.  There are no excuses.  I just need to imagine what I want my ideal day to look like, and make it happen over and over again.

Now, let's get on with it.