Looking Back - Goal Review 2014

Hafl looking back
With the season already ending in October and a zero chance of getting anything else done the rest of this year (yup, I assume that the Christmas break will leave no chance for extra work).

Let us check what we wrote earlier in January this year (http://www.dressagehafl.com/2014/01/goals-2014.html):

10. Keep the level of ambitiousness.
Well, yes, we achieved that. We had some drawbacks but overall, we stayed pretty motivated.

9. Make training as diversified as possible.

Yes. With introducing more long lining and double longing as well as longing over poles as recommended by Hafl’s physio, we added some more variations to our training schedule.

8. Work more with poles and ricks.
Sort of. Under saddle, we did some, but on the longe line, definitely yes. We try to keep that up in winter as well.

7. Develop a good working canter.

Yes. Huge improvements made this season. Glad that there are now pretty good steps already and also during the shows, canter became more and more stable.

6. Improve my core muscles.

Yes. I really started to work (hard) on my own fitness. Training twice a week at work and recently started my blogilates attempt, before, I did regular stretches and core muscle exercises as well. I see an improvement but still, things could be better. As part of the training planning, I need to figure out how to better incorporate this training in my daily life.

5. Work on counter canter and simple changes.

Yes. Not only once it said in the protocols: Secure counter canter. Simple changes are really good at home – not yet so good at shows. Need some more work still.

4. Go to a horse show in a foreign country.

No. Actually, I really wanted to but postponed it to 2015.

3. Achieve a proper second level performance.

Yes. We even won or where placed – something I did not even dare dreaming of in 2013.

2. Finish the necessary points for the next license.

Yes. We even got a very first point for the next license. Way to go!

1. Go for next show level at the end of the season.

Yes. Not only one, and at least one brought the necessary point for the next license.


In August, we reviewed the following goals already:

- Riding on the beach: done in March

- Winning Second Level Test: done

- Entering LM level: overachieved with even getting placed third!

- Participation in the Regionals: done and successfully placed in LM level

- A horse trailer: Overachieved with even getting it customized and almost finished

Goals on the blackboard in the kitchen

Here is what I added and remarked back then as well (http://www.dressagehafl.com/2014/08/h12014-results-and-outlook.html). Let’s check the additional goals:

What we need to do now is to revise these goals and add some more – otherwise, H2/2014 will be rather boring. To keep ourselves challenged, we still aim for another entry in LM level, (DID THAT), a placement in Dressurtour Steiermark among the Top 20 in first/second level ranking (~5 entries to go) (ONLY FINISHED 27th, but there was prize money so we are ok), we aim for Top 100 in Austrian Dressage Rider Ranking in first level (currently, placed 127 – results between July 15 and August 15 still missing) (ended up near the Top 100, being currently 106th) , Top 250 in second level (currently 449 after a huge step the past month – making up for 300 places at once!) (we are now at place 138!), overall, we should settle somewhere around 1000 (currently place 1,172) (whoo hoo go for place 945). In the Austrian Haflinger Ranking, we do not have an aim yet, as we have no visibility to interim results. We also need to finish the Austrian Haflinger Challenge (no good outlook on an entry in the finals as we had a rather bad placement in the first round of this challenge, one missing which will take place end of September) (placed 4th in first level, were also qualified for second level finals), the Carinthian Dressage Cup for Haflinger horses (won first part, still two entries to go in October) (we won that one).

I think that this was pretty decent! During the last weeks I set goals for 2015 already and hung them on the kitchen memo board, but after looking at the accomplishments, I need to rework them. Why? Because we need some stretch goals after we almost achieved everything in 2014 what we were aiming for – it might be that our goals are set too low which gives you a false impression. Same happens when goals are set too high. So what you really need is something in between – some goals need to be left unfinished to have a starting point for the year after.

As this is also the first year gone with blogging as second main hobby, I decided to set some goals here as well although they might be even more difficult to reach – do you have your horsey and blogging goals set up already?

Results of proper goal setting?

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