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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
   
Location: Ft Worth TX | First let me say, I have missed it here and not been on to even lurk in ages. So hello!
Backstory: in 2015 I had a huge moment of failure, a few wrecks, and took a hiatus from barrel racing until recent. I still rode at home, working on my horses and I the whole time. I entered 4 races in 2016 and on the way down the alley- every bad thing that could happen rushed through my mind in picture form! I had not attended barrel races consistently until the last couple months. I have spent this time "making it fun to go" again. And getting my head on straight.
I feel I've overcome a lot. I've lost 45lbs, improved my riding, and I feel like "the old me" coming down the alley. I'm to a point now where I REALLY want to set a goal for my 5 year old I've spent 3 years working on. But, I'm worried about setting it to high and having to overcome that failure all over again. My goal for this 5yo everywhere we have been has been to go in and work like he does at home; and he has worked amazing every trip. We've even gone faster then we did at home.
So here's my questions:
How do you set your goals?
What do you do mentally before going in?
How do you stay patient, when excited for your goal, and keep your goal from being set to high?
How do you prep for success? | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I would say you are already succeeding and achieving, the rest is icing on the cake. We are fortunate enough to enjoy horses as a hobby, even with all the highs and lows that come with horses so that is a positive before you even set foot in the arena. I am a 3D rider that has always been on finished horses that I literally just had to stay out of their way. I am now on young ones that I actually have to think and what a learning curve for me. My goals are to focus on what I did right and what felt right and recognize/acknowledge where I messed up and accept that it is all part of the learning process. Success can be measured in many different ways. For me it is small things, there might just be one or two specific things I want to work on in the run and that is what I think about going in. It seems when I get those right, the rest falls into place. I never put a time table goal on anything, horses will tell you when they are ready to pick up speed and when to back off and let up on the pressure. I am not a trainer but that is the biggest mistake I see, a horse makes a couple of really nice runs and so they start to ask more and push more every run and things start to fall apart because the horse mentally was not ready to handle the pressure. | |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | Don't set goals.
Just go have fun.
I think many of you guys(ladies) make this deal way harder than it has to be by expecting to much. Let's be honest, 99,9 of barrel racers are not going to make a living barrel racing. Just have fun.
You won't make it out of this world alive, so have fun while you're in it.
Years ago, I was a pretty darn good golfer, single digit handicap but you can't make a living playing golf with a 9 handicap. So I eventually realized that I didn't enjoy golf as much as I did when I first started and was just hacking and driking beer.
I know feel really good about my game if I break 90 and my enjoyment level is much higher and my blood pressure much lower. | |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| It sounds like you're well on your way!
I've thought about this a lot lately. I'm in the middle of my little horse's second season running and first rodeo season - my first full rodeo season. My goal for this year was just to follow my husband down the rodeo road and season the horse to the sights and such of rodeo. We laid down a really nice run a couple weeks ago and got a 3rd place check, it is so exciting to know he can hang! Since then it's been tough to keep focused on the original goal and not get down when we don't lay down the fastest run or take a step back and have a seasoning moment, like freaking out at bulls loaded in the chutes. I want to get down on myself because now I know we can do it, but I have to remember that if we'd never won the check, I'd be pleased with where we're at.
Goal setting is a difficult, personal thing. You want to push yourself, but you also need to have attainable goals. Some folks get on fine with the go have fun mentality, but some of us need the goal to help drive us.
Right now my goal is to nail down our first barrel better - 2 and 3 are wicked, 1st is eluding us. But, it's the only one that ever looks different - to me and him. And we aren't running in the jackpot arenas that we ran in multiples times last summer, every night is a new arena. I have to be patient with myself. I always try and get video, sometimes what feels like we went way past really doesn't look that bad on film...
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | 1DSoon - 2017-07-25 10:14 AM
Don't set goals.
Just go have fun.
I think many of you guys(ladies) make this deal way harder than it has to be by expecting to much. Let's be honest, 99,9 of barrel racers are not going to make a living barrel racing. Just have fun.
You won't make it out of this world alive, so have fun while you're in it.
Years ago, I was a pretty darn good golfer, single digit handicap but you can't make a living playing golf with a 9 handicap. So I eventually realized that I didn't enjoy golf as much as I did when I first started and was just hacking and driking beer.
I know feel really good about my game if I break 90 and my enjoyment level is much higher and my blood pressure much lower.
I agree with this! My goal with every run is to just do my best and try to win. Sometimes your gonna hit a barrel, loose a stirrup, ground won't be good, or you'll just ride like a monkey...but there's always another one! For every bad run there's a lesson to be made and the important thing is to learn from those lessons and grow.
I dont ever ask my horses at home...we just cruise if we need practice. Home should be a place to relax. You really can't compare runs from home to shows because it's a totally different environment. Theres so many things at a show you can't control and you have to learn how to deal with them. Let that be your goal! And if you don't get it this time...go home do your work and try again next weekend. This is how I prepare to run...by visualizing what I need to do. Forget about what could happen and focus on what you want to happen. When your running you have to let your subconscious take over and it can't do what it needs to do if youre scatter brained! Stay focused and most of all just have fun! Let go of the what-ifs!!! | |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | all I'm riding right now are 3 year olds so I had to give myself very very short term goals... like, each ride I have I have an expectation for what I want that day, and measure their progress based on that. When they ride good and correct and show their talent I'm happy. I know everything else will come. One of my three year olds had a bit of a melt down when I moved her to the new barn I board at. IDK what happened but she just lost her dang mind one day and acted like a total fruit loop. I told the lady I swear she's not like this normally...but for a few weeks we went all the way back to basics. Like, how to stand tied up under a nice shady tree with a bucket of water, how to lunge in the round pen, how to not get freaked out with trash bags etc, how to ignore the banner on the wall. It was a huge shock for me because this filly was the perfect angel and even though she had her moments (setting back every once in a while, the occasional spook, etc)she always got rave reviews the times I sent her to a trainer. So I guess long story short I had to change my focus to every day stuff like how to be a decent equine citizen so I can haul her places... she made huge leaps and bounds and now she doesn't sit back when tied, her spook level has dropped WAY down, and we are back to where we can ride and have fun on the pattern. And she's working a really nice set.
Every day I ride I have a goal in mind... I have low pressure days and higher pressure days. I want to futurity her, but I honestly have never played that game and have no idea if my time frame for training a horse matches that of the futurities.. next year I will find out when I put it to the test. Right now she can high lope a good pattern and I don't ask for anything past that. I ride before work and this morning the goal was to do everything perfect at a trot.. something nice and low pressure, she should be able to handle all this without any problem, and she did. later in the week I'll ask for some more and then I'll go back down to the no brainer stuff.
As far as the patience goes... I just know when I have my good rides that it will all be worth it in the long haul. I know I'm doing the best I can, I'm not cutting corners, I'm not rushing things, I'm not pushing her mentally to the brim of blow up... so I am at peace with what I'm doing. If it isn't enough, well then I'm not cut out for it and I'll aim for something else for the rest of her career... it is only the first year of her career anyway, so if I miss the mark and still have a solid horse I'm ok.
The best advice I can give is to just trust yourself and have confidence. If you know you are doing the best you can, the best for your horse, and you aren't being lazy and cutting corners... thats what helps me when I second guess myself. And if I self reflect and realize I have been a bit lazy, haven't ridden enough, etc... then I work on that before I go down a road of self doubt. | |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| 1DSoon - 2017-07-25 10:14 AM
Don't set goals.
Just go have fun.
I think many of you guys(ladies) make this deal way harder than it has to be by expecting to much. Let's be honest, 99,9 of barrel racers are not going to make a living barrel racing. Just have fun.
You won't make it out of this world alive, so have fun while you're in it.
Years ago, I was a pretty darn good golfer, single digit handicap but you can't make a living playing golf with a 9 handicap. So I eventually realized that I didn't enjoy golf as much as I did when I first started and was just hacking and driking beer.
I know feel really good about my game if I break 90 and my enjoyment level is much higher and my blood pressure much lower.
Love this advice!!!!
I set goals to have fun, enjoy the ride, do the best by my horses and go from there. I didn't set goals for my current gelding I run. I wanted to just to go shows, have fun and see where it went. I had zero intention of being near the money and he ran me in the 4D our last race out at one of the biggest races around. I was ecstatic. He was healthy and I was loving it! best goal I could have. | |
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Location: WA | I plan for success by having a goal to work on everyday. Before I get on my horse (regardless of if it's at a race or at home) I ask myself what I want and set a plan on how to achieve it and then visualize what outcome I want. Obviously sometimes the outcome and goals change throughout the ride, but I try to make every ride count. Each ride should improve yourself and your horse. It doesn't matter how big or small the goal is, if I need to work on it, it's important.
For example, my first exhibition on my 4yo was also the first time my horse trailered alone to a race. I had literally no expectations except to help her enjoy her experience there and feel comfortable and confident. Her exhibition was actually pretty great, but trailering was a nightmare and she spooked and set back. So, the next goal was to have her not set back and do the exact same thing and not put too much pressure on her. I'm starting to step her up and she's fallen apart (like they normally do) so my goal now is to do things calmly and precise without getting rushy. The next time I take her my goal will be to have a nice trailer experience and have a higher set of expectations through the pattern.
So basically I set my goals based on where my horse is at. I don't set those goals if I know I haven't given my horse the correct tools to complete them. For me it's really hard because I don't have an open horse, and this is my first colt. So I'm always thinking about the day we can finally run down the alley. My friends all leave for the weekend and I'm stuck at home. It really sucks sometimes. But I have looked at the big picture of things and try not to judge myself based on other people. I know what my horse and myself need. If you are unsure of what your goals should be, or feel like they are too high, ask for help! The great thing about our sport is all the amazing woman who are so eager to help. Talk it over with a professional to get some perspective. Also, remember to have fun! If you aren't having fun then what is the freaking point of doing this highly intense, costly, and emotional sport. Haha. | |
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