77. Ride in gymkhanas, and do all kinds of classes...
Hmm... maybe a trip to Triune this summer??
78. Ride in places that are totally foreign and unfamiliar to what you are used to
79. Real horsemen understand that holidays for humans don`t mean any lessening of the care they give their animals. They keep the same schedules their horses depend on, and expect.
80. Tour all the exhibits at the Kentucky Horse Park. For a HUGE goal, compete there some day!
Showing at the horse park really is something to remember!
81. This one`s for kids who jump. Plan to jump ONE FOOT HIGHER than is comfortable for you, normally. If you can jump 2 feet, stretch to 3 feet. And so on, knowing that at some point, even McClain Ward hits his limit!
82. Become very familiar with all the movements of classical dressage, such as piaffe, passage, pirouettes, tempi changes, extended and collected gaits.
83. Go to a summer camp with a horsemanship/riding program.
84. Visit some of the major stud farms, especially those of the breeds that you follow, and see some of the famous stallions first hand.
85. Get a summer job at a horse farm, so you can learn from the inside, what goes on.
86. Run a neat, clean, shipshape operation, barn, tackroom, horses, even your truck! (Well, maybe not your truck.)
Anita and Jerry are grooming us well for this one, huh?
87. Work cattle.
I'm working on this one...
88. Be a judge, at a show, or event, or trailride. Start with something lower level, and if you like the experience, grow from there.
A good way to earn money right out of college!
89. Learn how to use your watch when riding. Many events are timed, so start practicing sooner rather than later.
90. Weaning a foal from its dam can be a traumatic, sometimes risky procedure. Learn techniques for doing this safely.
91. Attend clinics. Do more than just be there, study avidly.
Watch some other groups besides your own!
92. Develop some sort of knowledge of and appreciation for the various breeds of draft horses, the gentle giants which opened up this country starting in the 1700s, and continuing until the early to mid 1900s.
93. "Crew" for a friend at an endurance race
94. Like "crewing" at an endurance race, assisting at a show or horse trials is a great way to learn what it`s all about.
Yep!
95. Learn to basically ignore the weather as it impacts your competitive goals. As Bruce Davidson once said, "Horses are 4-wheel drive."
We're good at this one, aren't we?!
96. Design and paint stadium jumps.
Done!
97. Develop an awareness that how you do in the arena in the sun and warmth of next July is apt to depend upon the practice you did or did not do in in the darker, colder months of November, December, January, February, March------.
Not that I'm trying to draw attention to this particular one...
98. Work with good instructors who have already achieved the goals you seek.
99. Become knowledgeable about thoroughbred racing, a gigantic world somewhat apart from the sport horse world, but vitally connected.
100. Learn to jump various kinds of cross country "questions".
101. This one`s for eventing kids. Learn all about starting box procedures, how to start your watch, and when, how soon to enter, how not to "break the barrier".
102. Also for eventing kids. Learn how to teach your horse do deal with double or triple bounce banks UP.
103. Teach your horse how to deal with double or triple bounce banks DOWN.
104. Be totally familiar with the 6 steps of the dressage training scale, to the extent that you can explain each of them to another rider.
Rhythm, Suppleness, Contact, Impulsion, Straightness, Collection
105. Give side saddle a try. Earlier generations were thrust into this form of riding by rigid standards and conventions of the time. Aren`t you fortunate that times have changed?
106. Learn how to walk a stadium jumping course prior to riding it, complete with knowing the striding, where appropriate, between fences.
107. Just as with goal No. 106, learn how to walk a cross country course, complete with knowing striding, where appropriate.
108. Travel to foreign countries to learn about the differences and similarities between their horsemanship cultures, and yours.
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