By Sally O’Dwyer
Picture this: You’ve meticulously planned your dressage goals for the year, carefully plotting out each milestone on your calendar. You’re cantering down centerline, ready to nail that flying change you’ve been practicing for months, when suddenly your horse decides today’s the perfect day to channel his inner rodeo star. Or, you go to bring in your horse from the field and he has a nasty gash in his leg, derailing your competition plans. Or, just as bad, the inner critic in your head is telling you that you are never going to be good enough to reach your ambitious goals. Welcome to dressage, where the path to achieving your objectives is about as straight as a drunk spider’s web!
Even with the most carefully planned goals and meticulously penned “by when” calendar dates, riders experience “wrenches” – unexpected obstacles that can bring progress to a screeching halt. The term “wrench” comes from the phrase “throw a wrench in the works,” evoking the image of a tool tossed into machinery, causing it to break or stop entirely.
Wrenches manifest as physical issues with our equine partners – lameness, injuries, or mysterious ailments that only horses seem capable of acquiring. Riders aren’t immune either; a loss of confidence following an unplanned dismount, physical injuries, or loss of a trusted trainer can all throw a wrench in our dressage aspirations. Financial constraints or sudden time limitations due to personal circumstances can force us to reassess our goals. Limited access to suitable training facilities during bad weather can disrupt our carefully planned routines and training schedules.
Speaking of wrenches, I became best friends with gravity – off a ladder, not a horse! One broken leg later, and suddenly my dressage goals were replaced with mastering the art of crutches. Talk about an unexpected dismount! Being sidelined for such an extended period was frustrating and disheartening. All my carefully laid plans and goals for the season were suddenly on hold.
The key to navigating these challenges lies not just in how we respond to them, but in how we plan for them from the outset when setting our dressage goals.
Strategies for wrench-wrangling in goal setting:
- Embrace the “Margin of Safety”: When setting timelines for your dressage goals, build in extra time. Think you’ll master that half-pass in six months? Set your goal for nine. It’s not pessimism; it’s smart planning that accounts for potential setbacks.
- Adopt the “Long Journey Perspective”: When setting your dressage goals, remember that dressage is a marathon, not a sprint. Treat each wrench as a plot twist in your epic equestrian novel. Your goals should reflect this long-term view, focusing on sustainable progress rather than quick wins.
- Feel the feels, but NO wallowing: When a wrench disrupts your plans, give yourself a moment to feel frustrated or disappointed, but then shift your focus to reassessing your goals as objectively as possible.
- Evaluate options: Sometimes, the best course of action might be to take a step back, allowing yourself time to regroup and return with a fresh mindset and adjusted goals. At the same time, don’t wring your hands and do nothing if a decision needs to be made about your training plan. Doing nothing, while it might not feel like it, is a decision.
- Be flexible: This might mean adjusting your timeline, breaking down your goals into even smaller steps, or finding alternative paths forward. Your goals should be adaptable to changing circumstances.
- Seek advice: Consult mentors, trainers, or experienced peers when setting and adjusting your goals. Remember, you’re not alone in facing these challenges, and others have valuable insights to share.
- Focus on what you can control: When setting goals, emphasize aspects of your dressage journey that are within your control. Try to find the lessons in each experience. Every challenge is an opportunity to gain knowledge and improve your goal-setting process.
- Regularly reassess and adjust your goals: As you progress in your dressage journey, your goals will evolve. Be open to changing your objectives based on new insights, experiences, or circumstances.
- Find the Silver Lining: Sometimes, a wrench is just the universe’s way of saying, “Hey, you might want to rethink that goal!” Use these moments to reassess and potentially improve your goals.
Illustrated by Susan DiFelice