When we set goals or start new things they can often seem insurmountable.

Perhaps you have started learning a new movement with your horse and you can’t even do it at all at first and you just think you are never going to get it.

 

I have this a lot in my classes and with my one to one clients. Using the gym ball as an example, I have had loads of people who couldn’t even sit on the gym ball with their feet on the floor without wobbling never mind lifting their feet or kneeling on it.

 

However each time I saw them we would repeat the exercise. Just sitting on the ball trying to sit in balance, we might focus on what their hips were doing or perhaps their shoulders and eventually they would be able to sit balanced with their feet on the floor. Then we would start to lift the feet just one at a time and begin the process again. Before they know it they are sat on the ball feet lifted, talking, using bands etc.

 

These improvements didn’t happen overnight but each time they practiced they would make tiny 1% improvements that week by week added up to achieve their overall goal.

 

So if you are struggling with something don’t think you will never get there, just focus on achieving one small aspect of it at a time. Just aim to improve 1% each time you do it.

 

If it’s something with your riding you are struggling with ask yourself one day.

 

How could my hands be better at this? Then you just focus on improving your hands until they are more correct.

 

Then you move onto how could my legs be better at this? And so on until bit by bit you start to ride a little bit more like someone who can do that movement.

 

Just aim to improve 1% at a time and those 1%’s will soon add up to make 100%.

 

And hey I’m pretty sure 1% better has made some huge impacts on dressage competitions!