Resolutions 2013

So, although the "Year in Review" post was a pain in the bum (holy heck, I am long-winded sometimes, why don't you guys tell me to shut up already?) I'm glad I went back and really looked through those posts to see where I was, to where I've come.

& what a year it has been - my mind spins just thinking about it. I've probably never had one single year that had so many milestones, and I think, with years of such big change, you never really notice that you decided to take the road less travelled, or turned left at the fork, until you look back down the road you've travelled on for awhile. When I started this blog I wanted to make a concrete change - I wanted my life to become more centered around the one thing that I've found true passion, happiness, strength, humility, commitment, weakness, and a host of other factors in - horses. So, I think last year I firmly began walking down the "horse centered life" road, and hope to continue in my journey.

Philosophical posts and a new year seem to go hand in hand, and what would a new year be like without some little goal-setting and resolutions, hey?

A friend and I have joked that since everyone starts resolutions right out of the gate January 1st, and so why not sit back, and wait to start a month in - February. So, writing out my goals January 22 seems pretty appropriate for our "February Resolutions" plan.

For 2013, I would like too....

1. Compete.
- This has been a goal for awhile now, and, like many things in my horse-life, it never became possible because I didn't own a horse. Well, now, I own a horse. He may not be going to World's in Western Pleasure, or down to Fort Worth to cut, but he's mine, and god knows I love him. So, I'd like to do some sort of show with him this year - no matter how small. No goals or hopes of ribbons, just show - in something, somewhere. Leaving this one pretty open-ended.

2. Cut.
- It's been a longstanding dream of mind to try cutting, so this year, I would like to dip my toes in this sport, and see if it's the one I actually want to dive into.

3. Work towards Jingle becoming a really nice "All-Around Horse" & maintain patience with him, and myself in this process.
- This is probably the main goal, and the most important. Jingle is on his way to becoming a horse that I can go and "do anything" on, I want to continue on this path and work towards getting him supple, and soft. My goal is to really figure out a cadence and flow with Jingle this year, and as I've learnt, that means I must remain patient, kind, and calm when it comes to him, to me, and to us together. This goal also hints that I'd like to try a bunch of different disciplines, with my wonderful "all-around" horse. ;)

4. Find Work with Horses, or in the Horse Industry
- I'm done University in April (woop woop), and I right now the plan is to take a year off, and then go to an agricultural school in 2015 probably for learning about breeding and bloodlines. However, i'm still not 100% in that, and would like to spend the year learning more about the industry, and the different ways I could go about living with horses, and also being successful in the industry. (Not living on oats myself - haha)

5. Healthier Lifestyle
- I would like to have a healthier lifestyle - right now my eating habits are in the garbage and the word "workout" isn't in my vocabulary - for the year coming up I would really like to stick to a healthier diet, because I think a lot of my lethargy, and issues with winter, come from poor eating habits. I also really need to start working out, and becoming healthier, not just for looks but for my long-term being. This goal is also for Jingle! I'd like to look more into equine nutrition, workout schedules, etc. and figure out how he can be the healthiest he can be!

So, I think those are some pretty solid and (hopefully) easy to achieve goals. Wish me luck!