Every horse and rider require personalized training to bring out their best. Some factors to take into consideration when creating short-term programming include the venue and footing the horse will be jumping on (is it indoors, sand, grass?), whether they are going to have to jump the water or derby jumps, and so on. Are you or your horse going to face something you’ve never seen at an upcoming show? How did you do at the last show? Are you seeing results from the program?

More long-term considerations need to include fitness and goals: is the horse fit enough? Are you moving up a level? You need to be capable of identifying your weaknesses with a critical eye when planning your schedule for the month and for the year.

I always work backwards and look at the schedule of horse shows to figure out what classes I’m trying to aim for. By identifying the classes you want to do well in, you can plan training in a way that will allow the horses to peak at the right time. Although I am constantly evaluating and adapting throughout the year, I do this well before the season even starts so I have a good idea of what my year will look like early on.

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