25 horse riding and equestrian goals, from first lesson to first show

Horse riding goals for beginners

A first year of riding is about balance and trust, so beginner goals count lessons and small firsts, always in a riding helmet, with an instructor, on a horse that suits your level.

• Ride one lesson a week for 12 weeks.
• Rise to the trot in rhythm for a full lap of the arena, in both directions.
• Canter your first full lap of the arena.
• Mount and dismount without help at 5 lessons in a row.
• Go on your first trail ride outside the arena, with a guide.

Riding skill goals: trot, canter and jumping

Skill goals are steps on a ladder, and the French riding federation gives them clear heights: a single fence of about 60 cm at Galop 3, then a course of 8 to 10 fences at about 60 cm at Galop 4.

• Pass the next level test your riding school offers.
• Pick up the correct canter lead 8 times out of 10.
• Ride 20 transitions in one lesson, each one at the letter you chose.
• Jump a single fence of about 60 cm at the trot and at the canter.
• Ride a course of 8 to 10 fences at about 60 cm without a stop.

Horsemanship and groundwork goals

Groundwork counts as much as riding, and it follows the same rule as dog training goals: short sessions, a clear signal, and a reward that comes right away.

• Groom, tack up and untack the same horse on your own, 10 times.
• Pick out all four hooves before and after every ride for a month.
• Lead your horse at the walk and the trot, then back it up 2 steps.
• Tie a quick-release knot 10 times without help.
• Lunge a calm horse for 10 minutes with an instructor watching.

Equestrian competition goals

A show asks for the same calm, repeated routine that archery goals are built on, so count what you ride and keep the ribbon as a direction.

• Ride your first dressage test at a club show.
• Learn 3 dressage tests by heart and ride each one from memory in a lesson.
• Walk the course twice before every jumping round for a season.
• Ride 3 clear rounds at your current height before you move up 10 cm.
• Ride in 5 shows this season.

Rider fitness goals

Rider fitness goals train the legs and the core that hold your position, in the saddle and off the horse.

• Hold a two-point position for 2 full laps at the trot.
• Ride 5 minutes without stirrups in every lesson for 8 weeks.
• Do 10 minutes of core work 3 times a week for 8 weeks.
• Hold a wall sit for 90 seconds to build the legs you ride with.
• Stretch your hips and calves for 5 minutes after every ride for a month.

What is a good horse riding goal?

A good horse riding goal is about how you ride, not only about the ribbon. A review of 27 studies of goal setting in sport found that process goals, the ones about how you carry out a skill, had the largest effect on performance (1.36). Goals about your own results came next (0.44), and goals about winning had almost none (0.09). The judge and the horse both have a say in the ribbon. "Heels down for a whole lesson" is all yours.

Riding also comes with a ladder you can see. In France, riders work through Galops 1 to 7. Galop 1 asks for a rising trot in rhythm and a few strides of canter. By Galop 7, the jumping part asks for courses at 1 m. Each Galop tests riding, care of the horse and knowledge, and you take it at your own club. Your school may use other names, but the idea is the same: one level at a time.

Tell your instructor the goal and the date. They see every lesson you ride, which makes them the best accountability partner a rider can ask for.

How to track horse riding goals

Write down what you rode before you leave the yard: the horse, the work, one thing that went well. A review of 138 studies found that people who monitored their progress reached their goals more often, and that recording it beat keeping it in your head.

Lessons and rides are a day count: one tick for each day in the saddle. Hours at the yard and clear rounds are amounts that add up. A goal like 100 rides is tracked the same way as a 100 day challenge, one day at a time.

A level test comes once in a while. Lessons come every week. A picture that fills one ride at a time shows the work between two tests.

Frequently asked questions

What are good horse riding goals for beginners?

Ride one lesson a week for 12 weeks, rise to the trot in rhythm for a full lap, and canter your first full lap. Wear a riding helmet, ride with an instructor, and ask for a horse that suits your level.

Should my equestrian goal be to win at shows?

Keep winning as the direction, and set goals on what leads to it: lessons, clear rounds at home, a still lower leg. In a review of 27 studies, goals about how a skill is carried out had the largest effect on performance.

Do groundwork goals count as riding goals?

Yes. The French riding federation's Galops test care of the horse and work on the ground, not only riding. Grooming, leading and picking out hooves are goals you can count on the days you do not ride.