Learning Lessons &
Setting Goals with Horses

At the turn of each New Year, many of us make resolutions in our horseback riding careers that we are dedicated to following through on. Come a few weeks or months in, however, we may find ourselves falling short of the goals we had set. It is very important to keep in mind what we've learned from our past in order to keep ourselves moving forward. Being intentional with our goals and reaching for an attainable level of success with our horses helps to keep us going—even when we might not want to. We asked RW-sponsored rider Andrea Baxter, a 5* eventer, for some advice on accomplishing riding goals over the course of the year. Let's learn and grow together alongside her!

Q: What was your biggest learning lesson over the past year?

A: I've had an upper-level horse since I was 14 years old—always! After retiring Indy 500 and selling my other top horses, this was the first year that I really had time to focus on—and remind myself of—how much fun the young ones are. It took me back to my roots of how I've always done it, which is bringing them up from babies. Getting to spend that focused time with them was good; it snuck up on me, because I've always had an upper-level horse. I had babies in the background and an upper level horse, but never just babies only. My babies all ended the year ready to move up to Modified, but they started this year practically as wild orangutans—not ready to be seen in public, let alone go to a horse show! It was a year that brought me back to a wider focus on all aspects of the sport, not just the top level.

Q: What are your goals for the next year?

A: I plan to just keep chipping away, training the basics, and adding in some higher challenges as well. Hopefully, [the babies] will all do FEI in the spring, whether it's 1* or 2* events. Then I've got a new set of babies to bring up as well!

Q: How do you take what you've learned and apply it to what you want to accomplish in the future?

A: Keep building blocks in mind and always remember how you got to where you ended up. I think that's the hardest thing when you change something new, like a new horse. You have to remember, "How did I get there with the last one? Where did I start from?" Have a system and believe in the system; it's not about getting lucky or having this or that lesson. It's actually understanding the building blocks for the system—where you start and where you go next. Really believing in that and having a pattern for the system makes it easier to see where you're going. You're not just shooting from the hip!

Q: How do you ensure your success in reaching your goals, without placing too much pressure on yourself?

A: I grew up riding with my mom on OTTBs or something we bred, and I always had a really natural eye and feel for the canter over jumps. Dressage has been hard for me, so now that I'm into my more professional career, I'm trying to become more competitive on the flat (which has never been my focus). I was always angling at bigger, higher, and faster; now I'm trying to focus on better. I'm trying to bring it full circle and be more competitive, and I honestly need to put more pressure on myself because I don't put any pressure on myself! I'm learning that I need to focus on the things that never really stressed me out and raise my standards a bit. I do the work with the horses on an everyday basis, so I don't get nervous coming to the shows; I'm wrapping my head around being more consistent and goal-driven. I've already been at the top level, and now I want to be better at all the levels!

Q: Do you want to focus more on finding your next upper-level horse? Will there ever be another Indy 500?

A: We're always looking to find and develop our next horse, but I think it's important you enjoy riding your horse at any level. Ride them to the point where you are satisfied with the level they're at. It's not worth squishing a square peg down a round hole; if at any point a horse that I'm producing doesn't feel like the level is easy enough work, it doesn't take a lot for me to decide to put them at an easier level. I am always willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for as long as I can, as I'm a "glass half full" type of person. That being said, the sport is pretty expensive these days; you can't necessarily afford to keep several horses at the top unless you're selling some along the way to keep playing the game. In terms of Indy 500, no one will ever replace her! She gave me hell for a long time ... It wasn't all rainbows and roses. She was a very cool horse, and her cross-country was pretty much the most amazing thing ever for such a little, downhill thing!

Q: If you could go back in time to include some form of training or education for yourself, what would you include?

A: I became a professional rider without really trying to become a professional. I think that I didn't spend enough time in my younger years developing my weaker skill, which is dressage. At the time, I didn't realize this was where I was going to end up; I just thought I didn't really need to work on it. Learning different methods as a working student, at an age where I could afford it, would've helped me more in dressage. It was a little bit too late for me when I was out of college and more in the sport; I was very involved and kept myself relevant. The dressage and flatwork got a little bit skipped, and now I'm putting the pieces back in alongside the jumping that I'm more natural at.

We loved asking RW-sponsored rider Andrea Baxter about the lessons she learned from the past year and how she's going to progress over the next one. And we hope you enjoyed reading about her journey and advice. We encourage you to set goals with a focus in mind, so you and your horse can go further together! If you have any questions for us, please feel free to reach out to our customer service staff at 1-800-620-9145 or info@ridingwarehouse.com. Happy goal setting!