Jan 04, 2021

USEA Podcast #274: Start Your New Year Strong

By USEA

Happy New Year from the USEA Official Podcast! As we kick off 2021, Host Nicole Brown is joined by Tony Sandoval from Coach Sando Training and Diarm Byrne from EquiRatings to get some practical advice on top tips to get your New Year off to a strong start.

  • The first topic Brown dives in with is “What should people do if they are looking to improve their fitness in 2021?” Sandoval says, “My first piece of advice is to make a goal and actually write it down on a piece of paper.” That makes the goal real and then the person can make a plan to achieve it. He suggests going big with the goal and then reverse engineer it and break it into smaller do-able chunks. Sandoval also suggests celebrating each little habit that will add up to your ultimate goal.
  • Byrne agreed with Sandoval about “defining a purpose – making micro improvements to help you achieve your goal.” But he also emphasized figuring out why you want to achieve the goal and the key driver in ensuring that you can stay on track.
  • Byrne suggested thinking about it as a pyramid: at the top set your purpose, below that you set goals or objectives, and below that you set your tactics or micro-steps to begin to build habits.
  • Sandoval agreed with Byrne’s pyramid example and said that keeping the top of the pyramid steady and then having the next levels be agile – plans will change, but your constant will be your purpose and there are plenty of ways to get there, but that only comes with writing down that specific goal.
  • “Where would you start with goal-setting as far as performance-related targets?” asked Brown. Byrne responded that people often set goals of “I want to get better,” or “Win an event,” or “Finish in the top-five.” And he said that those are dangerous because there is no benchmark and it is impossible to manage. Byrne said that you need to start with knowing where you are now. “You need to take the time to stand on the scale,” he added. Byrne suggested starting with your six run average (6RA).
  • Sandoval suggests getting a coach to help you self-assess, get your baseline, and stay agile which he explained in a recent Facebook post. He also added to make sure this is fun and enjoyable – at the end of the day, this is supposed to be something you really enjoy – and celebrate all of the wins you have.
  • Byrne concluded with a reminder that “you should be kind to yourself to recognize that sometimes standing still is still making progress. Don’t fall into the curse of comparison.”

Do you have any suggestions for podcast topics, special guests, or episodes you want to hear on the USEA Podcast in 2021? Email us at [email protected] or get in touch on any of our social media platforms.

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Jul 02, 2024 Educational Activities

USEA Educational Activity Highlight: Sherwood Forest Hunter Pace | Sherwood Oregon | July 13, 2024

What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.

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Jul 01, 2024 Competitions

Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Reuniting with Five-Star Mount, & Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.

As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

Jul 01, 2024 Education

USEA Podcast #364: All Your Grooming Questions Answered

There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.

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