2018 is upon us, and the school horses have made their resolutions for the new year. 

We already have some amendments, however.

Thomas has decided to stay in his stall while being bridled instead of trying to back into the aisle, and  Hooper resolves to  get over his fear of pullover blankets. Again.

Status report so far? 

It’s January 10, and Willy has offered ZERO free cantering lessons.  Hooper, Klem and Eddie are still performing patterns as they know they should be, but they’re trying to listen to their riders instead of being the pattern gurus that they are.

Now it’s your turn.

It’s time to look ahead to the new year and decide what you’re aiming for with your riding skills.  Team Knollwood members ride for lots of reasons, so resolutions will be varied as well. Goals help riders develop a plan to get better, and the feeling of meeting your goal just can’t be beat.

Just starting your riding adventures? 

You might want to strive to keep your reins a good length, or work on crop switching on the reverse while keeping your reins intact.  Maybe your goal is to master those pesky diagonals, or two point at the trot for a longer time.

Maybe you’d like to ride in your first in-barn show here at Knollwood.  If you’ve already shown at home, maybe you can strive to start pattern work to show in a pattern class this year.

The learning never stops.

For our advanced beginner riders, the most popular resolution is probably to learn to canter. 

You could resolve to do more bareback riding or graduate to riding in a saddle without the stirrups to increase your core and leg strength. Or maybe the goal is to identify canter leads, or learn lead changes.

Maybe you’d like to ride in your first out of barn show, or work on your showing skills at our in-barn shows. For those riders who have already enjoyed traveling to shows, perhaps you’d like to show at a particular show, work hard to make the workout in championships, or work on your showmanship skills.

For our more experienced riders, perhaps you’d like to perfect your leg position or work on more difficult patterns.  Maybe you have a particular horse you’d like to aim for, or a particular big show you’d like to compete in.  Perhaps you’d like to achieve ‘counselor’ status at summer riding school, or spend more time at the barn by offering to pick up extra helping days.

For our riders on the 'A' circuit, maybe your goal is to qualify for equitation finals, or to perform all 5 gaits in one class to Scott's satisfaction, or to master the 'Good Hands' pattern. You might resolve to  perfect your transitions or to keep your horse relaxed and walking straight or to make great passes in the arena.

The best way to achieve your riding resolution is to ride. 

Ride any horse you can whenever you can.

  Show whatever horse your can at whatever show you can.

Team Knollwood is beyond fortunate to have a complete library  of lesson horses. Each one of them has important lessons to teach, so resolve to become acquainted with all of them you can.

The Knollwood shows are a great opportunity to show some horses you usually don't, and  these 'library books' have great  hidden lessons to teach.   They can all help achieve your resolution, whatever it is.

We have a bulletin board set up in the school barn for your 2018 Riding Resolutions.  Please join your fellow riders and share your resolution with everyone. If you’re not sure of a plan, your instructor would be happy to talk about it and develop a plan for you.

Whatever your riding goals, we want to help you meet them!

Tradition. Honor. Passion.