On this episode, Stacy Westfall explores the facility of goal-setting and studying in layers, utilizing her personal experiences and the upcoming Digital Tevis Cup as examples.
She explores how breaking down huge targets into smaller, achievable duties can propel us towards our final goals., discussing how seemingly unrelated targets can complement one another. The Digital Tevis Cup serves as a focus, difficult listeners to rethink their capabilities and embrace new alternatives for development, even in surprising areas. Stacy emphasizes the significance of self-awareness, studying from errors, and sustaining a community-driven strategy to equine endeavors.
If you happen to’re all for collaborating within the Digital Tevis Cup or exploring layered targets for your self and your horse, go to Stacy Westfall’s web site or social media for extra info.
Click on right here to be taught extra in regards to the in individual Tevis Cup, which is an occasion you should qualify for as a result of the aim is 100 miles in 24 hours. The occasion is monitored with vets, and you should qualify to make sure the protection of the horse and rider collaborating.
Podcasting from just a little cabin on a hill. That is the Stacy Westfall podcast. Stacy’s aim is straightforward to show you to know why horses do what they do, in addition to the motion steps for creating clear, assured communication together with your horses.
Effectively there. I’ve two various things monitoring my trip proper now on Willow. I’ve bought Equilab, which is the very first time I’ve downloaded it and used it, and I’ve my Garmin watch, which I’ve been utilizing for some time to trace my very own runs and for monitoring my path using. Hello, I’m Stacy Westfall and I’m right here that will help you perceive, get pleasure from, and efficiently prepare your individual horses. And as we speak I wish to speak to you in regards to the energy of seeing your targets in layers. I made a remark in a latest podcast the place I mentioned, I wish to be taught extra within the subsequent 4 years than I did within the 4 years that I used to be in school. And the rationale I made that assertion is as a result of I’d like to get you interested by how that might be potential. And if you wish to reply that query for your self, that might be superb. But when your mind gained’t fairly go there with you, then let’s go forward and use me for instance. So how is it that as an expert who has been coaching horses for greater than 20 years, how may I probably be taught extra now within the subsequent 4 years than I did once I was an inexperienced school scholar going to an equine school? And the reply for me lies in higher and higher element. And once I say higher and higher element, a variety of instances I can see individuals’s eyes glaze over as a result of they begin pondering one thing like, I’ve already bought a lot to do, that sounds actually overwhelming and that form of stuff.
So what I wish to do on this podcast is I wish to clarify to you, utilizing myself for instance, so to spin off into your individual instance. I wish to clarify how when you see your targets or your goals in layers, it begins to make you in a position to see how specializing in a small factor or a particular factor, relying on what you decide and the way you expertise it, can really assist transfer you in direction of your final dream. So the instance I wish to use proper now could be the digital Tevis Cup. So when you don’t know what the Tevis Cup is, go forward and Google it. Tevis Cup. However it’s a path trip the place the problem is to go 100 miles in 24 hours. Now the winner goes 100 miles in lower than 24 hours. And enjoyable reality final 12 months’s winner was Bridleless. That’s nicely price googling and . I keep in mind studying about this occasion again once I was in highschool and simply being blown away as a result of it’s not simply 100 miles, it’s rugged and steep, and there’s a swinging bridge that was concerned at one level. So Google that and try it. So I’ve identified in regards to the occasion for a very long time, nevertheless it was simply in the previous couple of weeks that one thing popped up on my Fb web page the place Denny Emerson had posted in regards to the digital Tevis Cup.
So out of curiosity, I clicked on it and regarded up and located that the Tevis Cup began a digital trip again in 2020 when many issues went digital. However they saved it going as a fundraiser for the nonprofit that maintains the paths for the precise Tevis Cup competitors. So mainly, the thought is that beginning on April tenth, 2024, and going by the precise Tevis Cup trip, there’s 100 days for you when you select to take part, as a result of I’m going to ask you to take part with me on the finish. There’s 100 days the place I can trip my horse, and the aim for me could be 100 miles in 100 days. And when you select to affix my digital staff, Group Westfall, I used to be very authentic. If you happen to determine to affix my staff, then your aim could be to trip 100 miles in 100 days. And the rationale that I believe that is such a strong instance of targets in layers is that it will be tremendous straightforward to simply scroll by one thing just like the digital Tevis Cup and assume, no, that’s not for me. I’m a fill within the clean – I trip western dressage. I’m an informal path rider. I do issues with my horse, however half of the time I’m doing groundwork and half of the time I’m using. That’s not for me. And once I take into consideration how I’m going to be taught extra within the subsequent 4 years than I did within the 4 years once I was in an equine school, and I take into consideration studying in layers, what involves my thoughts is that my first response once I thought of probably doing this was, I don’t know, I in all probability already trip about that a lot, and that might be an attention-grabbing factor so that you can calculate proper now.
So just a little bit extra details about the precise occasion. Something. So you might lead your horse and that counts in direction of your miles. You possibly can trip your horse and that counts in direction of your miles. You possibly can drive your horse. I simply noticed someone on Fb the opposite day the place they’re driving their mini, and so they’re signed as much as drive the hundred miles, or perhaps they’re going to do a combo of driving and groundwork. I do know they’re not going to be using. And so what’s attention-grabbing about this idea is that when you begin stretching your self to assume, oh, as an alternative of I’m not an individual who’s within the Tevis Cup generally, I’m by no means going to trip my horse 100 miles in 24 hours, which, by the way in which, there are many vet checks and you’ll’t simply enroll and do this. You need to really qualify. However for this 100 miles in 100 days, the query for me was, oh, that’s attention-grabbing, what may I be taught? And my mind went to I in all probability already trip Willow, for instance, the horse that I’m using proper now. I in all probability already trip her near that. So then I grew to become conscious that I may simply return by my calendar the place I write down how a lot I trip her.
I grew to become conscious that I may return by my calendar, and I may in all probability add up the path miles and know the reply to the query do I already trip 100 miles? But it surely really leaves an enormous hole as a result of I don’t ever observe the variety of miles once I’m doing area using. In order that’s an attention-grabbing place the place I may be taught much more. If I tackle this problem of really monitoring, which comes up with one other level of resistance whenever you select to do one thing that doesn’t precisely appear to suit with. Let’s simply use the instance of you will have a aim to indicate your horse in Western dressage this 12 months. It’d appear to be using in one thing just like the digital Tevis Cup doesn’t match, however that’s once I need you to ask your self how does it match? How does this layer in? Was that straightforward so that you can go to? What’s your reply? How would signing as much as trip 100 miles in 100 days? How would that help your aim of Western dressage? Or if you wish to strategy it from a special angle, does using or doing groundwork does? I’m simply going to say using for a lot of the podcast. Simply keep in mind you could really be doing groundwork. So if I dismount and lead Willow on the path proper now, that additionally counts. How does using your horse and having the aim of using 100 miles and 100 days, how may that help your Western dressage aim? And people questions are the place I wish to stay.
That is the place I’ve skilled my mind to see the similarities, to search for the complementing issues that may occur. So for me, once I take into consideration how may signing up for this digital problem assist help my using targets? In a short time my mind goes to the 4 sq. mannequin and I believe health. So once I exit right here on the paths, one of many causes I like to path trip all of my horses is for the health acquire. I stay in an space the place I’ve entry to trails with hills, and for me it feels just a little bit like dishonest as a result of once I go on the hills, I can help just a bit bit to say use your physique appropriately. So for instance, I don’t need Willow dashing up or down a hill. So so long as I say to her you’re not allowed to hurry up or down the hill, then the hill does the remainder of the work for getting her to maneuver and use her physique appropriately. That’s the half that feels just a little bit like dishonest to me, as a result of to get her to try this stage of engagement and assortment within the area requires me to do much more. So I really like letting the Hill be the factor that exhibits my horse how one can appropriately use her physique, and it’s actually fairly up right here.
Hi there.
Good. How about you? Lovely day. Though I hold questioning if we’re going to get rained on. It’s not presupposed to, however will we imagine them? Nice reply. Not till after I get house. You two have an ideal trip. And though I had this deliberate for later within the podcast, it’s just a little little bit of skipping forward. However since I simply bumped into different path rider’s on the path, it’s price noting. One more reason that I needed to do that digital problem was for the group side of it, as a result of I began the group, so we’re going to have the ability to see one another’s progress and the staff mileage because it racks up there. But additionally the Tevis Digital has their very own Fb web page, and it’s simply form of enjoyable to be assembly up with different rider’s who’ve chosen the identical problem. Now for me, I additionally exit right here and path trip, and it brings me out onto the paths the place I get to truly meet different individuals and cease and speak to them, which is actually good for my horses and my coaching. So again to among the factors utilizing the 4 Sq. mannequin primary horses, health and inside that very same factor. So horse’s physique rider’s physique. There’s a health aspect to it that I get pleasure from doing on the path. Now once more, you might really rack up these miles in an area. And once I’m doing that, if I wish to up the health stage just a little bit, then I add polls like floor polls first one single floor ballot, after which I begin working my manner up from there so I can get just a little little bit of that very same impact if I don’t have entry to the hills.
On prime of that, I’ve determined to signal two horses up. So sooner or later there’s additionally just a little little bit of a rider health stage that’s going to occur from doing this problem, however I really assume that one of many areas that’s going to be most impacted is definitely the rider’s thoughts. So the way in which that I see this working for me is that once I select to decide to a aim just like the Tevis Cup digital Problem, it routinely will get me pondering in another way. Now discover I already advised you my mind went again to love, do I already do that? Have I already accomplished this? Can I am going again and rely my miles? I didn’t enable myself to try this. I may later if I needed to for enjoyable. However the motive I didn’t let myself return there and do that’s as a result of I needed to have the ability to keep current for what I may be taught by doing it now. So this brings up a typical space the place rider’s miss a possibility, and the chance that may be missed. If I went again and I mentioned, ah yeah, no, no huge deal, I’ve already ridden 100 miles and 100 days. I don’t want to try this once more. Discover how a lot studying occurs in that. Just about zero. I’d be taught that I rode 100 miles in 100 days on the paths final 12 months, however I don’t really open myself as much as present and future studying for the subsequent 100 days.
But when I say to myself whether or not I have a look at whether or not I’ve accomplished it earlier than or not, if I say to myself, what may I be taught by signing as much as do 100 miles in 100 days, I routinely can really feel my mind shift into all of the layers of element. Proper now I’ve turned on Equilab to trace my trip. I’ve by no means owned Equilab earlier than. I downloaded it proper earlier than I headed out. I even have my Garmin watch monitoring my trip that I’ve accomplished constantly once I go on path rides for the previous couple of years, which is why I’d have the knowledge if I went again and regarded. I’d have the details about what number of path trip miles I’ve, however I do not need the knowledge for monitoring my area rides, which brings up an space of studying. I’m going to must create a brand new behavior of turning on some model of monitoring once I trip within the area, and I already know that’s going to be a stretch, I can already foresee me forgetting to trace one in every of my rides within the area, perhaps most certainly a number of of my rides within the area. Except I see that potential, like I’m saying I do, and I develop a method for it. So what sort of technique may I develop? Effectively, I like to set telephone alarms, however the issue is I fluctuate once I trip, in order that’s in all probability not going to work for me.
However I may do one thing so simple as making just a little signal that hangs on a rubber band and placing it on my saddle horns or my bridle rack. One thing the place once I went to go get the horse and saddle up, I’d see it. I may grasp one the place I’ve the halters in order that if I’m going to do groundwork, I may observe that. However what I do know is I’m going to must face the truth that that’s a behavior change. And immediately my mind goes, oh, behavior. And that is what lots of you’re experiencing whenever you assume that seems like an excessive amount of, I’m going to be overwhelmed. And what I’m inviting you. To consider in another way is that perhaps conquering this small problem of studying how one can activate one thing to trace my trip, and realizing I’m going to overlook it as soon as, twice, over 100 days? It wouldn’t shock me if I missed it ten instances. But when I decide to doing this new behavior and I settle for, I’m going to be disenchanted if I don’t observe one in every of my rides and one other of my rides. If I perceive, I’m setting myself as much as in all probability make some errors, however I decide to studying. That is the key to understanding your self higher. That is the key to unlocking the potential that’s being blocked due to the rider’s thoughts. It’s actually virtually tougher at instances to face the rider’s thoughts than it’s the rider’s health stage within the physique, and even the talent stage within the physique.
As a result of in case you are permitting that a part of your mind that goes, oh, I can’t imagine I’m going to enroll to do one thing else like observe my rides. I’m in all probability going to mess it up. If you happen to enable that to take over, then you definitely’re in all probability going to permit that to take over somewhere else and rapidly. You gained’t perceive how a lot of your individual energy and determination making you’re giving freely to that a part of you that simply needs to preserve power. And what’s fascinating is I’m really already going to be placing out the bodily power. I’m already going to be using my horse. I believe I already trip this a lot, however I gained’t know except I enroll, and I gained’t enroll if I’m not keen to have the expertise of constructing errors. So once I begin targets as layers, regardless that January I didn’t even know this Tevis Cup digital existed, I can instantly see it instantly line up with the truth that it’s going to assist my health stage, my horse’s health stage. It’s going to encourage me to look in additional element at what I’m already doing. I can rapidly make the choice to take part as a result of I’m going to be taught both manner. Both I’m going to finish it and I’m going to get the t shirt and the steel that I signed up for, or I’m not going to finish it, and I’m going to be taught the entire manner there.
So, for instance, if I neglect to trace my trip ten instances, if I neglect to trace my rides, keep in mind that is taking place over a interval of 100 days. If I neglect 20 instances, if I neglect 30 instances, if I don’t enable myself to make up a quantity and fill within the clean, then there’s the potential. I may really obtain the variety of miles however not have tracked it, and so it wouldn’t be achieved in one other stage. So I’m conscious of all of those pitfalls and challenges, and to me that’s once I wish to go, huh. Sport on. Very cool. Let me be taught extra about me. That is how I’ll obtain the aim of studying extra within the subsequent 4 years, as a result of I’ll be keen to enroll in layers of challenges. I even have observed, and I’m using the day earlier than the problem opens. So that you’re going to hearken to this podcast. If you happen to hearken to it, the day that it downloads, you’re going to hearken to it the day the problem opens. And I’ve already realized so much about myself simply by signing up earlier than I even began competing. Between wanting on the apps and the monitoring and the habits that I’ll wish to change, to have the ability to alter, to have the ability to do a few of this, after which easy issues like, what am I going to do on wet days? Am I going to lastly conquer the raincoat that I would like, or no matter else that I would like to have the ability to trip on the wet days? Or am I going to decide on to try this within the area? My mind is already attempting to reply these questions as a result of that’s what occurs whenever you set a aim.
So to recap the rationale it was straightforward for me to make the choice to enroll in the digital Tevis Cup is that I used to be in a position to rapidly see how there may be not a battle between doing this and any of my authentic targets with my horses. I may see the advantages and little or no draw back. Actually, the largest draw back I may probably give you is that I don’t full it, and I made a donation to a nonprofit that helps help an incredible occasion. If you happen to have a look at your potential targets and the worst case state of affairs, when you don’t obtain them and you discover that it’s one thing that easy, I extremely advocate signing up for the aim, as a result of each impediment you encounter will turn out to be a possibility so that you can be taught extra about the way you deal with obstacles. I simply must say I’m using the loop that I usually do on Willow, however I made a decision to go backwards, so I’m using it in a special course, and it’s tremendous humorous to observe her expression as she sees the path from a special angle. I get pleasure from seeing my horses benefit from the surroundings. If you want to affix me in collaborating on this digital Tevis Cup, you will discover the hyperlinks on my web site Stacy Westfall.
Com search for the weblog publish in regards to the Tevis Cup Digital, or you will discover hyperlinks that I’ve posted on social media the place I’m performing some updates from out on the path with Willow. Or you possibly can seek for Tevis Cup Digital and also you’ll discover their web site. If you happen to be part of from one of many hyperlinks and also you wish to be a part of my staff, then simply choose collaborating in a staff and reply sure. After which from the drop down menu, search for staff Westfall. Whether or not you select this aim as one other layer to what you’re engaged on together with your horse, or whether or not you will have set different targets and also you say, no thanks, I’m going to go on this, I’d extremely encourage you to have a look at the completely different layers that construct up your aim as being the rider’s thoughts, the rider’s physique, the horse’s thoughts, the horse’s physique. After which you possibly can see whether or not there could be another enjoyable ways in which you might help your predominant aim with some secondary targets, like I’m with Willow. That was a deep spot, wasn’t it? We simply crossed by a very deep water spot. That’s what I’ve for you this week. Thanks for listening and I’ll speak to you once more within the subsequent episode. One final thing. I’m already studying extra. I simply completed my 5 and a half mile trip and that is my first time utilizing Inquilaab. And now I’ve confirmed that my GPS and Inquilaab are very shut.
They’re inside a tenth of a mile, if not even nearer than that.
Due to when the mileage rolls over on every one in every of them. So I really feel actually good that my mileage has been correct all these years utilizing my Garmin watch. And it’s attention-grabbing as a result of I can see much more info on Equilab. So I’m very excited to go inside and have a look at it extra. See already studying.
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