10 equestrian New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep in 2022

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New Year’s resolutions can feel a little daunting. Not everyone can find the time or inclination to run a marathon, read War and Peace, or travel the world.

So to stop you feeling overwhelmed by the rush of self-improvement, we have pulled together 10 resolutions which we think you’ll be able to keep in 2022:

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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.

10 equestrian New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep in 2022

1. Clean out your grooming kit before the end of January — and every month thereafter.

2. Read a training book by a famous rider and try at least one exercise in it.

3. Go to an event to spectate that you haven’t been to before. It doesn’t have to be a top-level one or cost a lot of money — you could go to a local horse trials or show where there is free entry or a minimal ticket price.

4. Be organised about when your horse needs routine health care such as teeth checks, vaccinations and worming and book them up early.

5. Watch the warm-up at a competition, rather than the ring, and try to pick up three tips you can use in your own training.

6. Get a skipping rope and improve your own fitness by skipping at least three days a week. Build up how many skips you do before a break.

7. Scrub out your horse’s feed and water buckets or troughs more frequently. We all mean to do it, but it can get left when you find you’re often short of time.

8. Sort out tack and equipment you no longer use and sell it online or take a pitch at your local equestrian car boot sale to earn a few extra pennies.

9. Do something for an equestrian charity, whether it’s donating unwanted to rugs to a local rescue centre or raising money through a cake sale at work.

10. Volunteer at a local show or horse trials for a day. You’ll probably learn something and have fun as well as feeling virtuous!

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