A bright sunny morning and a trip to the local tack shop for some odds and ends is just what's needed to put your working week to the back of your mind. The smell of brand new saddles and the shimmer of shining bits catching the sunlight is enough to entice you into purchases that really aren't necessary! So what's the harm in looking? Before long you've forgotten about the little things you went in for and you're working your way through racks and shelves of jodhpurs and show jackets. The thought of turning up at your next competition in all this beautiful new riding wear fills you with delight and then suddenly you realise that you don't have any competitions planned. In fact you haven't competed in ages. Why haven't you competed? Is it that last winter was so cold and wet that you thought you would relax and take it up again in the summer? Was it that last summer was lovely and hot and you thought you would take advantage of it and save the competing for later in the year? Or is it that you are stuck in a rut and now you have thought about it you realise how dull riding is without any aims? So with that in mind you decide that this year is your year. Let's face it, you're not getting any younger and what other challenges have you got set in your life? Purchasing all that brand new competition wear obviously helped to gee you up and get in the mood. Before long you are going through your schedules and planning your event diary. So what's next? Work out a plan of action and stick to it. Work out a realistic training schedule which you can achieve within your daily routine. Plan your horse's work load and vary his tasks. Schooling is important, whatever your discipline but try to hack out and vary your horse's tasks. Are you and your horse fit and ready? Whatever you are planning for, you must make sure that you and your horse are fit enough for that activity. There's nothing worse than desperately gasping for breath on fence three of the cross country when you know there's another fifteen to go! Get advice from your trainer. Your trainer will advise you on the best course of training for your chosen discipline. Have a few lessons in preparation for your event. The more prepared you are the more chance you have of a successful outing. If you are planning a show jumping event, practice jumping certain fences that you know you are uncertain of or that your horse is uneasy about. Perfect dressage moves by integrating them into your daily schooling routine. Try not to ride through the same tests from start to finish on a regular basis as the horse will pre-empt the movements and is very likely to get bored and you don't want him to go stale on you on the day of the test! Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. As all horse owners know, there are times when things just don't go according to plan. There are many reasons why you might not get to your event. Your horse might be under the weather, the battery on the lorry is flat or you might sleep through your alarm. Whatever the circumstance, it's happened. There's nothing you can do about it but take a deep breath and work out a secondary plan. Remember - there's always another day. Be realistic. No matter how hard you train and how much time and energy you put into your riding you must always be aware of your riding skills and your horses ability. There's a danger of thinking that you can achieve more than is really possible and the only way to know what you can and can't do is to get out there and find out. Don't enter competitions that are too much for you. Challenges are good but don't enter competitions at a higher level than you are ready for, you will only become uneasy about competing and if you are apprehensive you'll only unnerve your horse. Last but not least, enjoy it - it's fun. Each competition should be enjoyable and you should be proud every time you go out knowing that your hard work at home has all come together and you've made it to the competition. So set yourself some challenges, get motivated and get out there.