How can instructors help riders set realistic goals?

To help riders set realistic goals, assessing their current abilities is essential. This process involves understanding each rider's unique strengths, weaknesses, and overall potential. When instructors evaluate the abilities of their riders, they can tailor goal-setting to be both achievable and motivating. This personalized approach allows for the establishment of goals that are not only appropriate but also aligned with the rider’s individual progress and comfort levels.

Setting realistic goals fosters a positive learning environment, encourages incremental progress, and helps to build the riders' confidence. It ensures that the goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), which is crucial in therapeutic riding contexts where each rider may have different needs and circumstances. This thoughtful assessment and approach help maintain engagement and motivation, ultimately leading to better outcomes in their therapeutic riding journey.