As we head full speed into the holidays, it is important to stay on top of the small yet crucial aspects of your business and personal check-lists. Some of these elements include staying up to date on memberships and trainings, sending holiday cards, keeping in touch with partners and close friends, and making sure your horse is as prepared as you are when going into the new year.

Renew your subscriptions and trainings 

While the chaos of the holidays may allow for breaks, spending time with loved ones, and slowing down work-flow, the little things that keep your life running smoothly, don’t. As an equestrian entering the holiday season, there are a lot of important reminders that need to be set in order to keep you and your horse prepared for the next steps. The first important reminder is to keep your memberships up-to-date as we head into the new year. These include any riding association memberships like USEF or USHJA, Smartpak memberships, ClipMyHorse, or anything you need to keep you and your horse’s schedule on track. This means renewing any membership that may almost be up and checking to make sure you have what you need. Keeping your SafeSport training up-to-date is another aspect of competing that is often forgot about, so it might be a good idea to give that a look after reading this blog! Memberships are crucial in any aspect of life, but especially important as a healthy, competing horse and rider. 

Send holiday cards

Holiday cards and thank you cards are another way to keep your connections and collaborations strong. Holiday cards are a great reminder that you are thinking of your best business partners, friends and family, and fellow equestrians. You can even get creative with these and have a fun holiday photo shoot (just another reason to get adorable photos of your horse)! Good friends and collaborators will love to feel included in your holiday cheer, so sending holiday cards is a great reminder for this season. On this same note, thank you cards are also crucial in keeping your connections strong throughout the holidays. Sending thank you cards for partnerships or messages of gratitude for personal gifts will keep you close with those around you, wherever they may be. It takes a team to keep you and your horse happy and healthy, so it is always a great reminder to acknowledge those who have helped.

Keep in touch with those closest to you

As mentioned before, keeping in touch with collaborators, family, friends, and others in the equestrian community is more important than you would think during the holiday season. This time can be both challenging and comforting for many people, so reaching out to those close to you is just as important as keeping you and your horse healthy and happy. We sometimes forget that sending love and positive energy into our communities is what makes this season such a special time, and of course, the holiday food and vacation time is always a plus. 

Make sure your horse is happy and healthy 

While taking care of yourself is already a never-ending task, keeping your horse in that same loop takes even more effort, money, and care. This is why it is a great reminder to make sure your horse is staying warm in the colder months with the correct clipping jobs and blanketing schedule (unless you live in a warm area like Florida in which case we are all jealous). Also making sure your horse’s passport and paperwork is up-to-date, in case you are planning on traveling and competing this season and into the new year. Horses get worn-out and tired just like we do, so keeping up with your horse’s injections, supplements, vet visits, and exercise routine will make sure they do not get neglected during the holidays. If only those things didn’t cost so much, we could put more time and care into ourselves, but it’s what we do for the horses we love, right? 

Above all else, spending time with your horse and loved ones is one of the most important reminders going into the holiday season, so if you take anything away from this blog, let it be that.

Happy Holidays from the Athletux Team!