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Well not everybody finds seasons bring change to our riding lives ... but many of us have schedules that change as influenced by seasons
Perhaps kids go back to school and there is a chance to ride in the day time, or maybe the barn gets busy with after school lessons so you need to adapt. Perhaps your show season has wrapped up and you are taking a break, or is now when you start forging a partnership for the next season so you ride even more? Your ring might be great in one season and not so good in another. Maybe trails aren't safe for you at some times of year. There are so many ways the change of season can affect what we are able to do.
Maybe you are in the Southern Hemisphere and heading into a hot summer so ready to do some gentle work.
No matter what or how the change of seasons affects you - remember you can own this change! As my light gets shorter it's cutting into "my riding" time. But this weekend as I thought uncharitable thoughts about the injustice of the world it occurred to me I could flip my morning break chore time and my after dinner riding time ... there's no reason I can't muck out in the dark or clean tack.
Creating that new habit will take some effort. Plan for your change ... if you are like me picking the day, deciding what you will do, looking for the reasons you will feel resistance and addressing those concerns head on will help the new habit. I decided that Thursday would be the first day of the new plan (we were supposed to have 7 dentistries done this am - that got postponed yesterday) I decided who i was going to ride, and what my goals are for that ride ... the two mares have been getting a bit of work at dusk so it's not like totally starting over). Neither of them are neurotic or will mind the change. One of my guys is very regimented so I'll wait til i know this works for me to move him onto this schedule. I know tomorrow morning there will be some good reason not to follow through ... by already acknowledging that I am setting myself up to at least get down to the barn and get one worked (which is my only immediate goal). If I get both done that's fabulous but one small step will get me a heck of a lot closer than complaining about the loss of light.
Link the new habit you want to an old habit, Plan ahead for when you are starting and what you are doing. Be like a boy scout and be prepared - have whatever material/ tools you need at hand to do it... but ultimately JUST DO IT. You can always adapt or change the way you do something. Test the new way and see what happens ... it's the only way you'll get the information you want.
Life is learning ....
How can you work with the seasons? How can you tweak your schedule for success?