2009; What have been your highs and lows?

[brushingboots]

as title really but 'aussi' including New Years Resolutions
and highs and lows both horsey and non horsey

Highs:
- Finally Riding after being told i wouldn't be riding until 2010
- Getting my first A* in a subject which i never thought i would - FRENCH!

Lows:
- Hairline fracturing wrist without knowing

- Not seeing my cousins enough

New Years Resolutions:
- Not to break ANYTHING
- Become more competitive
- See family more
- Try and get good grades in my GCSE
- To try and get into the 3 6th Forms i've applied for

so what are yours

 

[little_pink_piggies]

Horsey High: Arth going clear around Gatcombe 2star

Non-Horsey High: 4 As at A level! Not bad for 70% attendance

Horsey Low: Nora pulling up at Goring, granted she had flint in her frog, but stil was demoralising at the time!
Non-Horsey Low: Father being a knob and disowning me...

New Years Resolutions:
- Keep doing physio exercises as they're making a massive difference

- Not to apologize so much!
- Actually to get of fmy arse and visit my friends in uni because I miss them!
- Pass my stage 4... Might be wishful thinking there...

 

[PnO]

My highs (not very high compared to some people on here!) but anywho!

*Completing Aston-Le-Walls unaff intro o.d.e with a sub 40 dressage (38) and a double clear (although I did get a few time faults)
*Jumping this HHUGGEE drop fence at Gawcott Hunter trials!
*Jumping at our first county show

*Succesfully backing my homebred 3yr old

Lows:

*Both horses getting a respiratory infection in May...I'm still paying off the vets bill!
*Currently having older horse forced out of work due to a bad back...just after i'd started to crack our jumping issues!

Aims:

* Start doing more BSJA and jumping discoverys
* Try and qualify for something

* Get back on my 3yr old in March time and have succesful sumer showing her the ways of the world

 

[baleofhay]

Highs - doing my first ever dressage test last week !! Coming third with 65.55%
Lows - Dont seem to matter now i have achieved my ambition of riding in a competition!!

 

[now_loves_mares]

Hmmm

Horsey highs

Not many - taking my youngster to her first ridden dressage comps earlier in the year and coming home with a rossette

Horsey lows - youngster being off since may with lameness, other mare being off half the year too.

Non horsey highs - a few great weddings, a lovely holiday, and today my nephew was born

Non horsey lows - last week a very great friend died, which rather put everything in perspective

Ny resolutions. In the words of Robin Williams (I'm sure most of you aren't old enough to remember) Carpe Diem. Horsey or non-horsey, stop farting around and live life to the full

 

[worMy]

HIGHS

Horsey: Kelsall JRN 4th, Goring Heath JON 1st and Selected for JRN champs.
Non-Horsey: Getting 10A*'s and an A at GCSE.

LOWS

Horsey: period of SJ going to pott ruining three event placings on the trot. Weston park 1*. Our dressage totally falling apart horrifically so.
Belvs injury at goring.

Non Horsey: lack of finding a guy

, not managing to get along with my family,,still.

 

[AutumnRose]

HIGHS

horsey - going clear round Tweseldown at the end of the season
non-horsey - getting engaged.

LOWS

horsey - breaking my ribs
non-horsey - getting made redundant, twice.


RESOLUTIONS

To complete all my events
Qualify for the grassroots champs
Not injure myself on the run up to the wedding or OH will probably disown me

 

[Golden_Match_II]

Horsey Highs:
-Getting placed at pre-Novice Level on the 13.2hh
-Getting a big new poneee
-3rd at Stonar ISODE Pre Novice 2 months after I got Tam

Non-Horsey Highs:
-Getting 2As and an A* for my science modules

Horsey Lows:
-Millie going Lame
-Realising Andy wouldn't event

Non-Horsey Lows:
-Goin to my s**t school, and hating it for yet another year.

 

[seabiscuit]

Highs;
-Getting an ace job in racing, schooling national hunt horses over fences at the Links in Newmarket; galloping horses at the newmarket public gallops; meeting various racehorse trainers and jockeys; all a great eye opener!

-Getting Poppy

- great holiday in the summer


Lows
-Woody proving to be a complete utter failure and a complete utter waste of two years where a vast lot of money, time and training all for nothing;

-My favourite young mare of mine being retired after even more amounts of time and investment; a horrible double whammy.

-no longer being able to cope with the 4 am starts every day for racing job and being tired and exhausted all the time; thus having to leave

-being even more stuck in a rut than ever

 

[diggerbez]

Highs:
- buying my lovely 4 year old, backing him myself and getting out competing on him- proudest moments being coming first at BD (third outing) and jumping some HUGE fences on the XC at somerford park with him :grin
- non horsey- getting my two awesome whippets

- getting the best AS level results out of my whole department even tho i've only been teaching 3 years

Lows:
- realising my pre novice eventer wasn't going to go novice (despite having the scope) and selling him

- falling off 4 year old a LOT during backing- took a while to work out how to deal with his cold-backedness

- realing i'm massively in debt and having to live on a shoestring

 

[KatB]

Highs:
* My coloured boy feeling confident around a PN sjing track for the first time!
* Friends having a fab season with their horses, and going to some fab events as "support"

.
* Buying my 4yr old who has since been placed/won in 2 out of 3 Sjing outings and is slowly starting to show promise elsewhere!
* Making some fab friends at the new yards.
* Finding THE most perfect home for Goddy.

Lows:
* Realising my gorgeous boy wasn't going to be happy doing what I wanted him to do, and selling him

* Moving yards twice! The second time moving away from some great people, but just wasn't feasible.
* Missing out on a lot of eventing!
* Making some dodgy decisions, but hopefully they will come out as a high

Thats about it really! Real highs and lows!!

Revolution- To enjoy my outings as much as I enjoy going on everyone elses

So to put less pressure on myself and enjoy my girly!!

 

[Stoxx]

High:
Buying my new 4 year old.

Low:
Loosing my darling pony after 22 years together.

Resolutions:
To get out and about on my youngster and enjoy the year!

 

[humblepie]

High :
Getting placed at Horse of the Year Show

Low :
Losing my old retired horse (a very very low low).

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

Horsey Highs: Being placed BSJA and getting DC
Having a horse that gives me enough confidence to have a go X-C and loving it and finishing the season getting to clears X-C

Non horsey- Having a Job all Yr woohoo

Horsey lows: Horse having the most amazing jump but not wanting to do dressage (still working on it!!

Aims for next yr:

To improve Dressage and finish on dressage score at Intro and have a Crack at BE100!!!!

 

[monkeybum13]

Horse Highs:
-Finally taking Missy to do some xc
-Getting my highest dressage score - 78%
-Getting Lacey

Non Horsey Highs:
-Finally finishing School with 12 GCSES, 2 B's and the rest A/A*

Horsey Lows:
Having to leave Missy and sell the two ponies

Non Horsey Lows:
-Finding out my cat has cancer

Aims:
-Get Lacey out doing some unaff ODE's and possibly some BE at the end of the season and hopefully BD next winter

 

[kit279]

Highs - Horses being sound and happy, coming 10th at chestnut's first BE and 5th in combined training last week, grey horse being generally more rideable and OH having lots of fun eventing him. Finishing my PhD in a record 2 and 1/4 years and possibly having found a yard to buy.

Lows - Having to commute to London every day in the New Year

Getting gazumped on a really lovely house. Sacrificing all social life and sanity to get PhD done in time. Any interaction with the planning authorities...

Resolutions - to find the time to ride both horses despite working in London next year. To do a few events with the chestnut and get OH to crack on with the grey horse. To buy my own yard and finally move.

 

[millitiger]

horsey highs
- Millie jumping a beautiful DC at Broadway on her 4th Intro.
-breaking in my 3yro
-Pilfer coming home!!!

non- horsey highs
-new job
-promotion in new job after 5 months,

horsey lows
-having to sell my 4yro Ellie as it was clear she wasn't going to be an eventer

non-horsey lows
- not realising how stressful my new role at work would be!
- some tw*t crashing into my beautiful new mini when i'd had it for just 4 weeks.

2010 aims
- Pilfer to qualify for grassroots PN champs
-Millie to be consistent at PN
-Vinnie to get out to some unaffiliated and see the world.
- get another promotion at work

 

[chester1234]

Highs : Peter coming 4th at Lt Downham JON, and 7th overall in the ON. Working my ar*e off with Baydale to get the T monster looking like a DR diva, thus getting an awesome [for him] 38 at LD

C Pony doing a DC at Ld and getting a rosette. Leaving school. Getting my first owners and some wonderful sponsors.

Lows : Losing our eventing dog, Bella. C throwing in the towel for some reason. Parents separating so uprooting and currently trying to find somewhere to live. Failing my driving test - twice - then having it cancelled - twice - cause of the snow. My ex messing around with his ex behind my back, when we'd been together a year - the kindly telling me the morning I was due to jump in the CIC* at SOE.

Resolutions : find a nice guy that won't screw me over - I guess I'll join the queue on that one. Keep working with Baydale to get T monster even more diva like - and try to throw less trantrums with it [sorry BD].

 

[humblepie]

Just wanted to what some fantastic exam results many of you have alongside doing well with your horses. Congratulations on all those.

 

[BayJosie]

Highs Both horsey and non horsey

Putting my mare in foal - it's been one hell of a leaning curve and the most exciting thing I've ever done.
Becomming official with my boyfriend, being in love

Getting my English Pointer Puppy, Quest.

Lows:
Our dog, Junior passing away.

TBH, there haven't been many lows but for the year ahead I want to clear my debts. It's the only thing I'm desperate to do.

 

[Sol]

Horsey highs: Getting Danny, jumping 3'6 on him (highest I've ever jumped

) and knowing that if I work hard, despite him hardly being the best horse ever in some ways, he's genuine enough to teach me a lot more, about jumping especially.
Actually having a horse sane enough that my friend may be able to ride occasionally!

Non-horsey highs: Getting 3 a's in my science modules & arranging to go to Spain next easter with my best friend

Horsey lows: Realizing that Koora was going to be better off in a competition home and selling her - then finding a new livery yard that if we'd been on before may have solved the problems we were having with her

Non-horsey lows: Struggling to cope with school & various people turning against me.

 

[igglepiggle]

Highs:
Getting help from Jo Cooper and two days later completing Highclere's huge PN track
Finishing 18th out of 118 at Addington in a Discovery Blue Chip qualifier
DC at West Wilts (1) in the Intro, finishing 10th
Making the move up to PN confidently this time
Getting our first DC at Discovery after a long break from BSJA
Having some great lessons with Anna Ross-Davies and Adam Kemp for dressage
Winning an EHOA training award
Riding some nice Elementary tests after a break from BD

Lows:
Not completing at Broadway after a good first 2 phases
Getting eliminated at Aston in the SJ (very unlike him)
Not taking the alternative that would have got me another DC at WW
My nerves crippling our performances in XC

2010:
Whatever I do, riding positively

 

[Cash]

Highs:
- jumping 1.20 at an SJ clinic on the TB

- Winning my class at my first ever ODE (even more

!

) despite an APALLING dressage
- having a great summer filled with partying, polo and getting to know the TB (on loan from a friend while i'm 'in between' horses!)

Lows:
- STILL not being set up with a new horse, despite looking pretty much since selling P in March, and having the TB on loan since June.
- STILL waiting for a space at the yard just up the road; the current barrier standing in the way of getting new horse
- GCSE year is very hard.
-Riding wise: still not feeling my jumping position has 'clicked'.
Aims:
- Have new horse, at the yard down the road.
- Do well in unaffiliated ODEs in summer, and maybe even affiliate in late summer.
- Do well enough in my GCSEs to get into my choice of sixth form, and get away from my school!!

 

[Evntr86]

Good thread, I hope no-one minds me joining in?

Highs have been getting my "old" mare to Novice eventing, and starting to crack our dressage, getting under 40!!

Also raising some money to buy a 4year old to hopefully make some money on next year!

Lows are realising we are never going to be hugely competitive at eventing whilst our dressage is not so good!

Hopes for next year are to do a 1* well and to do a couple of events on my then 5 year old to sell!

 

[hattie_horse]

highs- going up to novice with my mare, and getting 2nd at Aske and 8th at Witton.
coming top of my year at school with top marks in my standard grades
going to Canada to represent GB for mounted games

lows- finished games for good

now have to do highers at school.

aims- to do a 1* and an Intermediate next year

 

[trefilan]

Horsey high
Having a double clear at my first novice at Gatcombe

Non-horsey high
Passing my driving test

Horsey low
My season ending in march becasue of injury, may be the end of his competition career

Non-horsey low
Getting pretty rubbish results in exams

 

[brushingboots]

all of you have had such mixed fortunes this year
and also i would like to join in with the person above me
some of you have had amazing results! hope i can do as well as that

 

[kerilli]

highs - getting both my 4 yr olds going nicely at home.
having a blast round Gt W nov track, which Katy made feel as if it was 1' high!
finding a lsuper lovely home for my big boy Moosie as a hack/dressage boy.
low - Katy not getting in foal in spite of it costing £££s and in spite of all the wonderful work Sally at Groomsbridge, and the vet, did.
ultimate low - getting chucked off naughty 4 yr old a month ago and dislocating my knee, then dislocating it again when i hobbled to catch her. niiiiice.

hope everyone has a much better 2010 than 2009 has been!

 

[ecrozier]

Good post!
Horsey Highs: Getting round our first intro BE at Munstead with just one silly XC stop, and then absolute total high was clear at Tweseldown Unaffil which he made feel really easy over by far the toughest XC we've ever tackled....apparently the commentator said as we jumped through the offset double of skinny rolltops 'and perfectly ridden and jumped through the combination at fence 5 there, so nice to see a little arab out eventing and going so nicely' - I don't think I stopped grinning for a month after OH told me they had said that!!
Also makinmg decision to buy another horse for OH and me to share, and getting the Roo pony who I like to think was a bit of a chance find and a really lucky buy! And backing him ourselves....many highs along the way too insignificant to list to outside observer...but anyone who has backed one will understand (nearly cried the first time he trotted right round the school with a rider on board!)

Lows: Breaking my leg badly SJ at the RC Area Qualifiers, 3 weeks after jumping clear over exactly the same fences at same venue. Dog having lameness issues and ending uphaving his cruciate operated on. Roo getting kicked in the autumn and two weeks of worrying that he had done something really bad

Aims: Continue to work on our dressage with J, qualify for and go to Petplan AReas hopefully at Prelim and Novice, maybe win a BD test sometime!! As soon as allowed to jump wen pins out of leg get back to BE and do half a season, get a DC when its on record!! Get youngster out to his first walk/trot test in April and then ultimate ultimate aim and all fingers crossed take both of them to MK 3 Day in September, Roo will be a 4 year old so would do the 2' - 2'3 class (be totally thrilled just to get through the 3 days!) and I'd like to do the 2'6 - 2'9 with J and be competitive - came 4th in 2008 so maybe to get placed again!

 

[Baydale]

Highs:

Horsey:
- staying on Jupiter at BYEH final

- having a blast on HH at Hartpury 1 star

Non-horsey:
- learning the meaning of patience

- making some great new friends

Lows: how long have you got?

Horsey:
- having William, my Horse of a Lifetime, pts
- having my worst season ever (melodramatic, moi?

)

Non-horsey:
- fracturing my pelvis
- fracturing my arm

Resolutions:
I never make any of the "stop eating chocolate" type, but I'd just like to be the best I possibly can in 2010, personally and competitively. Sorry if that sounds cheesey.