2017 Round up - and onto the next!

[LeannePip]

Prompted by Oldie's thread about realistic aims for 2018 i had a look back at last years 'reflect and aim' thread. I know the year isn't over yet but it is now December so . . .

Last years thread:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...ar-and-Aims-for-the-next!&highlight=2017+aims

Last year i said:
For 2017 i'd obviously most importantly like to keep her happy and healthy but my aim is to make the step up to UA90 and hopefully get a couple of BE runs under our belt, although the dream would be to get a UA100 run under our belts. I'd like to take her to a stay away show; either the Keysoe UA 3DE at the end of May or to a Showjumping away show. And hopefully make a start with some Ele tests.

We did manage to stay happy and healthy which is the most important thing.

We had a good step up to 90 with 9 runs, 1 BE win, and 4 top 6 placings and 2 big fat E's so a mixed season but we have learnt SO much! Our lowest (highest?) DR was 32.8 and our best was a 24 with so much more to come, it is very exciting. And we finished 7th in the first AT classic series with Tweseldown and Aston and had an absolute blast at the ball

(These next two are actually the same day! :O)

We did start our first UA100, typically it coincided with the arrival of Storm Brian and a huge confidence crash so we only got as far as fence 2, so that one is parked for now!

We went to our first proper stay away (sort of) at Blenheim with the riding club, which was absolutely awesome - hope to get the chance to again again in 2018!

And we've made good progress with some Ele test elements. We have our first one in a couple of weeks!


Most of all, we have enjoyed every second - everyday I am appreciative of my lovely horse and her generosity in helping me achieve my dreams


2018

- I'd like to get round a 90 again, and maybe un park the step up to 100. :O
- Learn to Halfpass! Aside from changes, this is my most favorite thing to watch. I'm a complete dressage new'b and have only competed properly to Novice (unless you could my instructors schoolmaster dragging me round an Ele about 5 years ago!).
- Put together a DTM.
- Get to the Blenheim EC again.
- Have fun!!
- I love following everyone's blogs/ diaries so maybe i'll be brave enough to start one of our own . . .

 

[{97702}]

LeannePip those are some fantastic pictures, I am seriously impressed Sounds like a really successful 2017, I am sure you will achieve your 2018 aims

 

[LeannePip]

LeannePip those are some fantastic pictures, I am seriously impressed Sounds like a really successful 2017, I am sure you will achieve your 2018 aims

Thanks Lev i finished quite down this year, but taking stock of the progress we have made has set me right again!

Please add yours! Its a fun thing to look back on after a year!

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Oooo can I play?! Looking back on the year always seems to help to put things in perspective, and also I can't resist a chance to post photos LP, your horse is absolutely gorgeous, what fab photos! Sounds like you made a lot of progress, now onwards and upwards into 2018

At the start of 2017 I’d only had Henry about 4 months, so we were very much still getting to know each other. He was still incredibly green, having done nothing (couldn’t even canter a lap of the arena without breaking/disuniting) when I got him, and he had absolutely no competition experience. 2016 had been an awful year for me after losing Rosie, I’d completely lost all my confidence and was still very much not over the accident itself and not over her being gone. So safe to say the year started off with a very wobbly rider and a very wobbly horse! I didn’t really have any particular aims at the beginning of the year, just to get him out competing and see where we went from there. I think we managed to make quite a lot of progress! December was our first dressage competition, 2 intro classes. I think this was when we realised just how spooky and green he was. I could barely get him to trot he was so busy looking at things! January brought our first SJ round at the lofty heights of 50 and 60cm, we got round just about, very sticky, very slow and lots of poles but we got there. So that’s where we started!

A lot of other firsts together were had! Not the first time for me, but my first time on H and his first time ever. First solo hack, first time at the beach, first day hunting, first hedge jumped, first ODE… Our first ODE was only 60-70cm but walking the XC I honestly thought I was going to be sick with how petrified I was (it was my first time over a full XC course since R’s accident) but we managed to get round that too!

We made some pretty big steps forward through the rest of the year. We aren’t always getting the results to show it out and about, but I don’t mind because I feel the improvement every single time I take him somewhere, and he’s really feeling fantastic at home. We’ve stepped up to prelim dressage now, and we’re getting pretty decent results and a couple of nice frillies to prove it! He’s never scored less than 63% even when we have some spooking issues and we managed to qualify for PC dressage champs at Keysoe (although sadly couldn’t go). After a few smaller ODE runs, we finished the eventing season with one DC and one 20pen at 80cm, which might not sound much to most of you but 18 months ago I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to bring myself to go XC again and H had never been XC (or even really jumped!) before I got him. He’s also turning out to be a rather smart hunter, and I’ve had a few good days out on him this season, and I’m looking forward to more! His spooking is definitely still an issue, but it’s definitely getting better, and if we can get it under control we'll be golden

I’ve not had the chance to work with him or take him out as much as I would have liked, because I’m a full time student at uni which is 5 hours away. He has a sharer to keep him fit, but it’s not quite the same as actually working with him. I still have another 18months until I gradate (all going well!) but I’m in no rush with him.

2018 aims:
Try and get out more to get him used to new places and hopefully improve the spooking more
Try and get more consistent Prelim results and maybe step up to Novice at the end of the year
Keep going at 80cm ODEs
I’d really like to try and do the BE80 at Tweseldown next October, maybe Munstead in September depending how the season goes
Do some 80cm SJ and try a few 90s if all goes well
Improve my confidence and trust in him
Keep letting this goofy boy carve out his own special place in my heart!

Whether those are realistic aims or not we will have to see

First dressage test vs PC regionals where we came 2nd and qualified for champs

There’s monsters under there

Smile for the camera!

 

[Bernster]

Gorgeous horses! Fantastic progress too.

I missed my bus stop last night LP, reading this thread �� Interesting to read last years thread and see where people are now. I feel a bit sad as we kinda did more in 2016 than we did this year. I focussed on the be80 for the Wobbleberry Challenge and we did do lots of training and got more comp experience but I didn't complete it due to a late jumping confidence issue

I'm aiming for it next year instead but am more aware of how up and down training, and confidence, can be. I'm going to add another goal and make sure we continue doing fun rides and stuff which I really enjoy and not get too caught up in training for one thing.

 

[milliepops]

Love these threads, there are always bittersweet moments in them and this year is no different, but it's always good to reflect on the year just passed and have a little dream about the next...

Bittersweet again - Millie came back to work, excelled at her veteran showing even with a numpty pilot actually came back so good that we started having a play at dressage shows again, even made it to an area festival and then.... another accident in the field so she has been pensioned off now, finally - she was making mischief at the yard but is loving her new retirement paddock and getting up to no good there too (zoomy video in the weekend plans thread!)

I don't half miss this view though

Kira... well, Kira has rather overperformed against my plans last year!
She did her first unaff medium in January, and just carried on improving.
Did Ele winter and summer regionals, medium and advanced medium area festivals and second rounds, some music classes, 3 levels at native champs, welsh champs, you name it - she did it.
And to finish the year not only having made out tails debut but also getting qualified for PSG is just amazing. She is a right weirdo sometimes but she is also a desperately cute pony who tries hard to please, and brings me lots of fun times.

What a goof

Clever goof though

And then the surprise of the year, Salty.... who is now 4 weeks in and being alternately clever and monkey-like

So plans for 2018...
As ever, trying not to have too many because life throws curve balls at you now and then. But I don't think it would be outrageous now to think of PSG with Kira, I think we might also get the 2s sorted next year and just see where that takes us. I enjoyed the native champs this year and would plan to do that again if possible, I think it's great to be able to support the higher level classes so hopefully we'll be there in tails :cool3: She is qualified winter regionals at medium and we will aim to attend summers at whatever level we are qualified in

Salty... not a clue. I hope she will be able to do some little shows after christmas and then we will see how she develops I think she's a sweetie so would be nice if she will follow on up behind Kira

 

[Wheels]

2017 was a strange year, ups and downs but some very horrible downs so the less said the better.

The best "up" of course was the purchase of my new wee superstar M. 15hh Connemara, 4 yr old with the brain of an 8 year old (most of the time). He's fun, talented and an all round supercool dude!

This year we have been getting to know each other, groundwork, in hand, bit of schooling, hacking, some small jumps etc.

Next year we will carry on with doing a bit of everything and once the weather improves get out to a few shows.

I will also try out a few new instructors I think to decide on who suits us the best

 

[muddy_grey]

2016 ended with a bit of a confidence crash so 2017 was about enjoying her and learning to ride her. We mostly had a good year with my instructor competing her a couple of times and then me getting her back out and about. Was feeling really positive and that was that.
We are now 2 weeks post ddft surgery with a 50/50 prognosis ��. So 2018 is about walking, lots of walking and hopefully ending the year sound.

 

[{97702}]

It is really brilliant reading everyone's posts

2017 has been a bit stop and start for us - my broken ribs in April (I fell off in a jumping lesson!) resulted in revelations about Jensen's crookedness (I do wonder how stupid I can be not to pick this up, but there you are.....!!!), which has taken an awful lot of work to correct since then. We are not there yet, but we are a LOT further forward than before thanks to my two excellent trainers We did have some fun on and off, including a fab little ODE where these awesome pics were taken (please note, I have purchased these so they are legit!)

We have scored 60% plus in our last couple of dressage outings, so I am really really excited about 2018

Goals:

Consolidate at Prelim dressage, consistently achieving 65% and improving marks for his canter (currently 4's and 5's, wanting 7's)

Begin to practice Novice movements at home during latter half of the year, maybe competing at Novice (if things go according to plan) in late autumn

Maybe even think of doing some BD

Start with unaff 70cm ODEs, with the aim of moving to BE80s by the end of the season - aim to be placed in the top 10, but achieving top 15 results regularly

Good luck everyone with your aims

 

[LeannePip]

Love it! <3

This is my favorite post each year - I love reading everyones stories, thank you all for sharing!

MP, I'd love to see a 'Millie through the years', i think i've only followed since she was a dressage diva!

IKMV - Looks like you've made great progress! love the hedge pictures <3

Bernster - You've had a tough year, confidence can be so fragile, but you are doing al the right things, building your confidence up gradually, rather than rushing around and knocking it even more - keep going!

Good luck with your new boy Wheels! Sounds like you'll have great fun

MG - I hope your girl comes good for you and you can pick up with the things you had planned!

Lev - I feel like in just the last couple of months you've made a huge turn around, so great to see you enjoy the journey of training a not so easy horse i hope this continues for you into 2018

Well done every one!

 

[milliepops]

Consider it done, LP... will have a go tomorrow on laptop

 

[LeannePip]

Consider it done, LP... will have a go tomorrow on laptop

Yay

 

[Michen]

Great thread and Ruby looks so smashing LP-she's super.

My year was obviously not as expected losing my beloved Basil, I still miss him a horrendous amount and not quite sure when I'll "get over" loosing him.

And then Boggle who has caused me much stress and been for sale multiple times but he's managed to ensure he has to stay and I secretly love him a little. Still can't quite believe the difference in these pictures. i have zero expectations for next year but hoping to get his jockey out eventing him and maybe one day I'll leave the start box again but for now I'm happy to just be hacking.

 

[monte1]

LeannePip, what a great thread and lovely photos of you both it is so nice to read other's journeys and take heart when everything is not going to plan.
although your 2017 certainly seems to be ending well

MP love your journey with your Welshies and everyone else it is great to hear how everything has been going the highs and the lows !

Horses certainly are a great leveller aren't they !

Well, our year, where do i start- this could be long so apologies

Early part everything was going pretty great, Max going positively and we did lots of XC schooling at Tweseldown March, April time, in fact he was super and we were jumping some round of the novice and intermediate fences with no trouble at all.. cue us entering our first ODE of the year at 90cm @ Tweseldown

It all went a bit wrong that day, Dressage was OK, showjumping warmed up well, we went into the ring and he was just flat and behind my leg totally inattentive and looking at everything, well we got round but it wasn't pretty and with 12 faults. Onto XC and over fence one no problem then he just backed off everything, like he had lost confidence didn't want to go forward at all. so retired on course.

Highlights, I got picked by Sport England to be one part of the #thisgirlcan scheme they put together for ladies over 25 in South East. to encourage new blood into eventing. so four very low cost training days at Tweseldown over three months with three fab BE trainers XC flat and SJ . all of which really helped us to build back confidence and he felt good again.. or so I thought!

cue entering Eventers Challenge at Wheatlands for our riding club in October, well SJ wasn't bad till fence 6 which he took a dislike to and was already behind the leg and backed off everything after that- we got round but it was messy and time faults. then straight out to XC course and he just didn't want to play ball, totally stage struck, no concentration and wouldn't even approach half the fences - they were 80cm max, he could pretty much trot and step over them usually ..) so another retirement half way round.
so there we were in October, not quite knowing what to do to try and fix this,( just to add full workup nothing physical wrong and all tack etc usual checks done

So, my lovely trainer at our yard took us in hand, we have had a bit of boot camp for both him and me.
we have been working through everything getting him more reactive to a light aid and insisting that when i ask for forward he does go, in other words regaining his confidence in me which is what we think he had lost.. he is quite a sensitive soul and it seems that I probably put him wrong at a fence or sent mixed signals on the flat a few times, as my timing is not always great and he kind of lost confidence and switched off rather than trying to figure out what he should do. plus a bit of the going through the "Kevins" teenage years where is just says no!

so, lots of lessons for us and her also getting on him to help him to understand some lateral work and help me to show him what to do, it all seems to be starting to come together. we went to do two dressage tests a Prelim and Novice in November with the aim of him being forward and in front of the leg without me nagging him. Well, what a difference, they were both around 60ish% tests so not troubling the winners but the judges comments of , three good paces but little too forward and onward bound especially in canter I was actually over the moon with, after struggling so much with him being backwards. ( so on paper not great but huge step forward for us)

Then off XC Schooling two weeks ago to Three Maids and a nice local low key place, went with two other horses and the aim was again getting him forward, confident and positive and to ride away from the others without a drama. started OK , he got a bit sticky and the first line down the main field away from everyone he threw everything at me, sideways, wobbling everywhere, but I rode very positively, we got down the line of jumps then, was told by trainer to proper gallop onwards right back up field to really get him thinking forwards.

He was much better, we did plenty that day in and out of the water over all sorts , ditches sunken road combination and ended the day with leaving the others and tackling about a dozen fences travelling almost two fields away with him taking everything in his stride and locking onto the jumps.

so very long 2017 update, which I have been meaning to write but just didn't know where to start!

Aims for 2018.
to continue to consolidate our flat training, do some novice dressage and do it well
-to get out SJ and XC training winter and spring and tackle another ODE even if it is an 80cm, just to get him going confidently and happily forward. so we shall see - will try and post a few photos if it will work !
popping water at Three Maids

https://www.facebook.com/julia.hoskins.549/videos/vb.684097728/10156856993032729/?type=3

Video at Three Maids Sunken Road combination

https://scontent-amt2-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=e806d8e1c1f898282be6d5b664bd7aad&oe=5AC611AF

Tweseldown back in March/April time
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...ype=3&source=11&referrer_profile_id=684097728

Flatwork in progress still, but getting there slowly

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156634638942729&set=a.497398757728.296213.684097728&type=3

 

[Bernster]

Really interesting Monte, glad you're feeling more positive now.

So much of what you wrote sounded familiar (although not quite at the same level as you) as our jumping had a similar blip in confidence I think largely due to me not riding him right and we both lost confidence in each other. Have also been doing flatwork bootcamp and we've come on tremendously, and ins is helping us both with our jumping. That isn't quite where I want it to be yet as I need to do more, but I feel we are on the right track. Let's hope we both crack it in 2018!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Next should have involved Skylla doing the badminton young horse classes but they're not running, so think we'll make our BD debut instead.

Topaz will hopefully start Adv Med and beyond.

Doodle will hopefully stay sound, happy and a bit podgy in her semi retirement!


^ My previous post for aims for this year!

Skylla made her BD debut as planned, scores have been up to 67% at prelim, but really decided to focus on training and going out doing fun stuff .

She also started jumping

[video=youtube_share;-5rRVHWBCyc]https://youtu.be/-5rRVHWBCyc[/video]


Topaz started the year needing a fair bit of time off with a bad back and a bad vet! However she went to the AF finals at Hartpury at Medium and made her Adv Med debut, made it to AF's and then the semi-finals.

She has found changes the most exciting thing ever :lol:

Doodle has continued the life of riley being retired and pampered

Next year, well...

Skylla, will go and do some more jumping and fun rides. Dressage I think she will be novice ready, maybe elementary as she feels super grown up all of a sudden!

Topaz, top hat and tails is the goal. :lol: Said it so it must be true .

Doodle, continue to be happy, podgy and retired .

 

[rosiesowner]

I've loved reading everybody's responses to this thread. Some lovely words and pics-here's my attempt to join in. Warning: It could get long as there have been a lot of ups and downs!

We finished 2016 on an exceptionally bad note. She had a really crazy few weeks at the end of December (feed related) and she had pretty much just gone loopy in every imaginable way every time I rode her. In October we had attempted our first BE together and the whole day was a disaster. Tense, spooky dressage nearly leaving the boards and decked in the SJ. And so I went into 2017 with so many ambitions and a lot of unrealistic pressures on my shoulders.

This is what we looked like at the end of 2016.

The new year came and we carried on attempting some jumping.

It all came to a bit of a head in February when we headed out to an arena hire to boost my confidence. The total opposite happened and she decked me thrice at the same fence!
[video=youtube;OOmrSOsGVr0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOmrSOsGVr0[/video]
I remember taking her for a hack a little while afterwards and just crying the whole way round and talking to her like a mad woman; evaluating what we were doing and if we were even enjoying it any more. I was getting no joy from riding, all that was happening was that I was getting frustrated at our lack of progress and this was translating to her. She looked weak and under muscled and I struggled to get her working properly.

After lots of tears and stress I decided to knock the jumping on the head. Neither of us was enjoying it any more. So flatwork became our main pass time. We entered our first dressage competition together. Now, please be nice. This video makes me want to vanish off the face of the Earth and go ahhhhhhhhhhgggggghhhhhhhhhh.
[video=youtube;llr_R98amlQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llr_R98amlQ&t=233s[/video]

We went out elsewhere. Two Nov tests. The first was spooky and distracted (saw the dressed cross country fences in the distance!!) and we retired from the second as she exploded and totally lost her mind at a walk to canter transition. You can see the tension in this photo.

Kept on in this style for a couple of months. Then had a lesson that turned everything around. I had to MOVE HER FORWARDS and not be fearful and kill her natural rhythm. I was so used to her taking the bit between her teeth and GOING that I was killing her forwardness totally. We started looking a little more like this:

Started to look a little less scrawny in Apr... Though my position was still dire and I had no core strength:

A new saddle and some more lessons with the same person and things were looking a little better, if not in need of more consistency in the contact, more strength etc...
[video=youtube;21ec9f0aT6o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ec9f0aT6o[/video]

As time went on things started to really improve. We had a 74.76% score at Novice which I was over the moon with. And really since then we've just been chugging on, doing our best to improve. We had another 74%+ score at Novice and she just keeps getting better and filling out a little more all the time. I don't think she looks half bad for a 16yo TB who has had a very busy life Here are some comparison pics...

From that first DR comp in Feb to our last one in Oct:

From April to September (and she's been looking even better since then):

And one from a couple of days after she arrived with me, fresh from her hollibobs in the field:

To a few days ago, nice and tubby and muscling up well:

I think the main thing I have learned this year from Chilli is that it is okay when things don't go to plan. Sometimes, when a door shuts itself, it's because a much better one is about to open. I've become addicted to dressage. So addicted, in fact, that I really don't care about jumping at the moment. I don't regret any of the journey we've had this year. I've left out a LOT of stuff including some personal things that made me really struggle this year. But I'm doing a lot better now on the right meds and with a quirky grey Thoroughbred by my side. Couldn't love her more if I tried really damn hard!!

So. Goals for next year?

• Start out affiliating at Novice
• Then make the move to elementary within a few months
• Keep up with my positive mindset stuff
• Once we've got our own transport (Not long now !!!) get out to plenty of clinics and lessons
• Get to Petplan areas at Novice (Elem would be the ultimate goal!)

I believe we can do all of this.

Good luck for 2018, everyone!

 

[Bernster]

That's a heck of a journey RO. Sorry it's been a mixed year but great that you're feeling more positive. I haven't watched the vids yet but I. Pretty sure you are being way too hard on yourself. I know I do this, as I hate watching my vids - I wish we would be as kind on ourselves as we generally are to others on here!!

Chilli does look a lot better now. Good luck for another successful 2018 for you!

 

[rosiesowner]

That's a heck of a journey RO. Sorry it's been a mixed year but great that you're feeling more positive. I haven't watched the vids yet but I. Pretty sure you are being way too hard on yourself. I know I do this, as I hate watching my vids - I wish we would be as kind on ourselves as we generally are to others on here!!

Chilli does look a lot better now. Good luck for another successful 2018 for you!

Thanks bernster... It has been a really tough year and I'm glad to be getting out the other side of it. It's been a year of lots of 'almosts' and I hope 2018 can bring us some 'finallys'...

I could never be hard enough on myself for that video of the prelim 2!!!! Trust and believe-it's not just me being negative it is genuinely true!!!! She is looking a lot better and I have that to be proud of.

I hope your 2018 is fabulous, too

 

[monte1]

Really interesting Monte, glad you're feeling more positive now.

So much of what you wrote sounded familiar (although not quite at the same level as you) as our jumping had a similar blip in confidence I think largely due to me not riding him right and we both lost confidence in each other. Have also been doing flatwork bootcamp and we've come on tremendously, and ins is helping us both with our jumping. That isn't quite where I want it to be yet as I need to do more, but I feel we are on the right track. Let's hope we both crack it in 2018!

Thanks, Bernster, yes it has certainly been an interesting year but i have learned a lot and hopefully we are starting to work as a team. whoever said riding was easy..LOL
good luck for 2018 . look forward to hearing updates

 

[Arniebear]

oooo one i can join in with!! heres my last years aims...

No achievements for us this year either
January i had 2 horses in work and by march i had 2 horses out of work. One ended up being turned away for a year.... he's due home in march so can the next few months please hurry up! and the other had 3 months out, then back in work to find out he had a fractured tooth so surgery for that, back in work and then a nasty kick out hacking meant another month out.... i lost the will to live by then! we are finally back in full work and i guess trying to aim at improving but i also jacked my job in this summer after 4 years so although i do have a job atm it is a very large pay cut from what i was on, meaning i now have minimal spare cash for pony playing

aims for next year.....

1) no more vet bills
2) bring my big man home, hopefully sound and get back on board for 9 months of rehab work.... things never seem to go to plan so we shall see with this one
3) get a new job
4) 2 sound ponies for a year, hell even half a year would be nice
5) just actually be able to ride both my horses and enjoy it again instead of playing nurse

i guess i still cant give up with the main dream though so to make my year a good one id like to get out to some BE's again, move the youngster up to novice dressage and 90/1m jumping. And dare i say it..... an outing or 2 with my big man i dont care if thats a trip to the forest/beach or a dressage competition i just want him home and sound and back in some form of work

WHAT WE ACTUALLY ACHEIVED!

stepped up to 90 BE with the youngster, Novice dressage and completely a full season BE with some top 10 placings along the way
I did finally get a new job! to help fund the pony playing!
The big horse did come home, sadly didnt go to plan with him though, he ended up requiring emergency surgery to remove a cyst in his throat, we did get back on but sadly he's lame again. Not to end it all doom and gloom though, we do possibly have a direction to go in re the lameness thanks to an amazing vet/physio so fingers crossed 2018 is better!

AIMS FOR 2018!

Gain more experience and confidence with the youngster at BE, try and chase those RF qualifications for badders and maybe try an unaff 100, get more competitive with the dressage and aim for 1m05/1m10 SJ. Would love to have a play team chasing too
Try again to see if the big man can handle any ridden work

Sadly the start of 2018 is not going to go to plan, all winter plans are out the window, im due surgery on the 21st dec so all plans are off and we wont make the start of the event season BUT we will get out there hopefully by may/june time im trying to get a contingency plan in place so pony doesnt loose too much fitness whilst im bust! Ohh the joys of horses, i finally have the horse sound enough to play and now im broken!!

well done to all those that achieved their aims, ive had a cracking year so here's hoping to many more!

 

[j1ffy]

I love these threads! Some great stories and transformations (wow at Chilli, she looks so much better now!), and sorry to those of you who've had challenges. I'm sure 2018 will bring new opportunities for all of us!

I just checked back and these were my 2017 goals:

"Plans for next year are to solidify Indio's novice scores (we're currently changing his way of going) and hopefully get to Elementary. I'll continue to play around and have fun with Pocholo, and maybe have a go at some unaffiliated eventing"

Well Indio and I didn't quite manage that as he went intermittently lame on his near-fore. A vet work-up found multiple bone chips in both front fetlocks and some bony changes, so he had a double arthroscopy at the end of March followed by three months box rest. We did manage to qualify for the GBPRE champs at Novice before he went lame, so I got him out a couple of times in October then headed to the champs in early November. He managed a respectable 65% and 7th place, and seemed very happy to be out!

We are targeting his first Elementary in a couple of weeks, just E40 to have a first go at the level. Next I do want to get to high-60s at Novice with him as I'm sure it's possible, then solidify our Ele experience and possibly move up to Medium later next year if he stays sound.

So with Indio off-games, Pocholo became my number one man and boy did he step up! We'd done a handful of Prelim tests in 2017 but with focus now fully on him, we qualified for Areas at Prelim, placing third at Wellington to qualify for the Area Festival Final. As we still had a few months of Areas left I decided to move him up to Novice (despite him having no medium trot at all. Zilch. Nada. He just lifts his knees up!) and we made it to Sparsholt for a Novice Bronze Areas class of 30+ competitors. Amazingly we qualified in 9th place so off we headed to Bicton for the Festival Final. We didn't trouble the qualifiers but we managed a respectable 5th place in the Prelim! Pocholo demonstrated how marmite he is with judges though, with a 9% difference in the Prelim and 8% in the Novice.

I also managed to get him out to some Elementaries (he really did pick up Indio's mantel, including our 2017 aims!!) and we squeezed in qualification for the GBPRE champs. He absolutely excelled himself in E59 with fourth place and some extravagant simple changes!

We also achieved 'his' aims for the year, with a 70cm ODE where we came second (clever boy!) and the 80cm at West Wilts, where the xc looked huge! We had a blip in the SJ but clear jumping in the xc. Pocholo loved it, tossing his mane and neighing at the start and end of the xc. He does like an audience!

So easy he could do it with his eyes closed:

We also hacked the full bridleway section of the Ridgeway for Willberry and did a few fun rides:

So 2018 plans for Pocholo are Area Festivals at Elementary and maybe some FSM, and a step up to Medium plus some fun stuff. So I may have two Medium horses this time next year, which is a scary thought for someone who had only done Prelim BD 18 months ago!

 

[j1ffy]

Oh and how could I forget - I also found my next dressage horse / cuddle-monster! Meet Indio's nephew, Enchilado Ancla II or Chilli (another one - oops! I don't think we'll confuse them on the forum though rosiesowner):

 

[j1ffy]

Oh and how could I forget - I also found my next dressage horse / cuddle-monster! Meet Indio's nephew, Enchilado Ancla II or Chilli (another one - oops! I don't think we'll confuse them on the forum though rosiesowner):

Wanted to ETA: https://www.facebook.com/annette.scottc/videos/10155829097759043/

 

[rosiesowner]

I love these threads! Some great stories and transformations (wow at Chilli, she looks so much better now!), and sorry to those of you who've had challenges. I'm sure 2018 will bring new opportunities for all of us!

Thank you, that means so much to me. It's always lovely when someone else notices the change too. And oh my goodness, I'm a sucker for a grey I'll admit but what a beautiful horse

Meet Indio's nephew, Enchilado Ancla II or Chilli (another one - oops! I don't think we'll confuse them on the forum though rosiesowner):

Hey Chilli! *waves*
I'm sure you will be much better behaved than my Chilli, who is growing old disgracefully.

You have a great name to live up to, but I know you'll manage it and more!

He is gorgeous...

 

[Ambers Echo]

I love this thread... Well I wasn't on the forum last year so I don't have written plans. But I want to set some for 2018 and review 2017 anyway. Hope that is ok!!

2017 started very badly. I was miss-sold a 3yo potential event horse at the end of December and the dealer refused to refund but offered to swap. I had a case against the dealer as horse was clearly not fit for purpose and my vet wrote a report saying that very clearly. But I didn't have the stomach for the fight so I agreed to swap and dealer offered me Amber or..... well Amber. Although she was actually still just a foal number then. Even though she was already 6. She was thin, grumpy, scruffy, hard to catch and out of work. I took her on in a very dim frame of mind thinking of her as a sale project - bring her into work, sell her for whatever I could get then find my event horse! Shortly after coming to me she came down with strangles and my daughter's pony also developed it. Then my other daughter's pony. It was horrific as I felt I had been responsible fr the outbreak that affected a yard of 60 horses. I only found out much later than Amber was not the source of the infection at all - there was a symptom free carrier turned out with mine. My vet said the new horse always gets blamed when often it is the new horse being exposed to the carrier that is the problem - the established herd tends to have a degree immunity. Anyway Jan - April was a write off but as I got to know Amber and as I began to work with her I realised that she was fabulous. To name her I researched her sire and dam to discover she is very well bred. And has she has got healthier and fitter I have begun to see that she has great potential - a total XC machine, a great jump and lovely paces. So I found my event horse after all! She is green, green, green. She is quite hard to ride - very powerful, very keen. I am over-horsed really. Not in a safety sense as she is not spooky but in the sense that she could do so much more than I am willing to do. But I doubt she will mind taking the slow path instead of belonging to some gung ho event rider! It is my lifetime's ambition to affiliate BE and complete a BE90. And in our first 6 months together we went out and did a practice 90 cm ODE at the end of a training camp and she had no problems as far as jumping goes. So I went from 90cm XC feeling as far away as the moon to jumping round a 90 course in what felt like just a few weeks. She gives me so much confidence as she won't ever stop.
Dressage was another matter - we did not get any walk or canter in our test. We had trot, jog or bog off!!
So since camp she has been in dressage boot camp and she is slowly becoming more rideable. That bit feels like it is taking forever!!

Aims for 2018 are to affiliate BE and compete all season. So I need to stay sound and need to make sure she does not forget her manners once she gets back out eventing. My RI says every time we go XC I knock about 2 months training off her as she gets so excited!

Then there are the ponies:

Max ended last season jumping 70/80m SJ courses and 70cm unaff ODE courses. This year he had Jan - April off and was a ****** to bring back into work (I think he had assumed he was retired! At aged 6!!) So really we did not get going with him till about June/July. But he has had a good 2nd half of the year and has stepped up to 90//95 recently and did one 80cm ODE.

Next year I hope he can get out eventing fairly regularly at 80 cm.

Ginny is new. Aims for her: to be more healthy, to be be less grumpy and to do some unaffiliated eventing too at 70/80.

Pics are of Amber when she first came and then i the summer.

And of Max at his last event of the season - a 70cm ODE at Eland Lodge.

I can't work out how to post pics of Ginny. What I did before is not working anymore

 

[Ambers Echo]

Figured out the photo thing - album was full!

Here is the lovely Ginny.

 

[Firefly9410]

I spent the past year settling into a new yard experimenting with what works or not. Finally found a system that works for me and mine. Had a couple of horse injuries to deal with which spoiled things a bit so plans for next year are to have fun stay sound stay safe and not worry.

 

[Girlracer]

Well done Leanne, what a great year you have had.

2017 for me has left a little to be desired, I can't remember exactly what my aims were but I can tell you they weren't anything like what actually happened.

There have been monumental highs -

And then some serious lows -

Hard work and improvements -

Monumental moments -

(First ride in 4 months, just in time for Christmas)

New arrivals -

And team building!

In 2018 I would like to -

* Keep both horses happy and healthy!
* Continue Kings rehab (we are currently at 20 minutes ridden walking + lunging) to allow us to spend a summer 'proper' hacking and attending Riding Club clinics.
* Restart King over fences toward the end of 2018 - physically he is allowed to jump in 5 weeks time, but I want to give him the time and retraining he needs to remain in one piece for the rest of his days.
* I would like to get twiglet back under saddle (she was backed by me in October but has had a bit of time off now). And get her hacking over the rest of winter.
* I would Like Twiglet to do some dressage, funrides and start learning about jumping.
* I would like not to obtain any serious injuries.
* Continue enjoying my horses and maintain a happy and healthy team!

 

[Bernster]

Sorry to read that GR I hadn't realised King had health issues. Wishing you a successful rehab and all the best for both of them for 2018.