2018 Goals

[atropa]

Thought it would be a good idea to have a thread about everyone's 2018 goals with their horses, be they big, small or something in between! I know personally it always helps my motivation reading about what other people are up to and how they're training, despite the fact that I'm a nervous nelly with a confidence that keeps deserting me.

Mare #1 has had another hard year after going lame in 2016, she was diagnosed this March with navicular and we have spent this year getting her almost sound with remedial shoeing. It has been a really tough couple of years for us as we both love to jump and obviously now I've had to readjust our goals (she was bought hoping to event). Our goals in 2018 are:

- to hopefully start down the path of barefoot rehab
- to compete in our first Trec competition
- to complete a Starter Endurance ride
- to pop round a small height showcross course at a local venue on their carpet fibre track

Mare #2, my big green mare, has been upgraded to my main riding horse this year after almost being sold in May. We've been bobbling along this year regaining both our confidences and getting her out and about experiencing different things. 2018 goals are:

- to achieve at least 70% in Intro dressage tests
- to jump clear round an 80cm SJ course
- to complete an arena event, derby or showcross type competition
- to trot on the beach (I know this one sounds ridiculous but we went to the beach during the summer and she was very keen which knocked my fragile confidence a bit, meaning we just walked)
- to ride round a XC course as neither of us have any experience of this.

I'm hoping that as I'm aiming reasonably low with all my goals, that they will be achievable and give me the boost my confidence needs, as at the start of 2017 I was absolutely miserable with horses and trying to sell both of them. Here's to a better 2018!

 

[j1ffy]

LeannePip did a 'goals' post a couple of weeks back, it's not got quite such an obvious title though! http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?756913-2017-Round-up-and-onto-the-next!

Your goals sound exciting, best of luck for 2018! One of mine had navicular back in 2011 and I sent him to Rockley, best thing I ever did and he's not had a lame day since. Due to me heading to Asia, he went to a friend's riding holiday place on working livery from 2012 until January last year (2016), but since being back we've done affiliated dressage to Elementary, an 80cm ODE (we're unlikely to do bigger, but only due to his scope and my nerves and nothing to do with his hooves!) and a long distance ride along the Ridgeway. Best of luck with your barefoot rehab, there are plenty of Rockley rehabs who have gone onto eventing at a decent level so don't give up hope!

 

[FDLady]

Your goals sound brilliant and clear to work towards! All the best of luck
2017 has been brilliant year for me and the big ginger after a very upsetting start! After 6 months lameness and uncertainty as to whether she'd ever be rideable, we started back on finishing off her re-backing and around June got her out and about to her first show where she's continuously placed in the top three no matter the discipline since. This mare has such a character that has tested me more than any other i have had the experience to work with so its been so rewarding to see her now at the top of her physical/mental peak! I really hope we can continue on working our way up but i dont want to put too much pressure on her so our steady 2018 goals are:
- Complete her first medium dressage test together
- Qualify for shows such as Royal London/ Equifest again but this time under saddle as opposed to inhand.
- Have side saddle lessons together
- Have a hunting style photo shoot together to celebrate her and our bond/journey so far! (If you havent guessed she's an Irish lady!)
- Spend our first night away from home at competition as opposed to travelling back and fourth! For some reason it always feels more special.
- ... but mostly to get through the year sound and celebrate by going back to the beach in sept/oct for a good blast along the front.

Have a good 2018 everyone!

 

[milliepops]

yes I answered on LP's thread. Good luck with your list OP, sounds like you're going to be busy!

I've learnt not to make concrete plans but in short, project welshie is aimed at PSG in 2018 and new sales project will hopefully get out and about at Novice before the year's out. Might do some jumpies if she likes that too

 

[LeannePip]

Before the year is out MP! :O She's going Novice before Sunday

This year i need to pick my self up from the lows of our XC slump and kick some a** again. We already have one RF for next autumn for Badders 2019 so that would be good to make the most of that. If we could finish at Aldon BE100 3DE its would be a dream come true.

Training wise I want to learn/ teach Ruby to Halfpass. We'll hopefully make our Ele debut in Jan, If we could wobble round a Medium at the end of the year that would just be Mega!

I had said I was going to jump a newcomers by April but i've put that on the back burner for now, Its really hard trying to keep all three disciplines making big progress so i've picked my favorite two for now - the showjumping is going the right way enough for 90/100 that we can just keep that ticking along

 

[Jinx94]

Backed pony this year, my main plan for next year is for us to have regular lessons to keep us on track!

Fingers crossed I can manage finances so that I can have a few schoolmaster lessons too

Provided all goes well, we'll do a couple of intro tests and a fun ride or two. Might do a 65cm Eventer Challenge next winter, but I think we're more likely to do that early 2019!

 

[Ahrena]

Last year’s Grand plans went to pot after a nasty fall which wrecked my jumping confidence.

I still like goals though
- compete medium (advanced medium if my dressage instructor has anything to say about it)
- qualify for grassroots finals (if we have to still be at grassroots levels thanks to said fall my WILL go to badminton)
- get confident at be100
- jump a couple of newcomers

 

[Hannahgb]

I've learnt not to set too many plans. As long as I have two happy horses at the end of the year I'm happy.

However, I would love to get the young one to Hickstead for a coupld of jumping classes this year.
If F stays sound, we are hoping mum will take him out to a few Intro classes through the year, I would love to get him to a few more Ele classes but will not push him so will see on that one.

 

[scats]

After the last two years, I'd quite like a disaster free year with everyone alive at the end of it!

But I'd love to get the Diva back out doing some Intros and begin Ps dressage career, hopefully have her doing some prelims.

 

[nikkimariet]

Had a good year with both the boys...

Fig feeling established at Inter 1 and Nova is a fully fledged human carrying vessel!

Fig will do Inter 1 AF's and hopefully bobble round an Inter 2 at some point pending the 1's, we have the Winter Regionals at AM music first though... Nova will do a couple of Prelims, maybe a couple of 4yo outings as I've never done the age classes before and I would like to think he will be more than capable of a Novice later on in the year

 

[McFluff]

It's really inspiring reading everyone's goals - wishing you all successful goal hunting.

I've just had a year of lots of firsts - first dressage competition, joining BD, first affiliated tests and first BD points. All at prelim, but this competing malarkey is new to both of us.

My goals are to qualify for petplan AF (prelim) and to compete at novice this year. My stretch goal is to be able to do an online test at elementary by the end of 2018...but that is a long shot. As long as we both stay sound and happy I'll be pleased

 

[oldie48]

I've put my competing plans on the back burner as I'm not sure I'll ever feel confident to cope with Mr B in the warm up but I am determined to do some Dressage Anywhere, probably start with elementary but aim to be doing medium at some point in 2018. It's not the test that's the problem, I just struggle to sit to his trot especially if he gets a bit tense. Also want to be doing 3 and 4 time changes by the end of the year, he does single changes very easily but starts to get quite strong so I'm also going to get him into a double bridle to see if he stays a bit more rideable, that will be a real challenge for me!

Good luck to everyone in 2018!

 

[Reacher]

I was intending to reply to the original 2018 thread but kept forgetting.....
Having done a few 65-75cm arena eventing comps in nov / Dec I am hoping to do some BE80s in 2018 .

When the horse I was riding a few years ago ( babysat me around some Be90s over a couple of seasons ) retired I was hoping to find a new horse and continue where we left off. Sadly things didn't go to plan and I ended up not competing (and hardly riding) for several years and I eventually bought Mr horse as a confidence giver in 2016. If things go well it would be great to be able to do Be90s, before I get too creaky. I don't know if he will have enough scope (well I expect he could for a better rider). But now what is most important is I have a happy horse who is sound, great fun, safe and loves his job and I want things to stay like that.

 

[Reacher]

Oldie, I take my hat off to you! Another aim of mine is to be able to do single changes as part of a jumping round, we have started doing it but it’s a bit hit and miss, need to work on that

I've put my competing plans on the back burner as I'm not sure I'll ever feel confident to cope with Mr B in the warm up but I am determined to do some Dressage Anywhere, probably start with elementary but aim to be dgboing medium at some point in 2018. It's not the test that's the problem, I just struggle to sit to his trot especially if he gets a bit tense. Also want to be doing 3 and 4 time changes by the end of the year, he does single changes very easily but starts to get quite strong so I'm also going to get him into a double bridle to see if he stays a bit more rideable, that will be a real challenge for me!

Good luck to everyone in 2018!

 

[JFTDWS]

With Fergus, I intend to give him a "fun" year - the odd TREC or low level endurance ride over the summer, and anything which takes my fancy. He's had years of "pressure", pushing him (albeit mostly not always competitively) so he deserves a bit of fun. Daemon, hopefully will get his feet sorted out and he can go back to playing around hacking, maybe the odd bit of jumping if I'm lucky. Plus will probably try and get him broken to drive over summer too. The new mare, I just want her to play polocrosse safely and sensibly - I'd be delighted with some uneventful training sessions, local training tournament without incident and - ideally - maybe camp and a competitive tournament in the summer.

 

[Asha]

We are going to have one final go at getting the ole girl in foal, shes had 2 babies ( both kept and competing now) , but didn't take last year. A final Asha baby would be amazing.

Ridden goals would be :

1. Asha baby 2 - starts her BE career ,very excited about that.
2. Asha baby 1 - first foxhunter class.
3. Me on my ID ( Archie baby) mare actually go out competing SJ/ Dressage
4. My daughter wants to do a BE80 & BSJA British Novice on her ID gelding ( This horse is a total legend)

Good luck everyone with your goals !

 

[ihatework]

I’m not 100% sure what my goals are tbh.
Just to enjoy training and riding my lovely horse.
I might BD him at some stage but to be honest get more enjoyment from the training. All being well he will go eventing with my friend. I’d imagine we will aim to start him 100 around May time and I’d be surprised if he didn’t finish the season at Novice with maybe a late 1*

 

[Snowfilly]

One for the school horses - I want to get round a 1m with a double clear as I've been promised a day's hunting if that happens.

And one for my horse, which I'm going to guess isn't a common one - get the clydesdale to a decorated harness class. We've had the harness since spring 2017, and there's four shows locally with that class, all of which we entered. The county show, our transport couldn't get to us because of floods. The big one day show, my partner's mum died suddenly the mornign before. The local heavy horse show, work sent me up the other end of the country despite begging and protests. The last chance was ruined when George need surgery for a sarcoid and took ages to recover. So 2018, come hell or high water, that harness is getting to the show ring.