2020 round up and 2021 plans...?

[Caol Ila]

I think my last riding goal was in 2002 when I was trying to get my horse to Medium but ran out of talent/willpower. Never found either.

Then my next horsey goal was leaving a livery yard, which sounds straightforward, but isn't when you can't seem to find a yard that will suit your neurotic horse, not for love nor money. I spent years going through phases of yard hunting. But last Oct/Nov, I had my last straw with the old yard and jumped blindly. Not the cleverest way to do it and lots of drama ensued (you can find the thread for all the gory details). Despite a clusterf**ck, we ended up at a lovely yard, and she is more or less retired from dressage and lives the life of leisure hacking out. I've made good friends at the yard, the hacking is amazing, my horse doesn't fencewalk, and it's so nice to feel like I have a horsey community again after so many years of isolation.

Sadly, there are days where Gypsum is showing her age more. She went onto Prascend on Monday, which will hopefully help. Vet and my mother (a nurse practitioner) seem very positive. Up until age 26, she seemed impervious to aging, but it started to nip at her heels last year. I guess that was why we finally moved -- the underlying reason. The moment she showed some age-related problems, I knew I had to get the hell out of that yard. I always knew it would come to that. I had a terrible relationship with the YO, and when managing a senior horse, I think you need to be on good terms and feel comfortable communicating with yard staff/owners.

Next year, I just hope I can keep her going. Don't think she will happy as a retired horse, and given her penchant for fencewalking at yards she dislikes (most of them), I can't risk moving her to some 'retirement yard' she might hate.

 

[AUB]

Horsewise 2020 has been okay. We began the year rehabbing from a ligement injury that happened august 2019. Luckily my girl is back in her best shape ever and she even seems to have grown up mentally during her long period off and the rehab. We have now begun working on half-steps from the ground and will continue to improve our nemesis, the flying changes. Maybe we’ll even dress up for a show or two in 2021...

Also, she’s only lost a total of 6 shoes in 2020, which is amazing. In 2019 she lost one or more shoe/s between every single farrier visit. That took quite a toll on my bank account and meant that the riding had to be paused a bit all the time.

On a personal level, 2020 hasnt been that great. I got pregnant in january, but it had died in week 9 which I found out at the first trimester scan, so I had to have an abortion. I worked 7 days in my new job before corona hit and we got sent home and I have been working from home ever since. I got pregnant again in october, had a scan in the end of week 9 and it had died that very same day, so I had an abortion again yesterday. So the baby-making is not going too well.

I hope that 2021 will bring less lockdown, a new baby and lots of perfect flying changes! If the baby-thing happens, my mare will have a foal, which I’m almost as excited about as having another baby myself.

 

[oldie48]

Horsewise 2020 has been okay. We began the year rehabbing from a ligement injury that happened august 2019. Luckily my girl is back in her best shape ever and she even seems to have grown up mentally during her long period off and the rehab. We have now begun working on half-steps from the ground and will continue to improve our nemesis, the flying changes. Maybe we’ll even dress up for a show or two in 2021...

Also, she’s only lost a total of 6 shoes in 2020, which is amazing. In 2019 she lost one or more shoe/s between every single farrier visit. That took quite a toll on my bank account and meant that the riding had to be paused a bit all the time.

On a personal level, 2020 hasnt been that great. I got pregnant in january, but it had died in week 9 which I found out at the first trimester scan, so I had to have an abortion. I worked 7 days in my new job before corona hit and we got sent home and I have been working from home ever since. I got pregnant again in october, had a scan in the end of week 9 and it had died that very same day, so I had an abortion again yesterday. So the baby-making is not going too well.

I hope that 2021 will bring less lockdown, a new baby and lots of perfect flying changes! If the baby-thing happens, my mare will have a foal, which I’m almost as excited about as having another baby myself.

What a horrible year you have had! Here's to 2021 fulfilling your wishes, can't help with the baby but with the FCs it's all about the quality of the canter (or so I am told!) good luck.

 

[Alibear]

I've been one of the very lucky ones, my company has been affected by Covid but my area/teams work has expanded rapidly and we're doing well. Husband and sons have had various work challenges but were all OK at the moment. Daisy had an easy birth, cracking foal and scans showed her leg had healed up as good as new. I got the news this morning that she's dried up post weaning and the next step is to try brining her back into work in January. Fingers crossed
I have most definitely ridden Amber and she is now on livery near by and settled in wonderfully and we seem to be getting on well. The Breed show didn't happen but I view that as a good thing. This year I have discovered that if you take your time with things, you actually progress faster Must try and remember this and stick with it.
Main challenge going forward is to lose the weight I've gained as currently too heavy to ride Daisy, diet has already started

 

[Breagha]

Goals for this year will be:
Take Breagha to Royal Highland and Blair (again but me riding)
Get husbands horse out doing more things now his foot imbalance is completely sorted.
My daughter to join pony club with a borrowed pony until her pony is ready

 

[SEL]

Horsewise 2020 has been okay. We began the year rehabbing from a ligement injury that happened august 2019. Luckily my girl is back in her best shape ever and she even seems to have grown up mentally during her long period off and the rehab. We have now begun working on half-steps from the ground and will continue to improve our nemesis, the flying changes. Maybe we’ll even dress up for a show or two in 2021...

Also, she’s only lost a total of 6 shoes in 2020, which is amazing. In 2019 she lost one or more shoe/s between every single farrier visit. That took quite a toll on my bank account and meant that the riding had to be paused a bit all the time.

On a personal level, 2020 hasnt been that great. I got pregnant in january, but it had died in week 9 which I found out at the first trimester scan, so I had to have an abortion. I worked 7 days in my new job before corona hit and we got sent home and I have been working from home ever since. I got pregnant again in october, had a scan in the end of week 9 and it had died that very same day, so I had an abortion again yesterday. So the baby-making is not going too well.

I hope that 2021 will bring less lockdown, a new baby and lots of perfect flying changes! If the baby-thing happens, my mare will have a foal, which I’m almost as excited about as having another baby myself.

I was going to press 'like' but it just didn't seem to right button - we need a **hug** button instead. Fingers crossed 2021 goes your way xx

 

[Bernster]

I was going to press 'like' but it just didn't seem to right button - we need a **hug** button instead. Fingers crossed 2021 goes your way xx

yes I thought the same, that really is a rough old year for you AUB and I hope 2021 is much brighter !

 

[Sail_away]

It's been a long year hasn't it! Glad to hear some people have achieved their goals, you all deserve it.
January Paddy excels himself jumping round 70,80 and 90 at Felbridge. He was very fit then and I just sat and steered. Had a fab February doing some more SJ, finally felt like he knew his job. This is him in the 80 I think.

Then the beginning of the series of unfortunate and mostly unrelated events - the field injury in spring, a brief return to full work in early July but had equine asthma a couple weeks later. Nebuliser did its job and he was all recovered by September. Foiled his latest attempt to get off sick (death by acorns, with impressive determination), actually competed for a pole in the 90-1m, but then came the hock arthritis. Steroids and cartrophen worked for three weeks, then a noticeable performance drop. Nuclear scintigraphy just came up with the hocks again which brings us to now, waiting for an ultrasound of his suspensories. So poor paddy, bless him, has had a terrible year but I expect it is some consolation to him that he got to spend most of it off work eating his head off in a 30 acre field.
On the good side I got to take two other lovely horses out and about so I wasn't off games entirely, and Paddy did actually compete at 1m which has been a goal for a while. Buying a horse has been so far unsuccessful but that's no bad thing as I'd like to get Paddy sorted properly first.
Goals for 2021? I'll aim high and say BE100. If I say BE100 on Paddy he'll go and do something else awful to himself so I'll stay vague. Good luck to everyone for next year!
This is Paddy's acorn idiocy - he suffered no ill effects and was removed temporarily from the field.

 

[Spotherisk]

I’ve had a stinker of a horse year. Tinner was put down late winter aged 10, he was never coming back from ongoing chronic issues and the vet advised that he’d never even be able to walk around the block, so I took a swift and absolutely awful decision to let him go. I then loaned a young Highland mare who was just not the right horse or time for me - rode her once and sent her back.

Harley and Smurf remain happy in the field, and when I can get my weight down enough I will start having lessons again.

I window shop daily for the perfect elderly gelding who wants a quiet life hacking steadily around Dartmoor!

 

[AUB]

What a horrible year you have had! Here's to 2021 fulfilling your wishes, can't help with the baby but with the FCs it's all about the quality of the canter (or so I am told!) good luck.

I was going to press 'like' but it just didn't seem to right button - we need a **hug** button instead. Fingers crossed 2021 goes your way xx

yes I thought the same, that really is a rough old year for you AUB and I hope 2021 is much brighter !

Thank you guys! Yeah, it’s been a shitty year, but at least it can only get better from here, right?

 

[SEL]

I've kept the vets busy all year and I doubt all 3 broken ponies will be with me this time next year ?

I'm hoping the microcob continues to recover from her wind op (she gets the prize for the easiest box rest horse ever) & once she's back in work I'll be able to assess what she'll be up for doing.

I think 2020 is the first year for a very long time where I've got to Xmas feeling like I'm totally running on empty. I'd like to hope 2021 would be an improvement but I won't be rushing to make new year's resolutions!!

 

[milliepops]

I think 2020 is the first year for a very long time where I've got to Xmas feeling like I'm totally running on empty. I'd like to hope 2021 would be an improvement but I won't be rushing to make new year's resolutions!!

?... yeah. I think the only appropriate resolution might be "do what you gotta do to keep going"

 

[chaps89]

?... yeah. I think the only appropriate resolution might be "do what you gotta do to keep going"

I think I'll join this club too please if that's ok.
Kinda ready to try out 2022 tbh and just skip more of the same in 2021, things should be improved by then right?!

 

[Equi]

2020 round up in a few words is my horse is still alive lol 2019 was a bad year for him with lameness, lymphangitis, abcesses, lung issues etc. 2020 he was sound but lost a lot of weight (at the request of the vet and for his benefit...not a bad weightloss!!) We did our first ever scored dressage and did well

i have no aspirations for this year really. Im not aiming for anything and i am content with that, spud isn't up to much so him being a happy plod about in 3/4 retirement is just fine. He is still alive and thats all i can ask for. 2021 will consist of me keeping him alive and sound enough to do the plod abouts we do, or if needed retiring. saving up like mad for the eventual fact i will need a new ridden horse. But i won't be able to save the amount of money needed for the horse i need (ie the unicorn saint horse that is owned by someone willing to let me try 70 times and lwvtb for ages so i know i trust them hahahah) so 2022 is likely to be the same aspiration.

 

[Marigold4]

Well, it certainly has been quite a year! Backed my lovely 4 year old by myself and he has been perfectly behaved. Very proud. Rode lightly over the summer but osteopath thought he could do with turning away for the winter and some strengthening work inhand, so busy with that. Looking forward to getting back on board and a first dressage early summer. My beloved companion pony, given to me for free 15 years ago was PTS in August - combination of age, recurrent eye problems, multiple melanomas and sore feet meant she was miserable. Replacement is a young New Forest pony - looking forward to taking her out to youngstock classes next year. Retired mare happy pootling and hoping to put her in foal 2021 - if I don't chicken out! Project horse competed and sold on as planned. So a busy horse year, all in all.

Very grateful that I rent land next to my house. It must have so grim for those kept from seeing their horses during lockdown. Fingers crossed that never happens again. Working as a teacher of teenagers in crowded classrooms has been grim though.

 

[Marigold4]

Oops posted more pics than intended!

 

[Boulty]

Well I don't think ANYONE saw this year coming! To say I had a wrecking ball crash right through my plans is a bit of an understatement Just as I didn't foresee a global pandemic I also didn't realise my pony deciding that a tickle from the electric tape was worth it if he got to go adventuring in rested fields was going to escalate to the point we'd get asked to leave the yard we started the year on & that with lockdown looming & rather a lot of places not wanting a horse with a black mark against his name I'd end up sending him 90 minutes drive away in another County to make sure he'd be safe & looked after & that I then wouldn't see him for 6 weeks.

One small mental breakdown later & months of 12 hr shifts 7 on / 7 off as restrictions slowly eased & I was allowed more than a 60 minute timeslot I started doing little bits & bobs of groundwork & eventually braved taking him out for his first solo inhand walk after a few weeks of using my once weekly visit to stand at the end of the drive & watch the traffic (the road at the top of the drive was a fairly busy one). Also started getting him to stand nicely next to their massive mounting block in return for many treats.

After speaking to somewhere in the region of 100 yards & going to view about a quarter of them (including a visit lasting precisely 2 minutes when the owner of the place insisted they would only discuss things in person but despite me stating I needed year round t/o in my original message couldn't possibly tell me they kept them in 24/7 all winter until I'd driven all the way there & wasted both our time ) it turned out to be a cheeky letter I put through a local farm's letterbox on the suggestion of a friend that ultimately provided the most workable solution. (I've had to give up arena access but I guess it's worth it to have him within walking distance... I could see him from my bedroom window if there weren't a few houses in the way!)

He's settled into his new home better than I ever hoped he would (was a bit worried as the other horses are all considerably older than him & the other gelding is a bit of a wuss so he's not really got a playmate the same age) & he also appears to be coping with being in overnight better than I thought he might. He is however a lot fatter than I'd ideally like so it's slow feeder nets all the way & have also clipped some hair off & his Xmas present is an (allegedly) super duper muzzle that may spend most of Spring & Summer attached to his face...

Obviously all this upheaval meant backing him went completely out the window (& I also lost all the help & support I'd planned on having). Have continued getting him used to being stood at the mounting block & have had a few little bareback sits the past few weeks with assistance from my YO & hopefully we'll then build up to leading him around the yard with me on him & have done lots of leading him out & about occasionally following another horse but mostly on his own (Have even roped my mother into coming for a walk with us once a week with the plan being that she can be our moral support for a bit when I do start doing ridden hacks on him). Have had a few nappy / planting moments (usually over daft things like wanting to eat particular patches of grass or wanting to go & say Hi to horses in fields) & he's been very good with traffic & other strange things that we've met (men up ladders are still a bit suspicious though). TREC training has also been thwarted by lockdown not once but TWICE so that's been shelved until next Spring now when hopefully things should be a bit more up & running.

Hoping next year will finally be the year I actually get to ride him *waits for a national saddler & riding instructor strike*. Not making any plans beyond that & ,making a better job of keeping his weight under control as god knows what next year will bring!

 

[DirectorFury]

I’ve done sod all horse-wise this year due to work, finishing my phd, and starting another degree (I think I’m nuts). Work has been particularly bad as we’ve been doing rapid-response COVID work for SAGE. My PhD thesis is being submitted on 31st Dec though so I should enter 2021 free from that millstone!

Next year I’m hoping to ride more regularly, get all the excess blubber off M, start jumping again, and take her to an XC course. Maybe some hunting with bloodhounds next winter if I’m feeling brave! I’m also loosely considering another horse but am concerned about having the time for two of them (and also can’t find what I want), if I don’t buy another next year then M will be going in foal in 2022 instead.

 

[TPO]

I find that lowering all expectations is the key to happiness.

For 2020 I've reduced all goals to just "stay alive" and so far I have 100% success rate ?

My hopes (nothing as grand as aims or goals!) are to find some motivation and enjoy training again.

I need to buy a new house but once that's done I would like to sort horse transport after selling my wee lorry earlier this year.

Once I have transport I'd like to go to the training organised by RoR in my area with Neurotic TB and see how that goes.

I'd also like to do some training and western clinics with The Perfect One and get him better socialised.

But as with this year I'd be happy for us all just to survive it all in one piece #aimlow

 

[Boulty]

 

[Flame_]

Well, my aims for this year were to get my arab out to lots of farm rides and some pleasure rides, see how he behaved and gather some experience. We managed two outings to Somerford, one Kelsall and one pleasure ride. So a bit of a fail on the quantity but a total success on the quality as all were positive experiences and I was chuffed to bits with my horse, who used to be a total drama llama, for just operating like it was all a piece of piss.

Next year, pleasure rides, hopefully increasing distance and maybe a graded ride, but mainly for us to stay happy, healthy and having fun.

I could really do with sending my companion pony to bootcamp to get him properly rideable before he's too old but then I'd be without a companion pony... I go round in circles with this one, lol, and this time next year he'll probably still just be a companion pony, which will be OK.

 

[Suechoccy]

Having the horses to look after, spend time with and enjoy a cuddle and listen to them munching hay or grazing has been an absolute ticket to staying sane so far this year. There is just something beautifully relaxing and peaceful about standing and watching and being with them, and stroking their fur or brushing their manes.
"Doing stuff"-wise, it's been a very quiet year. I got my riding horse out to one unaffiliated dressage in mid-Feb and scored my first 70% mark and hubby came with me for first time (and I remember thinking what a special day to remember it was!) and just after that I was persuaded to join British Dressage to form a Team Quest team but we never got to compete because of u-no-wot so that was a waste of money.
Otherwise, it's just been local hacking. The trailer has only been out about 4 times (for local ParknRide venues for hacking).
Haven't clipped riding horse this winter either, if Cambourne or Shuttleworth rides do go ahead then I'll bib-clip him but otherwise I'll continue laying fairly low key for now and he can stay furry.

 

[TheSpottyCobby]

2020 started off absolutely pants with PSSM diagnosis. Got little pony back into work, then coronavirus and lockdown hits. Before PSSM and lockdown life, I was aiming for TOYS, Sunshine Tour showing and just generally getting out and about as much as possible. But alas! We’ve managed to take part in some riding club competitions at home which have been great, and managed to box out to one show, unfortunately ended up over doing it a little with the travelling and nearly ended up with a tie up after a great day out ?
Plans for next year are to do some more work with travelling, starting off more local if restrictions and lockdowns allow! Stay away shows will be off the agenda, but hopefully we’ll get to have some fun with some low level jumping and dressage as well. Plus keeping this little one happy and healthy ??

 

[SEL]

2020 started off absolutely pants with PSSM diagnosis. Got little pony back into work, then coronavirus and lockdown hits. Before PSSM and lockdown life, I was aiming for TOYS, Sunshine Tour showing and just generally getting out and about as much as possible. But alas! We’ve managed to take part in some riding club competitions at home which have been great, and managed to box out to one show, unfortunately ended up over doing it a little with the travelling and nearly ended up with a tie up after a great day out ?
Plans for next year are to do some more work with travelling, starting off more local if restrictions and lockdowns allow! Stay away shows will be off the agenda, but hopefully we’ll get to have some fun with some low level jumping and dressage as well. Plus keeping this little one happy and healthy ??

PSSM is an absolute b****** of a disease to manage. I cannot believe it has been my life for over 5 years now! You might not be where you wanted to be, but really getting out and doing some competitions whilst managing the PSSM is a huge achievement so give yourself a pat on the back.

 

[TheSpottyCobby]

PSSM is an absolute b****** of a disease to manage. I cannot believe it has been my life for over 5 years now! You might not be where you wanted to be, but really getting out and doing some competitions whilst managing the PSSM is a huge achievement so give yourself a pat on the back.

Thank you - travelling was definitely the biggest test for us this year. We ended up going to a show an hour away which in hindsight was too far for his first journey in 9 months (also his first time in my new box, stupid me). Got him there and he was a little trembly but put it down to excitement and he gave me two fantastic rides. Got very tired on the way home and had a very sweaty, shaky pony. Thankfully he bounced right back and I have some strategies to try next year, but definitely will be starting off more local ?

 

[J_sarahd]

My 2020 has been high peaks and very low troughs.

We started our competition career and realised just how good he is at show jumping. We did lots of training and schooling. Badger did a lot of his “firsts” this year - ditches, water, steps etc. We competed in our first unaff ODE. Jumped the highest we’ve ever jumped at 110cm. Got our flatwork pretty good.

But. We’ve had a lot of issues with saddles and back. We were eliminated in our last competition, which led to weeks of finding out what was wrong. He seems to be fine again now as we went jumping again yesterday.

I am very goal orientated so I’ve thought long and hard about my goals for 2021. I want to go clear at 80-90cm. I’m going to join BS Club and see if we can get any points and I want to join our riding club. Might get unaff eventing a stab again.

 

[ycbm]

I just don't dare make any plans for 2021...

 

[Michen]

I just don't dare make any plans for 2021...

Ha I’ve been doing the opposite. Booking flights to go skiing and making all sorts of plans with absolute blind faith ?

 

[TheSpottyCobby]

Scratch my earlier post folks. I think I’m cursed. Tonight I have a lame pony ?
That will teach me to plan!

 

[shortstuff99]

I haven't really planned anything this year, my absolute horse of a lifetime for the past 20 years passed in June from ataxia/stroke from cushings which was devastating. Although she was a good age, but had still been ridden by my dad. That lead to finding a new cob for him, and he has been with us since July .

Since having him we have cured his mites and cleared up his mallanders. Had his shoulders treated by the physio from previous poor saddle fit and got him a new fitting saddle! We are now working on his schooling and will hopefully start taking him out next year.

In August this year I brought down my 2.5 year old PRE filly to start training her for light backing next year. We have been working on some ground work and now she picks all her feet up on command and knows, stand, back up and walk on command too. Very pleased she is so smart and brave .

The big Spanish potato has done some online competitions at medium and has been doing well although she is still loved or loathed by judges ?. We have been working on the changes again now and hope to do some advanced mediums in the near future. I am still debating about whether to take her out again as after her warm up accident last year (attacked by 2 stallions after the owner lost control ?) she is very reactive in a warm up. I have been thinking of making a big tabbard telling riders to give lots of room!

On the personal front my research contract is up so I need to find new employment which is fun.....