2020 Season Plans

Shoei

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I know October may seem a little in advance to be planning the 2020 season but as a. I compete BD and our season (this year) starts in December, b. I have my wrist in a splint so I'm bored and frustrated by lack of progress and c. it's a blooming miserable day, I thought it would be a good time to start planning.

I thought it may be useful to start a thread with all of our training/competing aims for the next year and it would give us the opportunity to support each other and monitor how we are doing ourselves... you know, that theory if you tell someone what you are planning to do, you are more likely to actually do it!

Feel free to add your aims however small or large!

I'll start off...

After a pretty appalling season this year, for numerous reasons, I'm planning to get Chester out to anything and everything I can to help him relax.

That means regular lessons away from home, clinics, camps, judge training, demo riding.... anything I can think of.

I'm also going to up the amount we are out competing and try riding 3 tests as he is definitely fit enough and this will hopefully help with the tension.

We have stepped back down at the end of this season but I want to get out competing well at Novice and I'd really like to do some Elementary with him. We just need to improve his CC and there should be no reason for us not to do this really.

Another reason I'd like to be doing some Elem is because I really want to have a crack at Music.

I'm aiming for a min. 3 camps this year to try and get him used to stay aways and relax a bit more.
 

milliepops

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well this year has been littered with banana peels tripping us up so I'm not making any firm plans! I hope to have Kira back out at small tour and maybe, just maybe, we will get ready for Inter2. Before she got injured the piaffe was coming on really well but that's life! :rolleyes:

Hopefully Darcy will be able to do a bit, I would like him to be able to do Novice next year as I can't qualify anything at Prelim.

And extra hopefully Salty may produce my next generation dressage horse (oh fingers so tightly crossed for a straightforward and successful pregnancy, eeeeeep).

the aim i'm going to write down and hope others hold me accountable for is doing my lorry test :p But I really need to get that done before 2020 ;)
 

Shoei

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Definitely get your lorry test done Milliepops - it doesn't rely on a sound horse :)

I was toying with the idea as I would love some livein but I haven't long done my trailer test and my husband has said if I go out enough to justify a lorry, I can have a new Eventa.... hence why I am booking in to all those camps ;)
 

Wheels

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BD season starts in December but dressage ireland winter league starts at the end of October (october to march). We will miss the first couple of shows but after that will try and qualify for the prelim and, if all goes to plan, novice winter nationals (April)

Then if all still going well we will go out at novice and elementary in the summer leagues (May to September) with a view to qualifying for the nationals at the end of Sept.

It will be my first year doing registered dressage although I've done a few on a day ticket before. It's a different system to GB, you need 2 x 62% to compete at regional champs and 3 x 64% to compete at the nationals, should be doable providing the weather doesnt mess us up too much

We will also do a bit of low level SJ and probably some XC schooling for a bit of fun.

Will continue my regular lessons with my new dressage instructor and my clinics with Pammy Hutton as they are very enjoyable and I'm learning a lot
 

JFTDWS

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And as usual, I have literally no idea... In terms of horse archery, I'd just like to do more of it. Maybe I'll shoot some stuff competitively. Maybe I'll continue to hide in my little corner of Essex and pretend nobody else exists.

Maybe in 2020, I'll actually manage to get Carrot out to some kind of jumping competition. Heck, maybe we'll even do some dressage*.

Gosh, I have such a wild life, very much at the pinnacle of my sport, so to speak...

(*I doubt it, tbh :p )
 

Leo Walker

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My season started 2 weeks ago when my pony was still out in the field, fat, hairy and covered in mud! Shes in now and we are moving yards this weekend, and then I need to get myu backside into gear and start working her properly.

My plans are to compete twice a month at indoor driving from now until April ish. I'd like to qualify for the novice pony champs but seeing as I have done no schooling or prep it seems unlikely! But really my main aim is to get some miles on the clock ready for the outdoor season which starts in spring next year. I am also going to try and dop some actual training twice a month. I am awful at only doing the fun stuff left to my own devices and I really need to get a handle on that!
 

oldie48

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Funnily enough I've been thinking about the next year too. We've had a period of stop/ start over the last few months and I'd already had a confidence blip, now I have a confidence blip and a complete lack of fitness. TBH I am feeling my age just lately and I don't like it. So my first focus, now my knee has healed, is to improve my aerobic fitness together with my flexibility.
Confidence wise I am going to spend more time at AM with my trainer there who is great at building my confidence and who won't let me dodge things!
Schooling wise, Rose is established at elementary now and with a competent rider coud hack through the easier med test but I am still struggling to get her consistently through and in front of the leg, so that is my first aim and I'll stick to novice with a view to qualifying for petplan and now I have my floorplan and music I'll do BD DTM and also RC areas.
 

Hallo2012

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would like to get AF novice points done before xmas this year so i can have a 3 month break from competing and look at the changes, which are there and pretty easy but not reliable enough to work on whilst competing yet!

and then in spring it will be:
5yo qualifiers
Novice AF
young pony champs (hopefully)
get my elem points for AF and native champs at same time
elem AF
elem native champs
 

shortstuff99

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My plans are all dependent on what funding I get for my post-doc but it is going to go something like this;

Hopefully cement the advanced medium work with the Baby Spanish and do a few shows at the level.
Do MCI again next year and perhaps the BD champs too.
She already does a great piaffe and passage so will start doing some of the PSG/Inter 1 work.
My dad is going to start working her for some jumping that she will probably do after her dressage career!
Find myself a new baby Spanish to bring on :)
 

Fiona

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Balmoral M&M WH again Wheels??? Or was that a once only ambition, now fulfilled?

My aim is to be comfortable at 80-85 the way we are now at 70-75, so its not a huge step up really. Fionn really seems to get it this year, he can even change legs over a fence, which he just couldn't last year.

FIona
 

Wheels

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I've lost my jumping mojo a bit after I wrecked my hand earlier this year. I only did balmoral as a stepping stone for the Dublin qualifiers which didnt happen because I couldn't drive at the time due to my splint.

I will take my fall as a sign that dressage is a more appropriate way forward for us :)
 

Ambers Echo

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Amber and I had our first season at BE90. Loads of room for improvement I feel like if everything went perfectly we could place at BE90. But there are 2 athletes and 3 phases so 6 chances for things to go wrong!! Our season came to a premature end when she went lame which was a shame as I was feeling like we were getting more consistent but hey ho. She is sound again now thankfully.

So my 2020 aims are to place at BE90 and maybe even step up to BE100 (eek) for a couple of runs mainly to give me more confidence at 90.

To prepare for that I plan to show-jump a fair bit this winter. (I say that every year!) I really don't like show jumping and have never competed above 80 in any event apart from the BE90s I do. Which is ridiculous. So I want to feel like British Novice classes are fine and even do a couple of 100cm classes - again mainly so eventing show jumping feels well within my comfort zone.

I also want to get out and do some test riding. Again I never test ride outside of eventing.

Plus the usual camps, clinics and general fun. Oh and establishing the basics a bit better in walk!
 

Sprat

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Having done the Quest season earlier this year, I have now joined BD and went out at Novice the weekend just gone (needs some work...)

Plans over Winter and into 2020 are become more established at Novice comps, work harder on the Elementary stuff at home. Aiming to qualify for Novice PetPlans next year, and hopefully be somewhere close to being ready to get out at Elem into the summer.

Outside of competition, I'd love to go to the beach (never been before), and probably do a camp, possibly at AM as I've heard it is good. Test riding and lots of lessons.

Jumping is a sore subject at the moment, so no grand plans being made at all.

And have fun!
 

ihatework

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I barely dare write my horses - he ticked every box this year, so I kind of suspect I can’t be lucky enough to have 2 good seasons in a row (ever the optimist eh?!)

But thinking positive:
CCI2* top 25% first half of season (?Chatsworth or Rockingham)
NRF placing to qualify for big Gatcombe
Step up to Intermediate mid season
If not sold a CCI3* second half of season
 

Bernster

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Similar to Fiona and AE, I would like to improve my sj confidence.

Currently in a good place after a long and slow battle with my jumping confidence (which F picks up on as well). Got pushed way out of my comfort zone at camp and thought it might unnerve me but feeling ok about it and realise to jump bigger, I have to actually do bigger jumps - duh.

As for plans, a bit of hunting this year, try to do some more sj, hopefully team quest dressage. Possibly do the Hannah Francis ode next year or similar. Work on f’s nappiness xc as, even if we get the height, I still need to get him going forward round the xc.

And not forget to have fun, do some sp. rides and have a happy healthy horse (and rider!).
 

Muddywellies

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Absolutely no plans atm. Usually now I’m starting to try to get my AF quals but with their delays I just don’t have a plan. Will prob have to miss next years AFs as husband has to book leave a year in advance So I’m a bit ‘aimless’ at the moment.
 

Lillian_paddington

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I have my eye on the Bury Farm bareback challenge... looks like enormous fun but not sure if we would quite make the 1.20 joker! Luckily I think part of it is an accumulator so I could avoid scary things if I felt like doing so.
That’s in February, apart from that I’d like to affiliate BE in the summer or BS - I haven’t done enough of either to decide, so winter will partly be seeing how much we like showjumping at 90-1m, hopefully.
 

FlyingCircus

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Maybe get Fog out to an actual show! Had him 5 years now and still not made it out anywhere 😂 Mainly due to my own laziness (and the stint of 7 months without a saddle!)

Back the baby welsh and get her out to a few in hand shows and poss some intro dressage. She'll eventually be for sale ( if you ask my other half...) so abit more incentive to get her out and about to add to her CV. We will see who wins on the keeping 2 horses vs 1 later next year too!
 

Chippers1

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After this years plans going horribly wrong I think I might try and aim for a BE80 again, and just not get eliminated :) need to get my confidence up again though, hoping it'll be quicker than the year before as I was jumping at 80 up until June whereas before I had to start from scratch.
 

DressageCob

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With my big lad I'm hoping to do more BE80s. If I can go clear SJ I will be delighted.
I'd also like to get him to ele AF this year, and maybe do a medium test by the end of 2020.

With the little man I'm not sure. BD has made his visor illegal and he can't be ridden without one. I'm hoping they will change their minds, but if they don't, I suppose we will be left with unaffiliated venues which don't stick too firmly to BD equipment rules.
I honestly don't know why they decided I can't use it. They let you ride in a guardian fly mask which is far more obvious and unattractive than my clear visor. While I do have a guardian mask, it's so dark (which is good for horses with uveitis), I can't use it in indoor schools, so it's useless for my purposes.

I'd like to get him out somewhere, so I'll just see what happens.
 

Asha

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Id like to get out and do some more BD, and attempt to qualify for Area festivals ,and maybe even the regionals. We are a bit off on our marks for the regionals at the minute, but where theres a will theres a way ! Id also like to do a few more Irish draught showing classes, really loved the one we did this year. Just need to get Pip going better for the ride judge.

Also to get the foals out to a couple of low key shows each.

Have no plans for Aria, that will be up to her new loaner.

Daughter & Finn, I know she wants to complete a BE80. They've done a few unaffiliated 80s this year, and some hunter trials, so reckon it could be the year for that.

Come spring, possibly advertise Frank for sale. He will be 3 in March, im not sure i want to do the backing and producing again. So hopefully find him a good competitive home
 

Breagha

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Love hearing everyones plans.
My plans next year with my horse is to aim for bigger showing shows with her (she placed 1st or 2nd, champion and reserve locally this year) - so want to see if she can hold her own at bigger county shows.
Aim - to get my confidence up with jumping - i seem to have a real block when it comes to jumping. If I am in a lesson, I will do it but havent managed passed 65cm 70cm as I panic.

Husbands horse - hopefully we have sorted his foot imbalance now with the new farrier (he is sound now thankfully) and get him out to some shows and middle of next year hopefully start him jumping again.

and my daughters 2 year old welsh will be 3 next year. So more in hand showing and general education.
 

Sasana Skye

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My main goal is simple but not easy and that's just to keep the girls sound - I've been battling a few years of lameness issues in both of them and I can't cope with going through that again.

Brieze has earned the right to just enjoy life now, she's taken me through all the goals I previously set myself and more so if I don't think she's going to thoroughly enjoy something I don't bother with it. She will spend the rest of her life hacking, jumping, going xc and cantering freely. No more dressage or schooling for her again. She was previously a pure dressage horse and we got to levels higher than I thought I would ever get to but her face lights up at a fence so that's what she wants to do. I will probably take her to camp again next year, we did Pontispool a few years ago and she jumped her heart out for 3 days - loved it!

My young un' needs to crack on now. She was 5 this year and just started schooling work and a little bit of jumping, been xc schooling too but mostly just hacking. My plans over the winter are to get her fitter and have some more lessons. I'm toying with sending her away next year for schooling with the hope of getting her to her first event in 2020. I know someone out there would do a much better job than me, and have better access to facilities. I've given her a great head start, she has been out and seen the world a bit. It's the 'who' and the 'where' that I need to get my head around.
 
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