2026 goals and 2025 recap

[Squeak]

It looks like I didn't write any plans for 2025 but it's been an amazing year with loan horse super-Sammy:
- Did my first ever AM tests
- Qualified for PetPlan Champs in both Winter (Medium) and Summer (Medium and AM)
- Placed in the Winter PetPlan Champs at Medium
- Had an article in Horse & Hound! Based on a 71%+ win at AM at a local BD show
- Did our first FSM this week (28th and 30th December) - the first was a complete shambles as we'd not managed to practice thanks to trainer's 20x60 being dug up, Sammy getting colitis in mid-December (and thankfully making a very fast recovery) then general Christmas chaos. The second was a little better but still lots of work to do to get it more fluent
- Qualified for Areas at AM and Regionals and Medium and Medium FSM (after a mad week just gone - driving 250 miles to get to two FSM qualifying comps before December 31st!)

As for Chilli, he went to Spain to join my friend's riding holiday crew. He'd had the winter off after his hock arthritis diagnosis and failed attempts to medicate - thankfully the left hock has fused and the right only bothers him on right circles in canter so he had the all-clear for a hacking job. He was the size of a house when he arrived in Spain in May, I don't think the Spanish guy who was going to get him fit had even seen such a fat horse . He settled well and I went to see him in July (when he was fit for a long-ish ride) and again in early December. He's now VERY fit, very straight / sound and seems to be loving life! I'd say he's the fastest PRE I've ridden, I took him on the beach ride and he has some serious gears!

Retired boy Indio continues to be fat and hairy in the field. His melanomas have grown this year though they still aren't bothering him...long may that continue.

For 2026, I'd like to:
- Qualify for Winter champs (fingers crossed!!)
- Qualify for Midways - I've always fancied this and was gutted that it was cancelled last year
And then it will be the end of my time with Sammy. His owner and I have agreed it will be time for him to step down again, it will be tough but he's done so much for both of us and while he loves going out competing, it's not fair to keep him going with the more collected work and changes.

So I'll also be looking for a new horse later in the year. Although the scanning of adverts is fun I'm dreading it, so many friends have had complete disasters. But that's a good few months away yet so I'll focus on enjoying and learning more with Sammy for now!

What a great year, out of interest how old is Sammy now?

 

[humblepie]

@j1ffy Glad Chilli doing so well and congratulations on your and Sammy’s achievements and that your retired one doing well.

 

[MuddyMonster]

My 205 goals were very loose as we were coming off the back of being out of action for months over winter from catching a nasty infection. Had no idea how my native would come back so didn't want to set too many goals:

But really pleased we surpassed them all. Won a few frillies to display and made wonderful memories. Most importantly, we kept having fun in the countryside together and clocked up a lot of hacking miles together again this year. But more than counting the miles, I just love being out with him - cantering so fast I can't see through the tears, jumping logs and ditches, seeing the sunrise before the world has woken up, in the evenings watching the sunset after a busy day and all the times inbeteeen. My heart belongs to him & the hills

2026 goals

• Complete our Trec winter PTV league
• Try and get more consistent scores in our PTV & MA sections
• School once a week (at least until Spring ... I make no such promises over the Summer )

But goal number one is just keeping my ageing disgracefully native fit, happy and healthy will do us nicely. And if this involves clocking up more hours in the countryside, so much the better.

 

[j1ffy]

@j1ffy - Wow what a year!!

It’s amazing when I write it all down - I run a business, which has been challenging in the current economy, and after years of struggling with Chilli as well it’s been wonderful to have some dressage success. It makes all the tough days worth it!

What a great year, out of interest how old is Sammy now?

Thank you! He’ll be 19 in June.

 

[j1ffy]

@j1ffy Glad Chilli doing so well and congratulations on your and Sammy’s achievements and that your retired one doing well.

Thank you - as you know Chilli has been a puzzle! It was so good to see him so fit and happy in his new job

 

[rara007]

On paper 2025 will be hard to beat. 2 national championships (winter indoors and national outdoors) and my cob managed reserve supreme indoors and Rocky the advanced horse national title. Many other successes (and learning exercises…) in between.

2026 is a world championship year- Germany this time. It’ll be Rocky’s last FEI season aged 18 (he’s well but I don’t want to push him one year too many, plus Maestro is waiting in the wings). Hopefully we’ll go and put on a good performance. Development year for Maestro, continued water training and hopefully heading towards open cones speeds and the FEI 3* dressage by the end of the summer.

My cob and Tinies I just want to keep well, any results are a bonus!

Random 10 photos/ very cobby themed but he photos so well!

 

[muddybay]

Try and improve my riding to be a quieter and more effective rider!

 

[Squeak]

It’s amazing when I write it all down - I run a business, which has been challenging in the current economy, and after years of struggling with Chilli as well it’s been wonderful to have some dressage success. It makes all the tough days worth it!

Thank you! He’ll be 19 in June.

Thanks, always helpful to know, I have a 17yo at AM and although he's feeling as good as if not better than ever at the moment it's always useful for future planning to know when others have started to find it too much.

 

[spookypony]

It's been absolute ages since I posted on this part of the forum: the Spooky Pony was still reaching the peak of his career, and the Ballerina Mare was here, but very much second fiddle! Time I got more involved, again...

The SP has, of course, been retired for some time now: 2026 goals are to hope that his DSLD (probably related to Cushing's) remains at bay, and that he continues a happy, calm retirement in his gelding herd. Intermittently, we're clicker-training to get him happier with clipping (last year, under double sedation, he tried to throw himself into a ditch: there's a reason my username is SP! There was a massive drama with the (new to him) vet not listening to me, and the SP crashing into various lockers...), so that when the weather gets warmer, we can hopefully give him a bib clip with only TWO clicks of Sedaline, as the PPID is making his winter coat long/reluctant to fall out in time.



The Ballerina Mare had a tough start to 2025: she was diagnosed with a cyst in her LH patellar joint, which she has probably had her whole life, but compensated for until recently. After injections, we had rehab time, which has gone quite well. My confidence, knackered again after her dislike of the previous yard and associated tension, has largely recovered, to the point where I'm again regarded as a reasonably bold rider, at least regarding pace and terrain, if not agricultural vehicles (AAARGH!).

In March, I attended, for sheer coolness factor, the first part of a course called "Horse and Falcon": we learned about legal frameworks surrounding falconry, and the basics of handling birds of prey. In November, we finally attended part 2, which was about getting the horse used to the falcon. I was SO nervous, because I'd not trailered the BM for over a year and wasn't sure if she'd be upset, and because I wasn't sure how she'd take to the birds of prey, and because it was right behind the Spanish Riding School training centre, and they're known to hack past the falcon place. She was bl00dy BRILLIANT. The falconer said she was pretty much the best horse he'd ever had on a course. All she cared about was if she got enough treats along the way. I have to say he handled the bird-of-prey introduction brilliantly!

I have no intention of suddenly acquiring a falcon, but I have to say I'm not uninterested in learning more about the historical falconry displays at local castles...maybe a Lipizzaner-X mare would look quite good at those, with a few baths...?

 

[Titchy Pony]

It's been absolute ages since I posted on this part of the forum: the Spooky Pony was still reaching the peak of his career, and the Ballerina Mare was here, but very much second fiddle! Time I got more involved, again...

The SP has, of course, been retired for some time now: 2026 goals are to hope that his DSLD (probably related to Cushing's) remains at bay, and that he continues a happy, calm retirement in his gelding herd. Intermittently, we're clicker-training to get him happier with clipping (last year, under double sedation, he tried to throw himself into a ditch: there's a reason my username is SP! There was a massive drama with the (new to him) vet not listening to me, and the SP crashing into various lockers...), so that when the weather gets warmer, we can hopefully give him a bib clip with only TWO clicks of Sedaline, as the PPID is making his winter coat long/reluctant to fall out in time.

View attachment 171395

The Ballerina Mare had a tough start to 2025: she was diagnosed with a cyst in her LH patellar joint, which she has probably had her whole life, but compensated for until recently. After injections, we had rehab time, which has gone quite well. My confidence, knackered again after her dislike of the previous yard and associated tension, has largely recovered, to the point where I'm again regarded as a reasonably bold rider, at least regarding pace and terrain, if not agricultural vehicles (AAARGH!).

In March, I attended, for sheer coolness factor, the first part of a course called "Horse and Falcon": we learned about legal frameworks surrounding falconry, and the basics of handling birds of prey. In November, we finally attended part 2, which was about getting the horse used to the falcon. I was SO nervous, because I'd not trailered the BM for over a year and wasn't sure if she'd be upset, and because I wasn't sure how she'd take to the birds of prey, and because it was right behind the Spanish Riding School training centre, and they're known to hack past the falcon place. She was bl00dy BRILLIANT. The falconer said she was pretty much the best horse he'd ever had on a course. All she cared about was if she got enough treats along the way. I have to say he handled the bird-of-prey introduction brilliantly!

I have no intention of suddenly acquiring a falcon, but I have to say I'm not uninterested in learning more about the historical falconry displays at local castles...maybe a Lipizzaner-X mare would look quite good at those, with a few baths...?

View attachment 171396

That photo with you and the falcon is really cool! You and ballerina mare both look very elegant.

 

[j1ffy]

It's been absolute ages since I posted on this part of the forum: the Spooky Pony was still reaching the peak of his career, and the Ballerina Mare was here, but very much second fiddle! Time I got more involved, again...

The SP has, of course, been retired for some time now: 2026 goals are to hope that his DSLD (probably related to Cushing's) remains at bay, and that he continues a happy, calm retirement in his gelding herd. Intermittently, we're clicker-training to get him happier with clipping (last year, under double sedation, he tried to throw himself into a ditch: there's a reason my username is SP! There was a massive drama with the (new to him) vet not listening to me, and the SP crashing into various lockers...), so that when the weather gets warmer, we can hopefully give him a bib clip with only TWO clicks of Sedaline, as the PPID is making his winter coat long/reluctant to fall out in time.

View attachment 171395

The Ballerina Mare had a tough start to 2025: she was diagnosed with a cyst in her LH patellar joint, which she has probably had her whole life, but compensated for until recently. After injections, we had rehab time, which has gone quite well. My confidence, knackered again after her dislike of the previous yard and associated tension, has largely recovered, to the point where I'm again regarded as a reasonably bold rider, at least regarding pace and terrain, if not agricultural vehicles (AAARGH!).

In March, I attended, for sheer coolness factor, the first part of a course called "Horse and Falcon": we learned about legal frameworks surrounding falconry, and the basics of handling birds of prey. In November, we finally attended part 2, which was about getting the horse used to the falcon. I was SO nervous, because I'd not trailered the BM for over a year and wasn't sure if she'd be upset, and because I wasn't sure how she'd take to the birds of prey, and because it was right behind the Spanish Riding School training centre, and they're known to hack past the falcon place. She was bl00dy BRILLIANT. The falconer said she was pretty much the best horse he'd ever had on a course. All she cared about was if she got enough treats along the way. I have to say he handled the bird-of-prey introduction brilliantly!

I have no intention of suddenly acquiring a falcon, but I have to say I'm not uninterested in learning more about the historical falconry displays at local castles...maybe a Lipizzaner-X mare would look quite good at those, with a few baths...?

View attachment 171396

It's lovely to see you back on the forum and great to have an update on SP and BM! Love that falconry photo