Acheivements and Aims post

[Sparkles]

Thought it would be a good post to do for everyone!

Ok so basically post [in words photos or other!] what you're proud of achieving this year with your riding and/or your horse.
And any aims you have you want to achieve by the end of this year/future in general.




Ok for me seeing as I was about to quit jumping for good last christmas...It's jumping and getting upto decent heights again and just generally confidence in general!
Especially starting doing some of the XC jumps at ours [which start at 3'3 and the only XC with my fella I've ever done is the tiny portable jumps out on fun rides! So sort of a big ask!] And for me, finally riding,keeping my leg on and round him and really comitting to almost every fence now and just giving it a go really! Where-as last year I'd be coming into a fence SO backwards thinking and absolutely scared crapless really. And considering last year my horse didn't really showjump bless him, we'd go through and knock down 1fr cross poles! I just really feel we're getting somewhere now and trust him like anything.


And jumping the gate bareback:

And our first ever SJ comp the other week!
http://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=7364&Action=VF&id=4628242650&pcp=61&ppwd=98836mgf


Aims for the future:
Get over my hedge fear and jump a bloody hedge [Blame pony club camp for that phobia!] Haha And take my boy hunting and fine tune my jumping more and enter more SJ comps with him now we're getting somewhere.


Now yours!

 

[abbieandfiona]

My aims were to get another horse - ended up with a youngster who was related to my other one. However she gets shown in-hand county level so in a way have completed my aim to get out more and do something with a sound pony.

My other aim was to start jumping again only small and i have done that also took her to some fun rides and a show this year. So happy with that, last thing to do is get back to dressage again some time soon.

 

[Sarah Sum1]

Ok, my aims are non horsey as I no longer have a horse and am still deliberating on whether or not to get another.

* Get little part time job, hopefully the one I had interview for.

* Put my house on market and sell quickly (yeah right) Find another nice home

* Build up my Reiki business

* Finish my writing course

* Enroll on another evening course

* Meet a nice man

 

[3Beasties]

My biggest achievement this year is probably a rubbish one to others but I managed to take my horse XC schooling for the first time in the 7 years I have owned him, what makes it even more special for me is that I thought I would have to retire him at the start of this year.

He was such a good boy, jumped really well and stayed lovely and calm. Last year I struggled to get him to jump anything, he would constantly stop, run out or cat leap so both us lost our confidence!

Here is a little piccy -

and a video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zCrTG-4Gpo

My plans for the winter are to enter into our first SJ comp and if all goes well try and take him out once or twice a month (at the moment I get him out about once a year!)!

 

[Jenna500]

Blimey Binky, that's impressive! I assumed when you posted those pics you'd been doing it for ages!

My greatest achievement this year, this:

Haven't done anything like that in 16 years! We're now aiming at a hunter trial at the end of September, and then, perhaps, a ODE next year. I do have to be a little careful though, as Lui has navicular syndrome and we're working up to things very, very gradually. If he can't cope, that's fine, we'll just stick with some low-level, occasional SJ and XC, and concentrate on our stressage, which he can cope with fine.

Want to start riding my anglo arab - had him all of a week and not ridden him yet (only got his saddle today!) And maybe do some of the above with him too. He's only five, so I've got to teach him to jump first!

I've also got two youngsters who will be three next year, so I'd like to start doing a bit with them, introduce them to long lining and tack and stuff, aim to back them lightly at the end of next year to turn away for the winter.

I've had my lorry for a couple of months now, and LOVE being able to get out and about. Aim to do more 'fun' stuff with that, like go to the beach or go somewhere that has fabulous hacking, fun rides and suchlike as well as more competing.

My son also wants to learn to jump, after seeing how much I enjoyed the XC! So maybe next year we'll be doing the pairs hunter trials!

 

[_MizElz_]

Great post!

I never, ever thought we would get back into jumping, and when at the beginning of the year I decided to try doing some XC, I swore blind we'd never jump higher than 2'3 - no matter how well we did. That was my limit, and I felt that to go beyond that would knock me back again.

Fast forward three months, and this is our current list of achievements:
2'3 hunter trial (clear but slow)
2'6 ODE (clear SJ, ok dressage, eliminated in the water XC)
2'6 ODE (clear SJ and XC, ok dressage - placed 2nd!!!)
2'6 SJ (one stop after a spook)
2'9 SJ speed class (4th)
2'6 ODE (clear SJ and XC, awful dressage - placed 10th of 35)

We have also been XC schooling several times, jumping up to 3'6 (anyone who knows me will understand just what a HUGE achievement this is for me - I have always HATED XC!!!!) And perhaps the loveliest thing for me has been getting back to showjumping, the thing that Ellie and I are best at. I never thought I'd have the confidence to SJ again, not after our horrid fall, but the more we have done this year, the better we have both become. And my confidence is soaring!

In terms of aims for the months ahead....I would really, really love to qualify for the Trailblazers finals again. I think a realistic aim would be the 85cm champs - I'd be most comfortable at this height, whilst Ellie, although she would love to jump bigger, will take enough care at 85cm for it to be actually worth jumping And with our XC....I'd like to get round the 2'9 course at Wickstead - always my nemesis in the past, and something that I never thought I would do! I'd like to go and have a schooling session there first - after all, that was how our 'comeback' started back in May!

Good luck to everyone with their aims

ETA a couple of pics

 

[Laura1234]

Great thread, as everyone is different in what their aims are!
For me it was to find a horse that I felt safe on and could handle, and could hack out on my own, and to do some local comps and generally be at ease with and enjoy, as in the past I have had a few spooky incidents that have dented my confidence. We have had our boy nearly 4 months now (a 6yr old TB), and I am hopefully doing my first ridden class next month, I have been hacking out on my own for over a month, and I can canter out on my own and with other horses happily. He is everything I had hoped and wished for, and after such a horrendous first half of the year, he has made everything so much better.

 

[MrsMozart]

Some lovely aims and achievements

MissE - love that picture of you going through the hedge jump Definately one for the wall, you look so happy

Mine was simple, get Dizz from being a dingbat that made every ride a challenge, to being a horse that one could comfortably take most places . I didn't get to take her to camp, but my fifteen year old daughter did . I was so proud of both of them, that D1 felt comfortable being with adults for three days and safe on Dizz, and that Dizz could actually see large expanses of grass and not bob off or go loopy, and that she could even stand still when needed . Wish it had been me, but D1 was a star and Dizz was a star

Aims now are: get back better, get back on Dizz, get our bond back to where it was and better, improve in all areas

 

[Sparkles]

Jenna - Used to do it all the time. Just not with my present horse...I used to do teams for college jumping and pony club etc,but then had 2 years off jumping as outgrew my mare [who was a star and would do top of the wings and just point aim and fire jumping!] and took one too many falls and 'nearlies' coming back into it last summer and was ready to hang up my jumping boots for good last christmas, as my confidence was just in shreds and just wasn't enjoying it anymore.
However,am now back to being an almost fully converted jumping addict again Similar to MizElz!

 

[Winklepoker]

Well India came out of winter quiet poor and we just had the terrible 5's to deal with.. we had rearing, bronching, general irritability and we have come through it. Been out XC schooling 3 times and she was better and better each time. Been on 2 sponsored rides and hunted... both great achievments for a £450 4/5yo from Ascot sales!
Most of all, I have grown to LOVE her. More than I ever thought I would, she is my pride and joy. I have to wear a skirt to the office and not bring a change of clothes just to stop me riding her on her day off, I love every minute. I have gone from APRIL/MAY - feeling sick to my bare bones about getting on, to having so so much fun!

Here's a little piccy of her;

My aims for the next few months are to get her out doing the Winter dressage series at the Priory and some indoor jumping at crofton etc. Maybe take her out hunting some more, funds permitting! and continue having fun Maybe I will let hubby ride a bit more too!

 

[Sparkles]

Aw fab change!!! Well done x

 

[hamish1]

I've acheived finding the perfect pony to loan that I can have fun with-hack out on my own with,learn new things together(hes only 4). We both did our first cross country jumps together( a first for both of us ) and feel like we have a nice bond. I did my first ever show on him and had a great time.

Aims-to get out and have more fun-go to more shows/fun rides and introduce more XC..........and maybe,hopefully- buy him!!,fingers crossed hey

 

[spotty_pony]

Possibly my biggest achievement this year is starting to compete my young horse in unaffiliated Show Jumping and Dressage Competitions and getting good results. Last year, I had a nasty fall from him which caused me to lose my confidence and so we had a bit of a setback. I worked hard with him over the winter, and my confidence returned and now we are happily jumping round 2ft9 courses and gaining good marks in Dressage Competitions!

My aims over the next few months are:
- To continue competing my young horse in SJ and Dressage Competitions
- To take my other horse hunting regularly over the winter

 

[Pipkin]

Achievements - Ayla and Roxy are hacking out with no problems and actually look forward to getting off the yard and out of the death field

Ayla seems to have been injury free this year apart from 1 spell in jan and minor grazes throughout...Roxy on the other hand has taken over Ayla`s self harming crown and is currently on injury number 3 in 1 1/2 months

Aims - getting the girls flat work sorted, very basics to start with...straight lines would help falling out through the shoulder is annoying the hell out of me.

Find a new nice yard!

go to some small shows, nothing too scary just have some fun

 

[Beccahh]

Achivment for the year - Winning our first ever working hunter nither me or math had ever done one he went in a nwas like a pro and up til now has won everyone he has beeen in
also for completeing the showjumping 3ft1 course clear and getting 3rd

Aims for next year - get jack to some vetran shows
take both lads to some county shows
get math to some bsps shows
and do a ODE
and get him jumping the bigger tracks in showjumping over winter =] x