Achievements for this year and Aims for the next!

[LeannePip]

At this time of year, there is usually a thread where we all reflect on the aims we made for the past year, how they were achieved or how plans changed and we make aims and dreams for the coming year. Since i haven't seen anything pop up as of yet i'll kick things off whilst i drift in and out of a food coma!

2016 started for me with my 4/5yo coming back into work, I spent a lot of time sat on the floor with no idea how i got there! So i set myself the aim of completing an ODE with that horse by the end of June (6months) just to make sure i'd get back on each time!

It wasn't too successful to begin with;

But we managed to get it together and on the 22nd May, almost a year to the day that we bought her, we completed our first ODE at Larkhill.

By the end of the season we had completed 6, retired from one (horrendous ground and a lost shoe) and eliminated from another (an unsalvageable rider fall)! We covered 100's of miles, went through 6 air canisters (not all at events!), had 5 sub 30 dressages, lost 4 shoes, cried a lot and laughed even more and finished with 1 rosette (3rd at T'down) - but every mile, canister, shoe and tear was 100% worth it!

My lovely horse has also found a new love of dressage for me, and has finished in the top 3 of every class she's entered this year including 7 wins from intro to Novice.

And my final aim of the year was to sort out my showjumping, the ball is starting to roll here as we made a convincing effort of the 90 at our last show the other week and finished clear!

For 2017 i'd obviously most importantly like to keep her happy and healthy but my aim is to make the step up to UA90 and hopefully get a couple of BE runs under our belt, although the dream would be to get a UA100 run under our belts. I'd like to take her to a stay away show; either the Keysoe UA 3DE at the end of May or to a Showjumping away show. And hopefully make a start with some Ele tests.

A life long dream also came true, and i got my very own little scruffy lorry dog, called Daisy!

 

[JennBags]

I love reading about your journey this year LP, you've done a great job.

I bought G 5 years ago with the aim of doing some eventing with him, and this year we entered our first ever ODE together, the UA 80 at Borde Hill but got eliminated halfway through the xc as I didn't ride him strongly enough early on. We have also done quite a few other comps and clinics and I have started to beat my jumping demons.

He then went lame behind shortly after the ODE so had to withdraw from the other 2 events that I'd entered him in, and he had tendon surgery. Thought it was successful but got on him yesterday for the first time and he's really lame behind so I'm feeling a bit despondent about it. Therefore no aims for 2017 until the vet has seen him.

 

[milliepops]

Only on my phone tonight so will reply tomorrow but I had to look at last year's thread... here it is

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...e-year-draws-to-a-Close-achievements-and-aims

 

[Michen]

Amazing year. Basil went from never having competed before to flying round BE90's in 7 months (with me on board so a very big achievement for him!).

This was our first taste of eventing, arena eventing at 70cm




And our last event at Calmsden BE90




Most of all though I just love being around him... he has the best heart.

 

[Equi]

OP your post made me smile so much, your face in every photo is pure joy at being where you are at that very moment (aka on your horses back)

My 2016 has been fabulous in so many ways. My confidence has gone through the roof for me, i still need to work on a few bits (mainly jumping) but im happy where i am. I went to my first show with a ridden horse and though we only did trec it was a massive achievement for me. My stallion did amazing in the showring - could not have done better, won everything we went to. I got my wonderful foal.

Next year i might get out to more trecs with my horse, ill maybe do a show but i wont make it an aim cause my "thing" now is to not make aims...just do whatever happens and i feel comfortable with. I WILL be showing my foal who won't be a foal anymore, and i will "aim" to win a youngster class or two with her lol but what will be will be.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Well we did achieve our previous aim of less bet visits and more fun stuff this year :lol:.

Doodle has done a barefoot rehab and is now sound and happy!

Skylla is a proper human carrier now. She's done two ridden shows with a third and two wins! She's done three dressage tests with the last being dressed in tinsel.

She's so cool.

Topaz has had an amazing year. PB at winters at elementary with 64%, then smashed that at summers with 67% :eek3:. We finally stepped up to Medium, went to petplans and have qualified for the finals at Hartpury!!!!

Next should have involved Skylla doing the badminton young horse classes but they're not running , so think we'll make our BD debut instead.

Topaz will hopefully start Adv Med and beyond .

Doodle will hopefully stay sound, happy and a bit podgy in her semi retirement!

 

[DirectorFury]

I'm so sorry to hear about G, JB . Fingers crossed for you both.
LP, Equi, Michen, and AH - what fab years you've all had!
MP - Kira pics?

We did sod all this year! I had a very busy work year - finished my MSci, got my undergrad diss published as an academic paper, and started my PhD - which didn't leave loads of time for horse-fun. M also got kicked in the field at the start of summer, just as I was getting her fit, which meant 3-4 months off.

I have achieved absolutely none of my aims from the previous thread but we've got time and, for now, I'm content to just pootle around and enjoy her . I'm not going to set any goals for next year right now as I know that something will go wrong if I do! I've lost my competition mojo a bit and need to get back to having regular lessons.
Some of my favourite photos from the year:

Most recent photo:

Yes, she's bloody massive! Sec D my arse.

 

[milliepops]

Hmm. Another funny old year.
Millie.... well Millie's year started much the same as last year. A trip to Adam's, a couple of shows and then an injury

We did at least get a go at Advanced Medium this time - so glad I stopped dithering and just had a go, she got scores from 1 to 8 in the same test so the judge probably had a good laugh I learnt a HUGE amount from the experience, and what Millie didn't know at the time she did her last wheelie in the field was she was qualified for Regionals... but that's horses for you.

So she had tenosynovitis and a mangled SDFT, we threw the kitchen sink at it but the surgery wasn't the success we hoped and she has retired from the dressage arena. I can't be too sad, the old girl has given me 14 fabulous years of fun firstly BE and then BD. She's pottering about being Kira's hacking mate and doing bits in the school... the plan for 2017 is to do some veteran showing if she stays sound and to that end she now owns a brown double bridle (no more pretty shiny for her!)

Kira... Kira is just amazing me, every week she gets better and better. I honestly never expected her to be THIS much fun, I knew she was pretty special underneath the giant strops but she is just fabulous and I am enjoying having her about so, so much.

She went to winter regionals

She went on a fun ride (and was WILD)

She failed at eating grass

she went to summer regionals

She learnt about stubble fields

She went to Adam's a lot for lessons, and pulled some goofy faces

She did naughty things in the field (it's this power and suppleness that makes her so fun to ride, so I shouldn't be too angry )

She was a clever cob at Petplans and Native champs

and she did her first changes in public(ish)
[video=youtube_share;Z6Se06wkANs]https://youtu.be/Z6Se06wkANs[/video]

She's so brilliant, really up for the work and she has come out of her shell so much in the last 12 months. This morning I had a lovely ride just running through some medium work, stringing things together and it all feels pretty established and easy for her. She's offering changes left, right and centre now but she's learning not to take over :lol:

So for 2017... plan is for her to get out and do her first medium next weekend and see where we go from there. She has winter Elem regionals to come, so loose idea is to get her qualified Elem for summers and then just do mediums and press on for AFs. We enjoyed the native champs so would do that again, possibly an overnighter as I think the venue is changing. And perhaps, just perhaps we will squeeze in an AM by the end of the year as the changes are true and getting less leapy One thing Millie has taught me is not to hang around - just crack on as you never know what is around the corner.

 

[rachk89]

Not many achievements other than managing to get my confidence back.

Next year, providing we sort his back issue out and its not a major problem, I want to do more dressage and get over my fear of jumping. I want to try and be brave and do a BE80 and do some more fun showing.

 

[Arniebear]

No achievements for us this year either

January i had 2 horses in work and by march i had 2 horses out of work. One ended up being turned away for a year.... he's due home in march so can the next few months please hurry up! and the other had 3 months out, then back in work to find out he had a fractured tooth so surgery for that, back in work and then a nasty kick out hacking meant another month out.... i lost the will to live by then! we are finally back in full work and i guess trying to aim at improving but i also jacked my job in this summer after 4 years so although i do have a job atm it is a very large pay cut from what i was on, meaning i now have minimal spare cash for pony playing


aims for next year.....

1) no more vet bills
2) bring my big man home, hopefully sound and get back on board for 9 months of rehab work.... things never seem to go to plan so we shall see with this one
3) get a new job
4) 2 sound ponies for a year, hell even half a year would be nice
5) just actually be able to ride both my horses and enjoy it again instead of playing nurse

i guess i still cant give up with the main dream though so to make my year a good one id like to get out to some BE's again, move the youngster up to novice dressage and 90/1m jumping. And dare i say it..... an outing or 2 with my big man i dont care if thats a trip to the forest/beach or a dressage competition i just want him home and sound and back in some form of work


here's to the end of the crappiest year ive had and to what i can only hope will be a better one!!!

 

[Cortez]

Achievements for this year: riding again after injury (me), and finally having a secure, relaxed ex rescue horse come good after a horrible life and the longest re-train I've ever done (5 years). Here he is working happily at the day job:

 

[Bernster]

Fantastic updates from LP, Michen, AlexHyde and MillieP, fab photos and great to read how you're getting on. DF, that xc pic is hilarious, that is quite some pop you've gt there! For those with broken horses, I really hope 2017 picks up for you.

Finnegan continued to polish his halo, and at the same time remain an annoying little bu&&her which is typical of him. We've just started fitness training and starting to venture out to some comps ready for our big big challenge in 2017, the Wobbleberry Challenge. Neither of us have done all three phases in one day, or done an 80 course, so we have a lot of practice to do!

Huge achievement, after doing this ride for years and years, I finally jumped the damn plan and got the iconic photo.

Took him on horsey holiday to Norfolk, where he was a superstar.

Scrambled over a few xc fences

But also did some with a little more style, inc these from keysoe training camp.

Tried our hand at showing and he proved to be just a bit special.

Absolute highlight of the year was qualifying for Hickstead sunshine tour where we had a fabulous three days and got some amazing experience of a big, stay away venue, and got these fab frillies in both our classes. Still buzzing at him going so well for the ride judge in the hunter class and earning himself a place in the top ten.

And thrilled that my other horse, my lovely little pocket rocket under Auslander's care, seems to be sound and back in work after over a year off to recover from a few ailments. Fingers crossed for two sound and happy horses next year!

 

[Batgirl]

I have had a lovely year thinking back.
We qualified for Pet Plans at Novice Dressage.

We did our first ever demo for Yorkshire Air Ambulance with Jane Bartle Wilson.

We did our first (and only) showjumping at the dizzy heights of 65cm (in our dressage saddle as it is our only saddle, this apparently impressed people!). Arnie did it with his eyes closed...

Plans for next year:
Qualify for Pet Plans at Elementary
Complete Harewood Brownlee Triathlon (not horsey but designed to help me lose weight and raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance)
Try a Medium dressage test by the end of the year.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Great pics on this thread well done everyone.

I have not achieved a great deal this year having broken myself in April and my horse in August.

Consequently one cob is pregnant and the other is turned away.

However in the month I've had new horse Cyprian we've achieved quite a lot. Yesterday I managed to do SI for the first time in my life.

Jumping him happily up to about 70cms now and managing to go with him.

Aims for next year are to do at least one BE80 with a smile on my face!

Was meant to be a brush through but of course he's a SJer so he didn't touch it

 

[Sukistokes2]

What a great thread, read both, this years and last years

This time last year I had no great aims , I was just enjoying my semi retired horse and getting my traditional cob ready for a loan home. This year I'm still enjoying my semi retired horse and my traditional is in a fab loan home, being ridden by a teenager, which was what he needed.
This time last year vauge stirrings in my brain were beginning and I was beginning to stalk horse sale sites. It hadn't formed in to a true plan but I was starting to think dressage horse. Of course it didn't happen, I could not do anything that sensible and on Feb I returned home with a blinking Clydesdale !
Kevin has been a dream, I'm riding happily with a huge grin on my face, he is safe and fun. I am currently turning him in to a dressage horse and slowly and surely we are getting there. The canter is still difficult but improving slowly, good job I'm patient. Prelim is a way off but when I get there, hopefully this year, as is my aim, it will be all my own work.
Love this boy.........

 

[vam]

I started the year off horseless and finished it jumping her our first 90cm together. I had had my lovely boy pts in Feb 15 and after spending the summer being disappointed with all the horses I was looking out gave up until me trainer took ,e to her friend to have a look at a few. I came back with a 4 1/2 16.2hh bay mare, younger and bigger than I wanted but she had a lovely attitude so she came home at the end of April.

There have been a few up and downs but nothing I wouldn't expect with a youngster. She has been a joy and at times a pain but I am really enjoying her. Did lots of hacking, something she still isn't keen on, she is a really city girl, fine with traffic not so much with country wildlife, cows especially!

In a few months she really came on in our lessons and it was all coming on nicely. I jumped a clear round in May just an 80cm then did our first show in Sept 70cm and 80cm. We did a 80cm and 90cm in Oct and she was a star over a big 90 so ended the season there. Even won a frilly.

Had planned to do lots of lessons until the end of the year and then give her Jan and Feb off but we had an issue clipping which needed a vet visit and stitches so I moved the holiday forward and she has been off since the end of Nov and I'll bring her back into work at the end of Jan (if she doesn't get too bored before then).
No plans for 2017, I've done that before and it has all gone to pot so I don't make them anymore. I will play it by ear with her, she is a big mare but clever and talented so I don't want to push her. I would like to get to Wales and West and jump some more 90's but when during the year isn't set. Most of all I just want to enjoy her, continue improving us both and keep us both happy an healthy.

 

[blood_magik]

So many lovely pictures from everyone.

Our achievements this year include:
- getting to grips with my new horse (at least, before my dad stole him for himself and gave me Raz).



- and pushing myself out of my comfort zone with both boys.




- first ever BS win with Beau (followed by a second the following day ).



- getting Beau's flatwork from almost non-existent to the point where he could go out and do a decent dressage test. He did his first ever test two weekends ago, and managed 63.84% and 4th - aim was 60%+ and to stay inside the boards.




My goals for next year have changed slightly as I've gone from jumping Super Blue around Newcomers height + to having to re-start Raz from scratch to get his confidence back. Still, I'd like to do:

- Newcomers and hopefully qualify for NC second rounds with Beau.
- Discovery with Raz once he's back jumping.
- Get out to some workers/showing shows with both boys
- Get Beau's changes (foundations are there so just need to get them cemented).
- Novice Dr with Beau and Ele Dr with Raz.

I'd like to get another Blue to do a bit of everything with, too, but we'll see...

 

[Cowpony]

 

[Cowpony]

FINALLY got the picture to work! OK, so our achievements are tiny compared with some others on here, but I'm still proud of us both. We aren't affiliated, so do local competitions, and my pony is a jumping pony from preference and not at all suited to dressage. But I'm not brave enough to jump high so we both compromise a bit. This year we got our first (and so far only) 70+ score, moved up to Novice, won several Prelim and Novice classes and ended up winning Dressage Rider of the Year at the centre where we compete. We're unlikely ever to win such a fabulous rosette and sash again, hence the proud picture

During all of that my pony had to have sacro-iliac injections and she lost a lot of fitness and suppleness during her time off, so we finished the year performing worse than at the start, but I'm hopeful that we'll get back to where we were. We also qualified for the Sunshine Tour, but I lost my Dad a few weeks before the event and couldn't cope with all the stress of going, so we passed on that.

The plans for 2017 are to qualify for the Sunshine Tour again, and actually go this time. My mare was very very tense the first time we went, and I've just bought a lorry, so I'm aiming to get her out and about a lot more so she is more relaxed this time. That's the idea anyway - she probably has other ideas. And if this year goes OK I will think about affiliating next year. Fingers crossed. Oh, and we'll do the odd SJ and XC at very low level, to keep her interested too.

 

[charlimouse]

Well for once I actually managed to achieve my aims for 2016 😊. We had a great time round the Novice at Chatsworth, just missing out on the placings.

[video]https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/ride/charlotte-whittle-lowmoor-superstar-chatsworth-international-2016[/video]

We also went to Somerford Park and did the CIC*. Did a great dressage, but had a slight mishap in the SJ warm up (I fell off!), so managed to have 5 down in the arena, but I followed it up with a great clear XC 😊.





We then headed off to Osberton for the CCI*, and had a great week. Another good dressage score (for us anyway!), a fabulous clear XC just 1 second over the optimum time, then a much improved SJ round with just 3 down (which is good for me!).

[video]https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/ride/charlotte-whittle-lowmoor-superstar-osberton-international-be-young-horse-championships-2016[/video]



The plan with next season is just to carry on having fun and hopefully get to a couple more 1*s, and if we can improve our SJ and dressage along the way, even better!

 

[Bernster]

Wow charlimouse, impressive! Great pics.

 

[Steerpike]

Have had a great year with several places at endurance events but my goal for next year is to complete a few walk and trot dressage tests with one of my horses, having only ever competed one many moons ago when I was at college band the horse has never done one in her life it could be fun!!

 

[ISH_lover]

We didnt really have many aims for 2016, ideally just wanted to improve our dressage, have a go at showing and compete at the Fife Show.

We done all this and more, Torin has surpassed any expectations I had for the year. Our dressage scores have been getting better and better and we have moved up to novice successfully, working towards Ele.

We have found our calling card in the showing world! We competed at Fife show.....and won a class! He hasn't come home empty handed from a single showing class entered and he gave me my first ever evening performance experience. We qualified for the Caledonian Showing Championships and placed in every class on the day of the champs.
Our jumping took a little bit of a back seat over the summer and we mainly just jumped at home.

2017 Aims:
- Continue working on our dressage
- keep showing, register CHAPS and maybe take him to Blair or Royal Highland
- get him out jumping a bit more, the plan is to do workers classes

We have just moved to a new yard and have finally bought ourselves a trailer (after 6 years) so very excited for what 2017 may bring

 

[{97702}]

Well compared to some I haven't really achieved much in 2016, but for me it has been a brilliant year in horse terns

The sad news first - in April I lost my lovely little TB Frodo I miss him hugely, but it was the best decision for him and I will never regret it, much as I loved him

So I started looking around for a horse on loan...... I have always loved TBs and was thinking I would get another one, until one day I saw Jensen advertised on a fellow HHOers FB page....but he was a cob, surely I couldn't have a cob??!!!

I went to try him, he didn't put a foot wrong despite being an incredibly green 6 year old, and I was the luckiest person ever when his owner agreed for me to have him on full loan

So he arrived at my livery yard looking like this.....

He had hardly jumped, he hadn't hacked much, he had only been to a handful of shows, and he couldn't canter at all, let alone in the school..... so we started from the beginning and did some fun rides...

some dressage....

a tiny, tiny ODE....

and a bigger ODE which was a learning experience when we (literally!) crashed in the SJ warm-up!

It was about then I decided that Jensen really was pretty good at this flat work stuff, so we are now concentrating on our dressage with the aim in 2017 of aiming for the area festivals and even (possibly) the regionals - since we will be at Prelim I doubt we will do the latter but we'll give it our best shot The boy has come quite a long way in such a short time and so has my riding, I could not be happier and luckier

 

[blackhor2e]

This is so great to see everyone doing so well and having fun, although I can sympathise with those that have an injured horse as one of mine has injured a ddft and ligament in the same leg, which is proving very hard to treat and keep sound, so I think with her we are looking to retire from 2017 onwards, at the moment though she is happy to be lead out on hacks with me and Uno.

My other little superstar this year was Uno, surpassing expectations we did our first 3* at Bramham, then did a couple more culminating in doing the ERM at Blair and coming 15th.

Next year the loose plan (pending no injuries horse or human) we intend to get our remaining two CCI*** qualifications and then who knows, maybe just maybe a 4*.

 

[Bernster]

This is so great to see everyone doing so well and having fun, although I can sympathise with those that have an injured horse as one of mine has injured a ddft and ligament in the same leg, which is proving very hard to treat and keep sound, so I think with her we are looking to retire from 2017 onwards, at the moment though she is happy to be lead out on hacks with me and Uno.

My other little superstar this year was Uno, surpassing expectations we did our first 3* at Bramham, then did a couple more culminating in doing the ERM at Blair and coming 15th.

Next year the loose plan (pending no injuries horse or human) we intend to get our remaining two CCI*** qualifications and then who knows, maybe just maybe a 4*.

Ooh fantastic. Keep us updated please!

 

[charlie76]

My aim for this year was to compete in a tail coat on at least one of my horses, both have amazed me by gaining plus 60% in their advanced debuts and to have two competing at that level is beyond my dreams as I have had them both from scratch and trained them myself. The aim for this year is to compete them both at PSG at least.

 

[miss_c]

Genie...

Biggest achievement for Genie in my opinion was getting the highest score over the entire BD Inter-Regionals (74.something%) and smashing her PB at Novice in May.

A week later she had a hole in the lateral branch of her suspensory on her off fore and I've barely ridden her since. We started bringing her back into work but the ligament said 'no' and she's back on rest until the end of January now.

Aim for 2017: Get her back into work. Even if she can only be a happy hacker, I miss riding my superstar.

Arwen...

Grew a lot and then was sold as I need a ridden horse. I simply cannot justify paying for two on livery and not riding either.


Bug...

Arrived! Her biggest achievement was going to her first party and winning it, ok only a walk/trot but we achieved all our aims for the outing and the rosette was simply a bonus.

Aims for 2017: RC areas at Prelim in Feb, have moved up to Novice by the end of the year. She's very clever with a hell of a lot of potential so I see no reason not to crack on. I might venture into the show ring with her as well as she's a smart small hunter.

 

[vallin]

Well last years aim was to try again to get the horse out BE but after a horrendous outing at Aston-le-walls I decided that I wasn't going to bother with aims any more We did, however...

Have a go a le trec and do a full weekend comp (first time camping with the ponio)....

Do many, many fun rides with lots of jumps and gallops...

Have lots of fun XC schooling...

Went to the beach and got thoroughly soaked...

And then in August moved half way across the country and have since continued in the same vein with more fun rides, a bit of SJing and some more XC schooling

Plan for 2017 is to possibly try some competitive endurance and just continuing enjoying the horse

 

[Ahrena]

Despite a 3 month set back due to SI issues my 7 year old who I bought as an unbacked 4 year old has;
- Started BE and has a faultless xc record (only thanks to the fact the one time we had issues XC which was due to her being sore it turned out, I managed to get eliminated in the dressage so it doesn't show!)
- she's proven to so far be a MACHINE xc, it feels like you put her on cruise control and away you go
- ended the season jumping clear round her first BE100
- came late to our last SJ and had to jump the 110cm - i was genuinely necking wine in the lorry and shaking like a leaf, she asked what the fuss was all about.

Next year I would love to finish established at novice, maybe FINALLY don my top hat and tails for a 1* and man up and jump a foxhunter 😳

Mostly be happy and healthy.. producibg her has been incredibly satisfying and she's been so genuine and easy really.

I have no photos since each time I try to log on to photobucket it just directs me to some stupid competition 🙄