Aims for 2009!! And how has 2008 season been for you?

[volatis]

This year we've had another good season with our youngstock. 3 First premium at the BEf Futurity, and one Top Score of the day. And my yearling hack has been out twice and placed at county level both times.

Next year, I want to get my bosses ex show horse out to do some dressage, thats more of a challenge than it sounds.
Hopefully repeat our successes at the Futurity, with the next crop of foals.
Show Valiant, who will then be 2, at some of the bigger shows, like the Royal etc, and hopefully do the same with my 3yo coloured filly Cleio.

I have to wait till 2010 to bring any homebreds out under saddle!

 

[kerilli]

Saw this post this morning and didn't have time to reply then!

2008 Highs
Getting back into BE.
Taking Katy round a few PNs, and a couple of Ns, and discovering that the sj needs a lot of work but the xc is awesome... she's probably the best i've sat on tbh.

 

[kerilli]

Saw this post this morning and didn't have time to reply then!

2008 Highs
Getting back into BE.
Getting a lovely new lorry!
Taking Katy round 5 PNs, and a couple of Ns, and discovering that the sj needs a lot of work but the xc is awesome... she's probably the best i've sat on tbh.
Having the ride on James, taking him from Intro to Novice, lots of double clears along the way.
Great clear xc with both of them at Eland Lodge, their first Novice, round a pretty serious track - I was so pleased with them. James was double clear there and got a point, bless him, he was a star.
Keeping my others in 1 piece all year!

Lows 2008
Katy going wrong, something mysterious to do with front feet that we can't really get to the bottom of, and missing most of the season.
James losing a little bit of his jump and missing the last few months of the season because he wasn't 100%. Very slight, very frustrating.

Aims for next year: Buying or getting the ride on another one to run alongside Katy. Keeping them both sound and right, and going N to Int hopefully, then aiming for a CCI.
Starting to compete my two 3-yr olds (they'll be 4 then), maybe do BYEH etc depending on how they feel.
Keep having fun!

 

[Rachel1]

Have loved reading everyone's highs!
Here's my highs/lows/goals etc....
Highs:
- Getting a couple of v respectable scores with Lou at medium
- Coming 3rd in elementary open with 66.89% on Lou at the area festivals despite him being too hot and behind the leg
- Affiliating Eric and getting his first BD points (before he then went lame)
- Getting the ride on two gorgeous horsies, Harry and Imeca
- Following my dream and getting the chance to train full time in dressage by someone I really look up to (in fact 2 people that I really look up to as doing part time with both initially)
- Being given the amazing opportunity of being given a gorgeous 4yr old dimaggio horsey for a year to train on
- Got my first proper sponsor!
- in general have been bowled over by the opportunities and support I've been given
Lows:
- After being spoilt last year, this year have not been able to get out to as many comps as would like due to one thing or another
- Eric going unsound just after we affiliated him (although touch wood is fixed and happy and working well again now)
- Getting hammered in the winter ele regionals for Lou dropping his poll and finishing a disappointing 15th (a lesson v well learnt there for me!! disappointed with myself not Lou obviously)
Goals for 2009:
- push myself as hard as I possibly can with my riding
- qualify the gee gees for the regionals
- qualify youngster for 5yr old champs
- build up freelance riding and teaching
- save up to take my HGV test
- save to do my bronze medallion in Germany
- to make enough money that I don't have to resort to sleeping in a cardboard box in the stable!
- get to national champs
- and finally to win lots of red rossies hehe
good luck everyone with your goals, I hope you achieve them and have lots of fun along the way

 

[Foxfolly]

Highs
2 Healthy foals born
Buying my stallion
Backing above stallion (Been out on 3rd hack now!)
Backing other 4yo (Only just at sitting on and leading round stage with him!)
2 mares scanned in foal... 1 to new stallion... very excited!!
2nd litter of patterdale pups arrived... 9 all healthy
Getting a new patterdale bitch and a Springador pup!

Lows
Eventer not wanting to jump but hopoefully fixed for next year now...Thanks to McTimoney practitioner!!
Feeling 101 when I get up in the morning, due to a few falls from above eventer and weather changing seems to be affecting my knee after op in winter, oh and pulled groin... hopefully will mend in a few weeks though!! I'm only 32!!
My fave mare not taking in foal as quick as we'd hoped but fingers crossed she is now!
Losing 2 cats and a dog

Aims for next year:
Do lots with the youngsters over the winter
Get out eventing with old boy and hopefully the stallion too (Even if he is bred for SJ!!)
Get an arena!
Sell 2 youngsters to help pay for above arena!!

 

[trefilan]

Highs 2008:
Getting 2nd at Stockland Lovell opn, which was the 1st pn I managed to get round.
Going DC in nearly all of my BE events with good dressage.
Winning the intermediate pony club area event.

Lows 2008:
Not being able to event for 3 months because of exams for the 1st 2 months and then lameness for the 3rd.
Coming off at Solihull Pn.
The pony having to have most of her front hoof cut off due to really aggressive seedy toe so no hunting for us this season.
Not being able to go to the pony club champs because of results.
Having a bad fall at the pony club novice champs, injuring mav so more time off.

Aims 2009:
Do JRN's and hopefully get into the welsh team for Weston or failing that go over to Necarne to do the *.
Get another horse to run alongside mav BE.
Get out more!!!!!

 

[Cruiseonamiro]

2008 aims - Get to now my new horse, do a PN and jump in the team sj at burghley horse trials - both of which I was told I wouldn't be able to do by several people, and we've done both! Apart from that bit frustrated as feel a little left behind by others!
2009 - Novice & JRN by before Buckminster!

 

[hotellie]

camel horse- were u not allowed to go to the pc chmaps because you were getting you results !????

 

[wonkey_donkey]

HIGHS

Impy having another consistent BSJA (half) season including qualifying for the Amateur 2nd rounds in the 95cm, 1m, 1.10m and 1.20m before going off to his new home with my daughter mid year.

The safe birth of my first homebred foal - ahhh!

Getting my second mare in foal.

Following one of our junior ponies go from a SJ to a his BE career qualifying to go from Intro, to Pre Novice to Novice in one season and being placed in the Burghley Event Pony Final with his fab new owner.

LOWS

Watching Impy go off in the lorry to his new home in Ireland (how many tears).

AIMS & HOPES FOR NEXT YEAR

Another fit and healthy foal!
Upgrading my broodmares

 

[Ottinmeg]

well, had my girl a year now and have done absolutely nothing with her!
aims for end of this year/next year are to get her loading without a 'who is the most stubborn contest' every time. Also i'd like to get her round a 1ft s/j course (plenty big enough for me

) and would like some of the more capable kids to jump her round bigger tracks.would also like to take her xc schooling and do some fun rides and if i get really brave would love to take her out with the bloodhounds.

 

[BeckyD]

Highs:
* Finally getting transport after 11 years of horse owning!
* The Canter for a Cure sponsored ride - Ronnie was fantastic and I could not have asked for more, proved all his doubters wrong, bless him.
* Coming 5th in our first two SJ outings (ok only 2 foot and 2 foot 3 and not against the clock, but still!).
* Getting some excellent scores at dressage with lots of 8's and 9's and some really encouraging comments - the judges love him

* How his flatwork has come together, he is a *joy* to ride 99% of the time - at least when at home!
* A fantastic lesson with Mia, where Ronnie proved to me what a superstar he really is, jumping everything in sight over jumps he'd never seen before and proper fillers, the works.
* Jumping generally coming together and clearing a 1m grid like it was nothing.
* Just having a horse again and such a fab one as he is.

Lows:
* Injury after accident after injury: From slipping on the road to leg concussion to banged tendon to back problems to cut throat...more time off work than in work this year.
* Never really being able to get going competitively due to accidents and injuries and being months behind where I had wanted to be.
* STILL not done any XC.
* Very low scores at dressage (several zeros, lots of 1s 2s and 3s, which offset the 8s and 9s), due to spending large amounts of time facing the wrong way or going sideways.
* Loading problems.

Goals for 2009 (which are really "Goals for 2008" repeated as failed to meet nearly all of them)
* Dear God, please staying sound. And sorting out this back problem.
* Get round a bl**dy XC course.
* Get the dressage scores up to where they should be - 70% in my (overly ambitious!) opinion - if we can get 7s and 8's for half the sheet, we can get 7s and 8's for the whole sheet. He does not NEED to go into reverse/sideways gear.
* Get the jumping sorted out again.
* Do some ODE's with the aim of BE'ing in 2010.
* Have fun!!

 

[Eventerlad15]

Well after a mixed year, and season not over yet:

Highs:
Clear xc in my first JRN
Double clear in second JRN, 10 th place
Gaining a PB in BE novice dressage
Some great xc rounds
Having lessons with some great people
Working on a professional event yard for 5 weeks

Lows:
Having to sell my young horse becausde he had no brain cells
Giving up the JRN horse I had on lease due to poor SJ
Missing 2 months due to loss of partnership between horse and rider
Not doing a 1*
Owner fit to ride horse again so have to say bye soon(possibly)
Cancellations and balloting ruining the last 2 months

Aims 2009:
Find a new horse to buy
Do CCI 1*, hopefully spring and autumn one
Do some intermediates
Improve my riding
Get on JRN team

Aims are more like dreams, lets just see how it goes!

 

[wizoz]

Let me see, 2008 hasn't gone as I would have liked but it's not all bad. In the end I just could not afford to keep competing at BE so had to put it on the back burner and concentrate on the training more.
I am very happy with how Boo is progressing but he still needs to grow up, at 8 rising 9 he still acts like a 5 year old at times which is most frustrating.

For 2009, I would really like to have the money to be able to have loads more lessons with Bruce Haskell, who has really got Boo's number and has been a fab trainer for us and then be ready to come straight out at Pre Novice but be more than ready for it. Aldon is always my aim, so that, at the moment, is my aim for 2009! Well hey, i'm not gonna aim too high now, this is horses after all!

 

[Rosiefan]

First off want to say huge hugs and vibes to all who have either been injured themselves or whose horses have been off games and I hope things are sorted for you all next year.

I can't say what have been Rosie's highs/lows, only what I have felt.
Highs:
- 37 points earned this year so far on Bertie - 17th in his first 1* with her and 21st in his and her first 2*;
- completing with Lottie at intermediate, several good JRN placings on her and earning 17 points altogether during this season;
- Cruz coming 5th, 3rd and 2nd at intro and being sold to some super people who love her.

Lows:
- having seven (yes 7) SJ jumps down in Bertie's first 2*;
- being eliminated at Tweseldown in Lottie's first intermediate.

Hopes for 2009.
I'm guessing but:
- lots of fun hunting, point to pointing (maybe a winner or two) and BSJAing over the winter;
- some more really good useful lessons.

next BE season:
- more 2* with Bertie and hopefully stepping up to 3*;
- maybe another 2/3* prospect to ride.

 

[MillbrookSong]

Well 2008 was good and bad for me!!

Song - Good
1st of all coming back sound after his knee injury
Started back very well at novice being inside the time at all but 2 events (never before achieved for me - other than once when i was so scared!!)
Got some more points and 1 for a double clear - most precious to date!!
Finished a CCI* clear inside the time XC

Bad -

Finishing the season early before we got a chance to prove ourselves properly at Int due to a tendon injury so another 6-9 months off

Missing out on a 2nd placing at ALW due to me missing a fence out, and missing out on a few other placing due to going to fast!

Gogs - Good

Well his season only started on sunday and he went clear round a 2ft 3 HT (no laughing!!) in control, this is a big thing for us!!

And finaly Buster - he will not start work until next year when he will be 4 but i have great things planned for him, not that he knows that yet.

 

[eventingdiva]

Ok, well i'm very boring and ordinary compared to you lot!

Highs - Gorgeous (and so far, touch wood) fit and healthy foal born!
- being offered a new horse to event (never mind first and last event is on sat!)
- should be able to BSJA new horse NC over the winter and get over my scary show jumping thing!
- work - i know it sounds sad but esp the last few months have been fantastic, horses are really coming on now and there is some VERY exciting stuff happening soon!!!

Lows - after doing 2 PN's at the beginning of the season realising that Pop's heart really wasn't in it and her going home
- not eventing/competing since april
- just generally had a boring year really! I hate not competing!
- my old pony isn't looking too good atm, not sure how much longer she'll be with us

- Mol, whos just had 18 months off having babies still doesn't look sound

Aims - jump NC over the winter, hopefully start next year pn with new one, then move her up to novice mid season

- hopefully Mol will be sound, BD her and do a bit of eventing

- keep foal healthy and well behaved!

 

[now_loves_mares]

OK to take it down a notch...

Highs:
Moving house so my horses are now stabled at home - fulfills a 20 year dream

Getting back to BE again after a 14 year absence.
Always getting below 35 in the dressage, and usually being well placed after SJ
Getting over inexplicable competition nerves, having once been really gutsy
Starting riding my baby horse, including jumping her

Lows
Only completing 2 out of 5 starts at said events, due to water issues

Being really un-focussed, not getting horse as fit as should be, and not planning the season, hence had to pull out of last two events entered.
Not getting very much training
Getting bucked off on the road last weekend

Plans for 2009
Focus, focus, focus!!!!
Be much more prepared, start season earlier, and practice water!
Get horse fitter...
Start eventing 4yo (who will be 5 by then!) (this one makes me scared

)
Would like to have the older one at PN and the younger one doing DC's intro by the end of the year.
Get a LOT more training.
Drink less wine

OK the last one isn't realistic!

 

[hayleyc]

for me 2008 has been great, after taking a while to get used to my new horse he has turned out brill, we have won over £500 bsja this season and just over £200 bsja on my other horse.
Qualified both 1.20m scope
1.20m amateurs on both
placed in 1.25m classes
placed in the hoys amateur on my new one and only having 4 faults in his newcomer 2nd rounds.
had a great show at arena, qualified fox and winning small grand prix.
now just need to get last fox double clear for 2009.

so my aim for 2009 is for the horses to keep on doing as well and the dream, to qualify for hoys.
and for my 4 year old to get out jumping and enjoy it too.