As the year draws to a Close ---- achievements and aims?

[blood_magik]

We've had a pretty good year this year.

With Beau, I've gone from jumping our first British Novice (on Dec 6th 2014) to jumping our first Newcomers exactly one year to the day and yesterday, when I was practicing for the six bar at Hogmanay, we jumped 1.50m (my instructor said it was more 1.60m but I'm not so sure - either way, it was bloomin' mahoosive).

(not the best picture but it's the clearest)

We also had a go at some team SJ, some showing and workers, where we even managed a frilly.

First away placing.

The plan for him is to keep working towards Newcomers with the aim of maybe trying a Foxhunter towards the end of the year. I finally have a chance to try to get my four double clears so I'll try for second rounds and possibly the 1.05 or 1.10 NAQ second rounds, too.

Lenny's jumping has taken a bit of a back seat (we started having issues towards the end of August and he's had some time off and then gone to my trainer for a bit). We've been doing a Grassroots showing league and there wasn't one show where Lenny didn't come home with a red frilly - we managed Reserve three times and Champion twice, and then he won the points league. He also placed at Blair (in the showing), although no frilly that time.

My plan is to keep working on his flatwork with the aim of maybe doing a WT test. I also need to find a suitable bit and get jumping again - we'll probably take a step down just until we're comfortable with each other and then go back up to 1.05m. I think the end-line goal will be Newcomers and maybe a few workers, if I can persuade Lenny that there isn't anything hiding under the fences, waiting for him.

 

[BBP]

Well the bonkers black pony and I have had a shocking year (not compared to some, but stressful), starting with a sacroiliac injury, making great progress to having s super happy horse and doing this:

To the next day losing his mind. Rearing bucking, over reacting to everything, head shaking, panicking, the list went on and on, just plain dangerous to ride and it was obvious he was miserable. So he had vets, physios, chiropractors, craniosacral therapists, animal communicators, saddlers, the works. Even had a head CT. Unhappy horse:

Then in October we did a muscle biopsy and gastroscope. He has come back as having recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (muscle disease caused by fault in calcium regulation causing muscle pain and tying up at its worst). He also has glandular ulcers.

Did I mention he isn't insured??!

But after 3 weeks on sucralfate and omeprazole his eyes are brighter and he's getting back to his cheeky self!

So for 2016 I just want us to both be well and happy. And ideally I'd like the chilled out happy horse I was riding bridleless on...who I can hack alone once in a while. That one isn't often seen but who knows. I'm enjoying in hand work and liberty work so if for whatever reason I can't manage these conditions to a rideable level, we will work on becoming awesome at those. He has already learned this year to rein back and go sideways away and towards me just on voice and hand signals at Liberty, even from a big distance from me. Love him!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

The two highlights of my year was the chance meeting of a man able to understand how my bonkers carthorse thinks and turn him into a young horse with a future and my medical records saying 'no evidence of disease'

So in a nutshell we are both still here and looking forwards to 2016.

 

[KautoStar1]

The two highlights of my year was the chance meeting of a man able to understand how my bonkers carthorse thinks and turn him into a young horse with a future and my medical records saying 'no evidence of disease'

So in a nutshell we are both still here and looking forwards to 2016.

amen to that AA.��

 

[KautoStar1]

Achievements - both of us staying sound in 2015 & my lad having a cracking start to his showing career.

Aims - more of the same in 2016 with the hope of a RIHS & Blue Chip ticket. But mostly to just enjoy my horse & have fun in the process.

 

[j1ffy]

It's wonderful reading all the stories - there are some amazing successes and I'm sorry to read the tales of those of you who have had tough years.

My year with Indio has been incredible. This time last year he'd barely been in an arena in three years and I wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to go in a straight line. In March we moved to our awesome new yard (owned by a former poster on here, I can't remember her username but it's something like Ali16 or 17!) and we've both come on leaps and bounds.

My original 2015 plan was to attempt BD Prelim by the end of the year, but then a Spanish horse championship was announced in June which meant getting 60% in two affiliated Prelims by the end of September. We went to our first unaffiliated in June, then non-horsey life went a little pear-shaped so we didn't make it to BD until 24th September. My wonderful horse got 63 and 65% so we qualified! We squeezed in one more BD then straight to the champs - our first 'away' show, first champs and a few months earlier we could barely canter.

So I was very surprised to be standing here in early November:

Here he is strutting his stuff:

He'd also never jumped before this year and we started introducing a little to help his canter work. He took to it like a duck to water, and after just four jumping sessions we went to our first camp at Boomerang...he'd never seen a xc jump yet he was game for everything! Bless our instructor, Giles Carradine, he was laughing at me as I looked stunned whenever he asked us to jump anything then amazed when Indio just did it!

I'm not sure we can top this year, he's done everything I've asked of him and he's not put a hoof wrong. Considering he only came over from Spain last November, and had a very quiet life back there, he's been incredible (he's also the cuddliest horse I've ever known!).

Next year, we are aiming for Prelim regionals and hopefully Novice areas. Then some more jumping, hopefully some jumping competitions and who knows, maybe a little unaffiliated ODE!

We also have this cheeky little monkey coming back over to join us, though he's officially hubby's horse now so I'll have to see how often I can pinch him :

 

[Bernster]

Loving the stories and pics! Some of my fav hho horses on here. Such lovely horses and some great achievements. Real shame about some of the sadder tales but I hope everyone has a fun 2016.

Slightly bittersweet start to the year for me as my lovely mare, who has a few hho connections, picked up soft tissue injury which wasn't responding to treatment so I decided to use a good old fashion need approach of shoes off and Dr Green for a while. Fortunately Auslander is taking fab care of her during her hols and I'm hoping all will be well early next year.

Like a lot of hhoers I couldn't be without a ride and I toyed with loaning or sharing, but no, ofc I did the non sensible thing and bought another horse. I also didn't buy the established schoolmaster I had planned on, but a just turning 5yo big grey lump! Who has turned out to be a little bit fabulous ��
Like nikicb I posted about the year with my new boy on this thread:

https://forums-secure.horseandhound.co.uk/showthread.php?715823-Round-up-of-our-year-(pics)

No particular aims for next year apart from to continue enjoying and progressing and having healthy happy horses.

Roll on 2016 can't believe it's so close.

 

[CowCob]

This year has been CC's best year. I got the balls to pop her over 1.15m and 1.20m which she cleared like it was nothing and I plan to do it more once she's fit. She's been over 1.30/1.40m loose which made my mum and me cry. We've hacked up a main road next to huge lorries whilst I'm day dreaming and have the reins on the buckle. I've finally started to see her as the star she could be, after last year of tripping over 50cm crosses and her own feet, no direction and looking like a total horror. She's had a 10 year old disabled child smile and squeal just because they were on her back (she behaved impecably and you would have thought she was an ancient schoolmistress if you didn't know her) which was the lovelest thing I've ever seen. We finally fixed her picking up feet thing. She's also learned that when a human (esp a man) touches her ears they're not going to hurt her which up until the middle of this year only I at occasional times could do. There's a lot, lot more but they're more silly things of my ooh'ing and aww'ing at her.

Goals for next year are to go out to Sunshine Tour (the little one!) at 1m if we're still able, event BE100 and go jump 1.10's and maybe a few 1.20's if we're doing well. I'd love to properly take her hunting this year as well.

Super proud of my little pony!

 

[Hannahgb]

This year has been awful horse wise for me. I started the year with 3 sound and healthy horses and have come to the end of it with 2 lame ones. Ferdi strained his check ligament in February and had 3 months off. May, Otto my 19year old damaged his pelvis, this was fixed for a while but sadly in October had to be put down. I am still so so heartbroken and miss him more every day. Ferdi is now going through investigations on his SIJs/ Lumbar spine/ hocks and hind suspensories and Zigs front suspensories are causing issues again.

The only 2 upsides are taking Ferdi out to his first Novice and placing 4th, and taking Zig to his first elementary and pulling in 4th! Thats about it. Not got huge hopes for next year either, but as long as they are happy then thats all I can hope for.

 

[gina2201]

Achievements although small but achievements and firsts for her/us none the less!

- Went to her first Showing competition, came away with a 1st and a 3rd
- Went to her first Dressage competition and achieved a 3rd with just over 65%
- Learning to load into a trailer more confidently and actually being able to get to the above competitions was an achievement in itself!

Much more of the above to come and with a new dressage trainer onboard and trailer test booked 2016 could be a busy one hopefully with 2 camps booked already (a first for both us!) and competitions lined up!

 

[TheFizzPony]

My achievements seem very small compared to everyone else's but I have had such a great year!

In the summer I got the opportunity to loan a lovely pony, I am pretty sure it is down to her that I got through my exams and into vet school!
I think the biggest thing was falling off a total of 6 times (her and a couple of others) but only losing confidence twice! I also did my first show, did the 55 and 65 showjumping (cue elimination in both due to falling off!) and did my first dressage test with a score of 61%.
Looking forward to 2016 where hopefully I will be able to continue riding her in the holidays, but also enjoying my lessons with uni at a local riding school.

 

[DressageCob]

I've had a great year. My horse (14.2hh cob called Albert) and I qualified for summer and winter regionals at prelim, 2xArea festivals at Novice. We acquired numerous red rosettes over the course of the year too. We also went to Hickstead Masters league nationals at prelim. In the summer we went to Trailblazers finals in novice and elementary, placing in both. A jolly good year for my little horse.

We've also had fun going hunting, fun rides, farm rides etc. He's a fab little horse.

As for next year, I think we will aim to do some BD elementary and just see how we get on. No big aims...I'm a firm believer in enjoying my horse whatever we are doing and however far we get. I'm just going to see what happens.

 

[xspiralx]

Bit of a depressing year for me really, I haven't been on here much lately as a result.

Started the year on a bit of a high, finally getting my difficult 7yr old gelding out BS. I've had a catalogue of behavioural issues with him and various physical issues so actually getting out competing was a real achievement. We jumped several BNs and a Discovery in the first quarter of the year and he was brilliant, getting several placings and DCs.

Although he was going really well out competing, he was still difficult at home.

We started investigating ulcers as he would get angry about the leg and aggressive about being groomed and tacked up, and a scope revealed very mild grade 1 ulcers - which we treated him for - but it didn't help.

His behaviour on the ground got progressively worse, he became so spooky out hacking that it bordered on dangerous and in the school it felt like we were riding with the handbrake on all the time.

So I got the vet out to do a full lameness work up. Trot ups and flexions came up completely clear, lunging on a circle and ridden showed up an intermittent bi-lateral hind lameness which the vet thought looked like SI or stifle issues. Only managed to do one nerve block as he became far too difficult - so it was off to the vet hospital for a full work up there followed by a bone scan. Long story short, the bone scan and subsequent ultrasounds revealed issues with both hind suspensories, plus secondary issues in front feet and SI.

We commenced 8 weeks of box rest with shockwave therapy, to be followed by a walking programme to get back into work. However he got more and more fed up and dangerous to the point that I couldn't tie him up on the yard or groom him without dodging teeth and legs. So for his mental wellbeing and my safety I made the decision to turn him away for a while and see if Dr Green can fix him.

Right now I have no idea if he will come back to work at all, let alone jumping or competing, so I'm having a break and considering my options for next year.

Anyway, that's all from me! Happy New Year everyone - hope you have a great 2016 with your ponies!

 

[Suzie86]

I've had a great year - pony will turn 25 in 2016 so I'm just happy we've had another year of him being fit, sound and happy!

We moved to a new yard in March which has been brilliant - the hacking is great so we have been mostly doing fun hacks as he loves nothing more than a blast round the woods!

We've even managed to get out and about doing cross country schooling and clear round jumping - just small stuff, absolutely no pressure and nothing tricky but he just loves it!

Aims for next year - well providing he is still enjoying his work then I would love to do a little ODE, it's been absolutely years since our last one and I know he would love it! Other than that just to keep having fun together while we still can, luckily (fingers crossed!) he's not showing any signs yet of needing to slow down - in fact last time we were out jumping someone asked me if he was a youngster! I almost cried 😄

 

[only_me]

We haven't had the best of years Billy and I! What we did do was good although was cut short due to a weird problem & we started late as I've been busy with a shed load of uni exams lol. So we haven't been very active on here. But we've come out happy and looking forward to a busier year in 2016

We have finally improved our showjumping, going clear a few times and managed to only have one down in a 1.15 course on grass the key to the Improvement appears to be that we only jump once every couple of weeks!
We placed 2nd at all our events (pn and novice) and even managed a 18.3 dressage!!!

Dabbled in some county showing were he excelled and placed 2nd in the open LW hunter and 2nd in the ladies hunter astride, with the ride judge really enjoying her ride on him.
We've also been told that we should be doing Dublin this year in the hunter and maybe coloured class, so maybe we will

We qualified for the open PC champs eventing, but were unable to go which is a big shame as I'm now out of PC

Otherwise it's been a year of hacking, having fun and playing around with our dressage, we can now do half pass, Demi pirouettes and 3 time changes in a straight line

But currently Billy looks like this, as I've managed to lose an organ in the past week and therefore off games for a bit lol. But fingers crossed we have an even better 2016, no goals other than to go have fun eventing, and maybe try our hand at a medium dressage test!

Everyone appears to have had a year of ups and downs as well, so let's hope everyone in 2016 has a year with more ups!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

2015 has been a real mixed bag for me. I managed to sustain my first real proper injury coming off Goof, so was out of action for 6 weeks with a fractured collarbone and tip of shoulder.
I was back on quickly after plating but took the decision to send him away to someone bigger, heavier and stronger with more tricks up their sleeve...............i havent regretted it for a moment as he's come back the most reliable 3yo ive ever sat on and has taken to ridden work like a duck to water

our 2016 aims are stallion grading and 4yo classes. He will start going out as and when he's ready and i feel we can go out and have a nice day with minimal fuss, so for now he's going to keep doing lots of hacking to see the world, and a few arena hires to start learning about working away from home.

hopefully in 2016 i will see more white boards and less hospitals!

 

[nikkimariet]

3 little letters... PSG!!!!

 

[Girlracer]

I think this more or less sums up what we have achieved, first is when I met him in March and second was a few weeks ago.

Of course what we have achieved has been much more than that, but its ended up a good 2015, onwards and upwards.

 

[vallin]

My aim at the end of 2014 was to get DP out eventing and hopefully finish the seasons with a couple of BE90s...as many of you know that did not happen. Not even close. Hopefully the pictures below will give you a flavour of our 2015 (the good and the bad) and this year we'll make it!

This round ended with my thumb shattered into four pieces...

Would have been first...couldn't remember that there's a fence 11 between 10 and 12...

Good day

Good Day

Lead dressage and show jumping...four stops XC to finish last.

Didn't get past fence two in the SJ of our first BE80

Finished 7th in our second BE80

And since then just lots of lessons and fun and games

 

[blackhor2e]

Lovely to hear about everyone's achievements this year. I think our main achievement this year has been to be competitive at 2* and complete a CCI** double clear at Osberton.

Since its been going so well we are now aiming for 3* next year, which is something I never expected to be able to do, but so excited to see whether we can manage. Good luck to you all, and I've made it a New Years resolution here to update more often on our progress to 3* as I read so many inspiring reports on here.

 

[Eggyemi04]

I've started going to shows as I never have the 8 years I've been riding and me and my pony are doing really well and has won lots

 

[muddy_grey]

Bit of a weird year for me, but in comparison to some of you I can't complain. Had soooo many plans for getting L (my 4yo) out and about, but again lack of transport meant it didn't happen. Felt quite disheartened in the summer, but fingers crossed for next year.
I made the decision to move yards after 4 lovely years in March. I felt I needed a more competition atmosphere and my YO was loosing interest in general. New yard was lovely and offered the chance to get out and compete. Yard was beautiful and she looked great but unfortunately they didn't really compete. The yard then decided to stop offering livery and I had to find a new yard in November.
I have now been at yard number 3 for 2 months and so far I really like it. Lots of lovely people, course of jumps always up, floodlights and some of them compete.
Good points of 2015 - I love the Lollipop pony! I started backing her in Dec 2014 and she is now popping 90cm course with ease, sometimes with a little too much gusto Schooling is still a work in progress, but getting there. She is confident and safe hacking out and with all traffic even on her own. She was very nervous of other horses, but today popped a jump right by the fence completely ignoring the idiot rearing on the lunge in the school next door, which is a HUGE achievement. I now feel that if/when we do make it out to a show we might not melt down in the warmup.
I think this picture sums up our 2015 pretty well so it must have been pretty good!

OH and I have been saving and it looks like a little lorry might be on the cards in February!!!! So fingers and toes crossed to a competition focussed 2016

 

[Pigeon]

Beautiful photos on this thread, and it's so exciting reading people's aims for the year ahead!

 

[LiffWee93]

it will be lovely to hopefully see reports of people achieving most of whats on this thread!

 

[rachk89]

Loved reading this thread. Hoping i can be as successful this year.

We didn't really achieve much as I only got my horse in June and with confidence issues on my part I was never confident enough for months to ride him properly. Made some progress towards the end of the year he can now continue a circle in canter for longer than 5 seconds he manages 3-4 circles in a row now.

My aim is to train him up to elementary level by the end of the year and maybe get better at jumping but we shall see about that one.

 

[atlantis]

We've had a fab year!!! I've owned Lottie for 14 months now. It didn't start well with on off 1/10 lameness that the vet and Physio just put down to being very very unbalanced and on her forehand. So we started some rehab in the form of Straightness Training. A bit unorthodox but bloody hell has it worked. She was very trippy on the roads and struggled turning left generally. After just 3 months of straightness training she won her first ever dressage test, intro B, with 70%!!

Since then we have been xc schooling, hired arenas, she hacks alone and in company (I moved yards as was struggling to hack as she was so spooky and the road too busy) and I can pop my 4 year old daughter up on her and she is the perfect lead rein pony (and DD gets to feel lateral mvts too). She has attended a straightness training clinic or two and behaved impeccably at all times!! I am currently teaching her half pass from the ground and this has improved her dressage no end. We entered our local riding club Xmas dressage just for a laugh and won both intro B and prelim 1 with over 70% again in horrendous awful winds (which she didn't bat an eye at)!!

This pony is just wonderful I love her so very much. She has had December off so plans (once DD is back at school) are to get her clipped and back in proper work aiming for some more prelim tests and maybe a novice by the end of the year. Also start some proper jumping (she's popped tiny logs and X poles) and have some jumping lessons. I'd love to take her to the beach too!!!

A few pics...

With DD...

First hack...

XC schooling (well log popping)

ST clinic

First jump (and first time in an indoor)...

With our sash at the Xmas dressage!!

Love my little Lottie!!!