How do you progress / set goals etc. With youngster?

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Not been on here in a while, so hello!

I've got a 5 year old, got her as unbroken 3 year old when I'd just had a baby and had another baby inbetween but we have managed to progress a bit never the less!

We did some small stuff last year, walk trot tests etc. Which finished with a 70cm ODE after which we called if a day because I was quite pregnant.

She's picked up again well and and she's now doing 80cm jumping, prelim tests etc. Got a 80cm ODE next weekend.

Question is, I'm not sure where to go after that! She's really good and tends to just do everything, very bold but still a bit green I guess - unlikely to be competitive BE due to dressage not being quite good enough and likely time faults as jockey not quite confident enough yet!

Would you just carry on at the same level until you've nailed it? Or it seems too easy? Should I be focusing on a certain discipline first? She's the type that will have the smallest fence on the course down and she does jump better bigger but I don't want to rush her and mess up the lovely confident attitude she has.

I would rather do affiliated really but we have very good unaffiliated for all disciplines, so not sure there is much point if we are not really going to be competitive.

Basically, what would you do if you had a nice, bold, but a bit green 5 year old and you weren't 100% confident yourself?
 
Wow - thats good for a 5yr old.
I'm jealous, I have a 5yr old Welsh I broke myself a year ago at 4. We have just started jumping but he isn't bold at all so no ODE's until next year i don't think, don't want to freak him out - hes very immature unfortunately. If she were mine, i'd do a few unaffiliated ODE's.. just for experience. Before any affiliated i'd focus on getting your flat up together before going affiliated.. but this year i'd do as much as possible to get her out and about! Don't over do it but don't over do it, its a hard mix. Try and do a funride, that teaches them respect when others are galloping past, helped mine out a lot.
 
Thanks for your reply! Yes I think you are right. I want to try and keep it quite fun and varied for her.

I think stick to unaffiliated, I can work on dressage and show jumping over the winter and then aim for BE next year. Thanks again!
 
My tip would be to make short term goals. She sounds fantastic and that you are progressing in a great direction for BE/ODE. What about aiming for smaller improvements or goals? For example, introduce lateral work, improve her weaknesses on the flat, have a go at working hunter or anything else to keep it varied but more importantly keep progressing. You don't want her ever to go stale so by focusing on smaller short term goals, I think when you go for bigger goals these will all help. I completely agree with you not wanting to rush her or over face her, she has years ahead of her and in turn this should hopefully help you.
 
I'd focus on building confidence in you both and stay at the same level until you feel it isn't challenging you enough any more, then move up. As long as you fit the entry requirements for the class, there's nothing to say you have to move up a level and stay there. What's to stop you doing one harder comp, then a few easier ones for your confidence, then a harder one again, until you feel ready to progress to the next level permanently?
 
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