What are you working on over winter? Aims for next year?

[Horses24-7]

As title really!

I'm hoping to get set to do some elementary tests next year (move up from novice)

And get some xc schooling practice in so I can be set ready for our first ODE next season

Only an unaffiliated one, but I've always focused on each discipline separately but want to bite the bullet and attempt all 3 in one go! Plus I can't seem to settle on 1 discipline to focus on I enjoy them all!

Thought I would set my goals before the freezing weather kicks in and I get all unmotivated!

What about everyone else?

 

[Alfiem]

Having a few more jumping lessons so we can do workers next year, and balancing up the boy's canter and just slowing things down a bit, so our dressage tests aren't quite so hurried!!

 

[kerilli]

getting my mares out to do some little sj comps, w&t tests then unaff tests, xc schooling when the sj is good, upping their fitness and hoping to come out next season with them really prepared and ready to go eventing, have had a horribly quiet year for various reasons and really want to crack on next year and have some fun.
might reg them for BS depending on what i can find around here. maybe BD too, depends how they go!

 

[only_me]

A lot of grid work and walking/trotting into fences, and focusing on having power in the canter and not "closing" it on corners/approach as I have been!

Dressage wise, trainer is keen to crack on with lateral work! I would love to be able to re-proudce what I get in lessons at a comp but here's hoping

Haven't decided about hunting, but will definately do some hunter trials and pair classes as they are great fun

Theme of winter appears to be lessons, lessons and more lessons Oh that is of course if the snow stays away...!

 

[star]

having a little break from competing and enjoying some hunting then cracking on with flatwork, esp improving the quality of the canter to help with the jumping and a winter of BD with the odd SJ comp thrown in for good measure. Hopefully qualify for the winter music regionals. If I can find a 1.05m unaff class that would be good as pretty happy with 1m now but thinking 1.10m is huge still! Come spring we will prob go XC schooling once because I guess I should pre-season, maybe twice if someone makes me (I hate schooling on this horse - blood not up, spooky and nappy when not in competition mode.) Hopefully start again at BE90 in March. Would like to move up to BE100 again quite quickly but depends how quickly/if we can get a couple of RF qualifications in at 90.

 

[Cazzah]

Dressage, dressage and more dressage! Have even bought the bay beast a bling browband so I will HAVE to do some actual tests. This is with the overall aim of getting ready for our BE debut and in an attempt to be competitive after the dressage. Need to work on suppleness and get him working though...and squash some of my many bad habits. Lessons being booked every fortnight, fingers crossed.

 

[Missypp]

My boy is still on holiday but once he is fit some BS and BD. Ready to start BE and working towards my first CIC * and CCI* in the summer.

The time seems to be flying by can't wait to get back in the saddle.

 

[Befney3]

I'm having a few months 'winter break' from competing. I've given myself a target of being ready to really start the Elementary tests so will be focusing my training on that.

I plan on joining a local riding club who hold a lot of good dressage training & clinics as well as continuing with my regular trainer. I've set myself monthly goals of what I want to be working on & achieving.

 

[glamourpuss]

Hunting the older lad
The young lad will be having lots of lessons & going out to baby competitions. The aim in the spring is to get him out to some unaff ODE's

 

[JVB]

I must be mad writing it all down as it will scare me how much I'm looking to take on, but here goes -

Continue monthly dressage and jumping lessons.

Continue to compete at BD Novice DR, working towards Elem in Spring

Compete at unaff SJ, up to 90cm

Lots of fun rides, XC etc

Write for DR judges all winter looking to start training to be a judge in Jan/ Feb

May look to start UKCC Level 1 in March

Build a website for new business venture - now

Start work on other business idea - ongoing

Continue to plan wedding (May)

Put mare in foal - June

Get mare to Med DR before she gets too fat and in foal, then I'll take a break!

EEK!!! I'm working full time in good corporate job but it's not what I really want to do so I'm on a 3 year plan to go self employed and do more with horses and have two horse related businesses

 

[PorkChop]

For me the theme will be "It's all about the Canter"

Realise that if I really want to progress the canter must be amazing, especially for the sj.

 

[floradora09]

Can see a theme of dressage here!

Having a month off now to rest and have a venture at taking shoes off, then end of november he'll come back into work and from then on loads and loads and LOADS of showjumping! In fact I'm going to bite the bullet and register him BSJA (or BS whatever it is now!) just to make myself go out and have access to loads of competitions!

Oh and I'm sure the dressage diva in me will find the need for a couple of lessons and some comps too..

 

[dressagecrazy]

To hopefully get my Chestnut back up to full fittness & ready for competitions next year.

My youngster will continue in training but will be doing some low level outing's next year.

 

[ShmellyEm]

There are some really good aims on here good luck everyone!

Mine are to continue having lessons and get out to some dressage competitions, and try to improve both mine and coblets confidence showjumping, will try and attempt a little unaff. comp towards the end of winter hopefully! Hunt as much as possible in the holidays AND PRAY THAT IT DOESN'T SNOW.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Mine have changed dramatically, it too was sort the dressage out both me and the horse. However now I am injured the focus is on me so this winter I am :-

Doing as much to promote healing as possible

Trying to improve my flexibility and core strength in the areas I can work on

Improve my mental focus and positive outlook and learn not to dwell on the negative

Learn what I can via books and other media to improve my knowledge of ridden work, stable management and all related equine topics

I want when I come back to riding be better equiped to learn and sharper entally to take on new challenges. Watch this sapce!

 

[Farma]

Making mine go forward more! She is beautiful to ride but need tonnes more oomph before we can move up to going sideways efficiently in tests.

So currently on high energy mix which is ggoing well and going to start with a supplement soon to try and get her nice and forward and energised. Lots of hacking and fitness work and exciting stuff to get her more sharp. Once I have the oomph there will be no stopping us hopefully

Ooh wouldnt mind getting over 70+ at BD either, seem to be dithering in the
60s at the mo (and a 56 that Im trying to forget)!

 

[PooJay]

First thing's first, get the round brown one sound and back to normal after her fall on the road a month ago. That will take at least up until the Christmas period with verrrry light ridden work just to keep muscles from wasting away....followed by physio etc

Mid - end of Dec (hopefully, fingers crossed blah blah) start getting Jays strength back and start asking the questions i'd just started asking before the fall....i doubt i'll get the same answers as we'll have to combat compensatory issues that i have no doubt will cause us problems in the ridden work. (i've spent the last 6 months concentrating getting her straight soft and supple....)

So the plan, if all goes well is to get her back on the straight and narrow and back to where we were. I had planned on doing some unaff dressage and if possible getting someone to take me out in their lorry doing some indoor show jumping but i think we'll just have to stick with the dressage until i'm more comfortable she's not going to shatter at any moment.

Tbh, i'll be happy if she's sound with nothing to worry about. I don't mind starting from scratch, i just want to know that she's ok and we can start having fun again.

 

[JenTaz]

not planning on working on anything too exciting, building up a bit of topline and spending chilly winter mornings playing on the beach

 

[wench]

Ride my horse, and go to some comepetitions and enjoy myself - even if its a 2ft clear round.

But asides from that I want her to get better ASAP. She will then be going to someone I know for some proper work, and hopefully some small competitions so I can go and watch and enjoy myself.

 

[Ali16]

Mine have changed dramatically, it too was sort the dressage out both me and the horse. However now I am injured the focus is on me so this winter I am :-

Doing as much to promote healing as possible

Trying to improve my flexibility and core strength in the areas I can work on

Improve my mental focus and positive outlook and learn not to dwell on the negative

Learn what I can via books and other media to improve my knowledge of ridden work, stable management and all related equine topics

I want when I come back to riding be better equiped to learn and sharper entally to take on new challenges. Watch this sapce!

I admire you hugely SJ - to many ppl would be feeling truely sorry for themselves!

My things to work on are SJ - being able to go into a bigger class 2nd round and not feel like the 'out of place eventer',

And DR - Get the counting in those sodding tempis sorted so we can kick bum at Express Eventing next year.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

strength (him) really.

he can do the 4's and 3's and big canter P's but in order to come out at PSG next year he needs more strength.

he'll have a quiet time between last show (mid Nov) and Xmas, lots of polework, canter work, light stretching etc, try and do as much fun stuff as poss bearing in mind i cant hack him and cant let him down totally due to stifle.

Jan 2012 will start *proper* work again, but i dont really have a specific date i want to be out competing next year, no regionals etc to chase, so ill just keep plugging, taking it as it comes (ie at his pace) and see where we are...............if we are ready to go out at adv/psg in March, great, if its May or June, thats fine. Will be one of those *play it by ear* years i think, but as its such a big stepping stone to the higher levels, its worth taking extra time over.

 

[ArcticFox]

For me, it depends on the arena build. It is on order, planning permission approved and builders booked. Its just that the weather has stopped it - it should have started last month.

Anyway I'm not complaining too much, I am fortunate that I can put one in so the plan will be that when it is finished I will start my boy back up again - try riding 4 times a week.

If the arena is not done until spring then my boy will have a looooong holiday and I will probably consider putting him on livery early next year to get him started again - hope I don't need to do that though

Haggis the foal (born 17th June) is going to his first show in November so I need to spend a little time getting him trotting well behind mum, he is halter trained but just needs the rest!

 

[KatB]

Sounds like a lot of people putting a lot of thought into prep, so all good!

I am going to get in as many flatwork lessons as I can, as I already feel like I am riding better (and madam is more consistent because I am!) after one session, so hopefully more should get me riding half decently! Also continue with once monthly Sjing lessons, the occasional SJing/Dressage comp, and go from there! SJing wise, we're going to do a few 1m quals fo Bluechips, and hope to be more consistent in the 1.10m/newcomers

 

[Scarlett]

Mine have changed dramatically, it too was sort the dressage out both me and the horse. However now I am injured the focus is on me so this winter I am :-

Doing as much to promote healing as possible

Trying to improve my flexibility and core strength in the areas I can work on

Improve my mental focus and positive outlook and learn not to dwell on the negative

Learn what I can via books and other media to improve my knowledge of ridden work, stable management and all related equine topics

I want when I come back to riding be better equiped to learn and sharper entally to take on new challenges. Watch this sapce!

What a fantastic attitude to have. I love that your turning your horrible situation into something positive and looking at improving yourself, it's inspirational to riders like me who will probably never reach the level you compete at regularly.

This winter is my winter of SJ. I planned to BE80 this year but saddle/teeth/personal issues delayed our progress by a few month and when we did start working on the SJ we seemed to have a massive breakthough that makes BE90/100 seem like a far more exciting option so we binned the 80T idea and have been concentrating on jumping. Out Unaff again in 2 weeks then more training before attepting some BS in Dec (if it all goes to plan - hahahahaha!) then hopefully some SJ, JAS and eventer dressage before the BE season starts.

I've never enjoyed riding like I am at the moment, all I want is to keep putting the work in and continuing our steady progress. No matter what level we reach I'll just be happy to have given it my best shot

 

[rowy]

With my 18 year old mare, my plans are:
To get our simple changes up to scratch.
Just get her generally more consistent in the contact and more supple and RELAXED!!
Just about to join BD so then early next year (as soon as the bad weather goes) start getting her out at novice and hopefully qualify for the regionals, if not the areas.
Then hopefully get out competing elem by mid year!

With my 4 year old boy, my plans are:
Keep getting his canter stronger.
Get him more consistent in the contact.
More supple and responding to my leg in sideways movements.
Start training him in more advanced movements (as and when my instructers says its acceptable to introduce them)
Hopefully come out next year in prelim and at some point move up to novice. just unaffiliated till he gets a bit more consistent.

With my 3 year old exmoor:
try and keep her going a bit over the winter just to keep her weight off
Early next year get a saddle fitted for her and back her and start doing basic traning ready for showing/ walk and trot dressage and little sj classes for her.

 

[caramel]

For us:: First off, clipping!! he's being clipped next monday, just having a chaser. Get feet sorted, hopefully have gel pads off so feet can have a break.
Then plenty of hacking, before stopping work over the winter.
He'll come back into work spring 2012, then everything being well will attempt a sponsored ride sept 2012.

 

[Keimanp]

My targets for the Winter and coming year are (and have changed in the last couple of weeks)
1. Get him fit, he has been out of work for a while so we need to get his base fitness back up.
2. Get my lessons back on track and find a decent trainer
3. Loose some weight, I am carrying to much around my waist, it would be nice to be carrying less, making it easier for Prince! (Targetting my lowest weight in years by March)
4. I want to get him jumping again and would like to be in a position to undertake Trailblazer round 2's which doesn't give me that long to get everything together and qualifying for them!

March - May is Trailblazer round 2's which I hope to be able to qualify for Stoneleigh in July?

May onwards will be looking at improving our flatwork and possibly looking towards some very basic dressage whilst looking towards finally getting round to affiliating at Show Jumping for the end of the year.

In addition my sister wants us both to go and do our stages, and they are planned to start in March...

Plans may change but the short term is loose weight and ride more (fittening work), I have to now as he has just been clipped to keep him comfy whilst ridden!

 

[Firewell]

My aim is to relax and appreciate my beautiful horse and to not put so much pressure on us!
I want to work on my belief in myself and know that if I just go with it and enjoy myself everything will fall into place because I'm a good rider underneath all my moaning . Also Jae likes me and he chooses me to ride him by being nice and trying for me so I've got to trust him a bit more and not get tense and worried about what 'might' happen!

Technically I'd like to work on getting Jae to move forwards off my leg more, especially when cantering. I'd also like to work on relaxing whilst jumping and just get a move on in the canter and let the fence to come to us. Hopefully that will happen naturally once I start riding with my instincts and not my naughty head telling me i'm not good enough!

Most of all I want to have fun and come out next year all ready to enjoy ourselves, jump some bigger courses, do some more complicated dressage tests and show the world how good we are .

 

[Flowers187]

With my 10 year old - Just started being competed by my trainer and doing really well, so hopefully i'll keep her super fit and hopefully competing discoverys clear, and maybe qualifying for bluechips? And me being able to trust my girl enough to get around a british novice!

For my 5 year old - Keep her weight and condition on, loading on box and traveling happy, much more hunting and buliding up her confidence jumping and eventually popping around some local 2ft classes without her having a panic attack!

And of course ensuring both my ponies and happy through winter and have enough food and rugs to keep nice and snug!

 

[CaleruxShearer]

Dressage wise I'll be working on getting the lateral work slightly more established, working him more upright through his shoulder and really buzzy off my leg. He's got 23 at BE Novice before so definitely want to get back to that. Will be doing some BD hopefully elementary.
Showjumping - just working on keeping the quality of the canter and straightness. He'll go out and do some BS at Newcomers and possibly the odd Foxhunter if I'm feeling brave!

As for next year he'll go back out at Novice BE, aiming to do some IN's, a couple of CIC*'s and a CCI* - not sure where yet, will depend on how he goes/my uni plans etc