I kicked off 2015 Q2 with an ambitious goals post. Which was followed by a sudden cessation of all activity when the barn was quarantined by a flu outbreak for 3 weeks. Womp womp.
 |
| we interrupt your regularly scheduled barn life with a quick case of the flu... |
The beauty of quarterly goals vs. monthly is that we managed to still cross stuff off the list despite April being a total loss.
2015 Q2 goals:
General:
Monthly confo shots. Just dooooooo it!Yerp.- Dressage lessons!!!! I'm crossing it off even tho the lessons aren't as frequent as I envisioned. These lessons are seriously amazing, and my personal best score of a 26.8 on test BN-B is a direct result.
Another saddle fittingYep, did this. Then did it again... Now looking into corrective padding. Fun! (*sigh*)- Isabel's 6 month chiro appt. Ehhhh... there was drama. long story short, I'm looking for a new practitioner. Will hopefully have something scheduled in July.
 |
Riding:
- More no-stirrups work (dropping outside stirrup on a circle counts). long term goal: independent seat! Eh, not so much. Will continue to be a work in progress. We did work on my seat via posting the canter. Different approach but good benefits!
- Improve canter transitions - both up and down. Needs work.
Actually, improve all transitions - ride from seat.I worked hard here, with lots of trot-halt-trot-halt-back-halt-trot type stuff. And YES we improved all transitions (we got an 8 from trot to walk!). Still needs work, but I'm crossing it off the list as a pat on the back.
Competition:
Earn a score < 40% (measuring faults) on a dressage test.Boom, did it. Twice! No, wait three - FOUR times!Finish with a number at our first horse trial.Yep - then managed to get a ribbon at our first move up to BN, and finish on our dressage score at our most recent outing. So far we've finished each event this season with a number.
Reach:
- Take a lesson with Sally Cousins? Still really want to do this!
Move up? Go BN at an event (a CT would count, as would a 2'6" division at an h/j show).WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
| water jumps are still skerry tho... |
2015 Q3 Goals:
(wow how are we already halfway through the year?? omg nuts...)
General:
- take monthly confo shots (apparently need to bake this into my goals otherwise it won't happen)
- research MCTA points system and year end awards rules
- audit a clinic or two - perhaps David O'Connor's clinic at Waredaca in August?
Riding:
- improve lateral work (like, make it an actual thing that we can do)
- strive to make water on cross country nbd. also, practice real ditches
- improve canter transitions. for real.
- haunches, why u drift left while halting at X???
- steady the connection!
- get my toes pointing forwards (not out) over fences more consistently
Competition:
- mix jumpers and dressage shows into the agenda
- recognized event?
- finish on dressage score at an event
- dressage score <35 (measuring faults)
Reach:
- lesson with Sally Cousins
- work on lead changes? not sure this is a trainer-approved goal, but I'm interested in investigating
- finish in top 5 at an event (for divisions with 10+ riders, top 3 otherwise)
- if jumpers and/or dressage shows DO happen, push our boundaries a little (ie, higher heights, tougher tests)
 |
You've been totally rockin' your goals! And I know you're gonna rock your new goals too. Can't wait to read all about the awesome stuff you're working on :)
ReplyDeletethanks - i certainly hope we'll make a decent showing this quarter :)
DeleteThat mask picture kills me every time!!! You are SMASHING all your goals!! :D
ReplyDeletehaha this blog needs MOAR mask pictures :D
DeleteGood goals! All sound tough but do-able! I definitely think you'll be able to finish on a 35 or better your next outing!
ReplyDeletethanks! we certainly have the training to finish on that score - it's just a question of whether i ride the way i've been taught haha - always a crap shoot!
DeleteYou are too organized. I feel like a slob with my zero planning for the year lol.
ReplyDeletelol thanks. most of the goals are sorta chosen based on where we are now, rather than planned way ahead of time. mostly it just helps me stay accountable :)
DeleteI like your success rate!! Regarding teaching lead changes I find them scary and will not approach them yet. Every time I've seen someone (not a trainer) try to put lead changes on their horse it seems to end with lots of cross cantering and confusion. And Murray throws clean ones occasionally as is so I am not messing with that just yet!! Good luck and I'm excited to read how it goes!
ReplyDeletethanks - and that's sort of my thoughts about the changes too (and i should clarify - i mean for jumping not dressage). isabel actually already has her changes and will frequently auto change from left to right, but not right to left - and we very often end up cross cantering around left turns and sometimes the fence itself.
Deletemy trainers aren't particularly worried about this - one prefers that a horse changes on its own accord, and the other pointed out that William Fox Pitt's Tamarillo tends to cross canter all the time... so we'll see. really i just want to learn how to ask properly as a rider, since i tend to lack that type of coordination lol
Excellent! I love that three months ago your reach goal was to mayyybe go BN and you guys blew that one right out of the water.
ReplyDeletethanks - and that's kind of crazy right? i guess all the little pieces are finally falling into place
DeleteWell done! I think I will join you on the monthly conformation shots...especially for my girl Mystic once she's a real horse with a job.
ReplyDeleteooh you totally should! i really want to get better at posing the horse too - probably should have made that part of the goal lol
DeleteYou have accomplished a dizzying number of goals! And that horse mask. I snicker every time.
ReplyDeletethat horse mask is my everything lol :D
Deletedang, you're good at getting your goals done. With your level of accomplishment you could put in there that you'll do something crazy like go to the olympics and I bet you would... even if they aren't until 2016!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting so much done! I'm sure you will do great for accomplishing more this year!
That horse doctor picture is scary. And hilarious. Scalarious!
lol @ scalarious! and thanks - tho i'll let you in on a little secret: my goals are very much based on the things i'm pretty sure (within reason) that we can accomplish - the whole 'realistic and achievable' thing. many of these we're already working on. it would be cool to have the olympics on that list too haha, maybe one day? :)
DeleteYou killed your goals!!
ReplyDeletethanks we're werkin on it!
DeleteSeriously you rock, and I'm inspired by your goals and your progress.
ReplyDeleteaw thank you so much! that's really sweet - esp bc i'm still a little in shock about how well things are going right now, like we really turned a corner. can't wait to see how you can Hannah continue to gel together!
Delete