2020 training hopes and dreams

[StraightForward]

A little beyond the 2-month goals threads, what are your hopes for 2020?

This is NOT a resolutions or plans thread, because we know how that goes with horses.

My hopes and dreams:

Annabelle's rehab concludes successfully in the near future and she is able to return to normal turnout. We get to resume our lessons this spring and maybe show first level by summer or fall and have a good semblance of 2nd level in the works. Bonus would be getting to participate in a couple local clinics this spring and fall as well.

The Ritter's What, Why How course has just re-started, and I'm grandfathered in as a beta course member. I hope for Annabelle to stay sound, and my schedule to stay sane enough that I can follow through the entire course this year (34 weeks ).

My hope that I can get Tesla backed myself in about May, and that it is uneventful. My dream is that she is a total peach and ready for some local outings in the fall at Intro or Training.

[Flight]

I'm going to have a massive aim to be able to do the GP movements with Ding. Not necessarily get through a whole test in one go, but to be able to individually do the movements.
Norsey - up to Advanced. Mind you that means sitting trot and he is so bouncy. Well, that might mean my fitness has to increase x 10000!!

[blob]

Hopefully I can get MM on a trailer again after her accident and if I can, then my biggest hope and dream is to get my bronze on her. I only need one score. But right now my changes need work before I waltz back into the show ring. Though, my trainer texted me yesterday to tell me that one of HIS resolutions is to get me and MM back on track with our changes, ha.

My other goal with MM is to be more focused and thoughtful about our rides and to mix things up more.


With RP, I'd really just like to get us in a consistent place so we can start making meaningful progress. I'd love to get a few shows under my belt with him (we did only one last year before he hurt himself).

[Dresseur]

Soundness for myself and Miro!
In the next decade, I want to train him to GP.

He’s back to schooling changes and large working piris and if he doesn’t manage to hurt himself again, he has all the makings of a horse of a lifetime for me. With that being said, Andrea and I are working on figuring out an arrangement in which he can stay at her place. I have been having nightmares about bringing him home because we have no small paddocks and no quiet buddies and each injury has been a stupid pasture accident. So just knowing that him staying under her management is a huge relief.

Short term goals, I want to show him 4th level this season. 3rd is there- 4th will be dependent on how soon he figured out the changes well enough to do a sequence of them. When he doesn’t anticipate and overthink, his changes are gorgeous. He’s gorgeous. I love my horse!

[exvet]

My hopes and dreams? Well, his name isn't Annwylid Dare to Dream for nothing......We're going to continue to focus on the training pyramid as we find those flying changes. So for 2020, my hope and dream is to be competing at third level by the end of the year. Suppleness, relaxation and responsiveness to the aids will probably be where the majority of my attention will be focused as we continue to develop Junior's strength, power and willingness to push forward and lift up in keeping that cycle of energy recycling through his body in the right way. Most of all though I pray that he stays strong and healthy. Given that he's a home-bred that I delivered (and the first one I've been able to keep) we have a particularly strong bond.

[Aleuronx]

Hmm, well I know this is going to be cliche but to have fun? I just got wheels this fall so planning to spend the year doing whatever, whenever we want.

My hopes and dreams
-Develop a solid, trusting connection and contact. The basics are hard, the rest is easy.
-Truck to my trainers for lessons (see above)
-Create a confident, happy horse competitor. Training level/First level, schooling shows, recognized shows and beyond will be dictated by Kora's confidence and trust not personal goals. I'm building to a PSG horse, keep that close.
-Have fun! Kora makes me smile most days so that's likely in 2020 but keep the fun in mind with all that we do together.

[Chisamba]

I just wrote on the goals thread how my goal was happy riding, then I read Aleuronx dreams on thus thread.

It struck a chord.

[Kelo]

So a few nights ago, I dreamed that I had finally showed Grand Prix.

In the dream, I picked up my score sheet to discover I had earned a qualifying score, and suffice to say, I was pretty pumped in my dream.

What was that score, you ask?

60.4%

I can't stop laughing about the fact that, even in my wildest dreams where anything could happen, I am just barely scraping bottom

I told a friend of mine about my dream, and of course they didn't understand at all, so hopefully that makes you all laugh.

Anyway, we'll see if it stays a dream or if we can make it happen this year.

Excepting that, it looks like my showing will be sharply curtailed, both cow horse and dressage....just too expensive. I wish I could, but I'll have to start sticking to local schooling shows and trail riding.

[PhoenixRising]

I haven't thought too much about this, but I'd have to say my biggest thing is like Aleuronx said... to have fun. I'm experiencing some burnout in other areas of my life, and I need my time with her to stay fun and relaxing. I desperately need that outlet, and to keep up motivation.

That aside, I'm hoping to take Phoenix to her first shows this year and work on developing flying changes. I've never taught them before, so I have no idea how long they usually take to develop and will be working closely with my trainer on it (she also rides her a few days a week right now, and may also show her some this year).

[Rosie B]

Dressage is one of my outlets so having fun is always a goal for me.

By the end of 2020 I want to be able to do a respectable 3rd level test. Bliss is happily in training with my trainer and she's made a huge difference in him even in just the month that she's been riding him. I have every confidence the 3rd level goal is achievable (providing everyone stays healthy - fingers crossed!), but if we're lucky, we'll be showing 3rd by the summertime.

[Ponichiwa]

2020 already! Could have sworn yesterday was March 15th.

My horses have been on the back burner due to work, but this year I'm going to be more purposeful about my riding. I don't think the work stress will disappear, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the horses' work has to suffer. It does mean that I can't just slack off on the days I get to the barn.

So, hopes and dreams for my set:
Kiwi: Reliable 4th/PSG tests by the end of the year
Queso: Flying changes
Me: Lose weight (a perennial classic)

[piedmontfields]

I am really bad at hopes and dreams. Or wildly unimaginable goals (I read that in some self help book). I'm good at incremental progress towards better.

But my main hope is to figure out how best to keep Emi comfortable, happy, and pleased in her work as she ages (she will be 18 this year). We've been together 6 years and frankly that is the most important thing to me.

[Kyra's Mom]

My hope is I can get myself physically able to really enjoy my horse. I echo piedmontfields re: keeping pony comfortable and happy in her work. Kyra will also be 18 this year. With the exception of those very occasional days when she isn't , she has become a joy to work with and I want to continue to nurture that feeling in her work.

I think I am past the time of showing and having those kind of goals. Maybe not...if we can both hang in there for another 11 years we can do a Century ride. That would be fun.

Susan

[Mareless]

I bought a new horse in late August. I was super excited about owning a horse again after leasing for over two years and having one with hit-or-miss soundness issues for 14 months prior to that. New horse is young; only 10, with lots of show miles (Arabian Hunter pleasure) as a young horse and lots of down time since then. My goal in buying this horse was to have fun transitioning him to dressage and get in the show ring in 2020.

Then life kind of went in the toilet (multiple family things) in September and October. I haven't been riding nearly as much as planned. Some financial issues too (uh, thanks grown offspring with student loans we co-signed years ago) and I'm not sure how feasible showing is actually going to be, especially since it's been 25+ years and I not only need to outfit myself, but have Arab sized tack in all one color

For now, getting in the show ring, even at training level, with my little Arabian sports car--he's a compact 15.2 compared to the 18 hand Holsteiner I leased-- is still the goal.

[Imperini]

Just a couple of things besides enjoying myself and making sure Pal is happy. I would like to perhaps get to a show even if it's a small or schooling show and I would like to start jumping (definitely just small jumps ). We live at a jumping barn so have lots of help and Pal is currently jumping small courses with another rider around once a week. I guess that also means our show doesn't necessarily have to be a dressage show either.

[Borrowed Freedom]

Get Delilah competing in the next level up (Elementary), graded by the end of the year. I already have a plan that at the one venue I compete in, to alternate between novice grade and elementary training/schooling. So one show I will do graded classes then the next show the training or schooling classes.

I also want to start getting flying changes more consistently, and not just getting the odd clean change every once in a while.

Another thing for some cross training is jumping Delilah a bit more. It gets her super light in front in the canter and she absolutely loves it. I tend to get nervous when the jumps get higher, but she just stays super chilled.

[mld02004]

My hope is to enjoy my older mare after two years and two injuries to the same leg. It’s been one disappointment after the next. Rehab has been an arduous journey. We were beginning to show third before the first injury. I have no idea if we will get back to that level but if I can enjoy her even in my own backyard I will be thankful.

[MaryC]

-Develop a solid, trusting connection and contact. The basics are hard, the rest is easy.

^^ this! Always the basics, no matter what else we may play with.

We moved to a new barn with a trainer I adore, with the goal of stepping it up. We've made progress over the years, but it's been slow and both our clocks are ticking. Time to git 'er done! Here's my list:

* Haven't shown in a couple years so I want a consistent show-ready 4th-1 for April (as in one shot to get everything right with no mulligans! )
* Figure out 4s and 3s - I tend to do lines of changes without counting (um, fear of failure?!)
* Stop flinching when my trainer says "PSG this fall" and embrace the idea. When the 4s and 3s are there, we're already schooling the rest so it's a reasonable goal, I just haven't quite wrapped my brain around it yet!

[lorilu]

I have a three year plan to get my gold medal; currently showing PSG, and I have one score towards Regionals this year - literally a mile away from my house. Trying to get the 2s - I can sometimes get them right to left but not left to right..
Trainer says I1 this summer.... gulp.
The increased expectations when I moved from from 4th to PSG really depressed me last year..... so that worries me.

[piedmontfields]

I'm continuing to enjoy reading the 2020 hopes and dreams! Actually, to be honest, a lot of these posts sound like *plans* ...as you are aware of what you want to improve and how to do it. Very impressive.

I keep trying to hold in mind some advice from this group about "why don't I just keep expecting more" from my almost 18 year old. When I do that, she keeps improving, so I'd better keep paying attention to you all!

[Ponichiwa]

Oh, honey. Oh, sugar. Oh, sweet summer child.

My horses have been on the back burner due to work, but this year I'm going to be more purposeful about my riding. I don't think the work stress will disappear, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the horses' work has to suffer. It does mean that I can't just slack off on the days I get to the barn.

To be so optimistic again. That'd be great.

[piedmontfields]

Ponichiwa, sometimes just keeping going and keeping everyone alive is the big dream! Life is like that. Thinking of you and your lovely herd.