2018 Goals

I have been thinking for nearly a month now about what my goals are for 2018. When Charmer and I went into 2017, I had some really clear, focused goals that I wanted to achieve. I was having huge confidence issues at that time, and I felt stuck. So I came up with some goals that at the time felt like a reach, but turned out to be just the push I needed to have a fantastic year. A lot of it was "you and your horse should be perfectly capable of this, you are just a chicken" type goals. Which was pretty accurate for where I was emotionally. This year, I feel like I am heading into 2018 with about 1000x more confidence, and oddly enough, that has made coming up with goals significantly harder. There is less "get over yourself and just ride" goals that I can make, and I don't know if we are ready to make the step up to bigger levels or more complicated things yet. So here it goes for my 2018 goals. Who knows if we will reach even half of them! But goals keep me focused, and I want to keep the same trajectory from last year. So we are going to keep going onwards and upwards this year!


1. Ride at least 3 times per week (weather permitting)

I have an arena in my backyard for goodness sake. I might as well get some good use out of it! I've always been really good about keeping up with riding several times a week, but the end of 2017 just got busy and riding took a back burner. This year, I am hoping to get Charmer and I back into a program and make sure we are keeping to a strict 3+ times a week riding schedule. Hopefully this goal will be an easy one for us to check off!

2. Attend at least 3 schooling shows, and compete at 2'6" or higher

Charmer and I got into a really good place with our jumping, both schooling and showing, in 2017, and I am hoping to continue that into 2018! The barn that I train at holds approx. 5 schooling shows every year, so I am going to force myself to hit at least 3 of them! They are affordable shows, supporting the facility that I love, and I need to make sure I keep getting Charmer out and about! And 2'6" is a completely doable height for both of us, I just need to remember that.

3. Ride our first 3' course, either in a lesson or schooling show

We jumped a handful of single 3' fences last year, but for some reason the 3" between 2'9" and 3' just seems to be tricky for us me. If I can keep up on riding several times per week, and lessoning semi-regularly this year, this should be an attainable goal for us in 2018!

4. Continue taking regular lessons (finances permitting)

Now that I have finally found a barn family that I really love, I need to make sure to keep up on my lesson schedule. I probably won't start taking lessons again until late February or early March, just due to the weather, but lessons helped a lot with my confidence last year. And my trainers usually seem to have more faith in my riding than I do - so lessons tend to help me push my own personal boundaries.

5. Ride at least 1 dressage test in a schooling show

Dressage in a show setting just didn't end up happening last year. Obviously I was practicing dressage at home, but we just never made it around to doing a test. I've only ever done one dressage test on Charmer, and we did not get particularly good marks - he was a giraffe, and I was tense - but we deserved the score we got at the time. I would like to do another test this year and see what kind of comments we would receive now (even if we do have to do it in a jump saddle).

6. Audit (or attend) at least 2 clinics

I rolled this goal over from last year, because I found it to be very beneficial. I really enjoy auditing clinicians and seeing who I like, who I don't like, and principles to take away from both. I adored auditing Karen O'Connor last year, and hope to audit her again this year! Maybe someday I'll ride with her - but that doesn't seem like an immediate option.

7. Continue working on Charmer's ability to be ridden bridleless W/T/C

This is a big one. Now that I have Charmer at home, I think this may be a little easier to attain. I want to have something "fun" that Charmer and I can do that breaks up some of the monotony of our workouts. Most people do trail rides in order to do this, but I don't tend to like trail rides all that much. I'll do conditioning rides and such, but especially with where my house is located, arena rides are far easier to do, and Charmer doesn't really seem to like trail rides either. We are happy to leave the arena to go on a trot or gallop, but walking? Not so much. Bridleless is a great option for us that gives us some other options to try in our rides, without leaving the arena.

8. Save for a dressage saddle

I'm sure I will not be able to actually get a dressage saddle in 2018, but I'd like to start saving for one. It's been years since I have had a dressage saddle that actually fit the horse I was riding, and now is no different. I own a beautiful dressage saddle. It does not come even close to fitting my horse. Charmer loves his CWD 2G jump saddle- so I have to find something with a similar build. The problem I keep running into is that no dressage saddle I've tried clears his shoulders. This year, while I am saving up for a dressage saddle, I am also probably going to be researching what kind will actually fit him once I have any money for that.

9. Get a second horse

Charmer currently lives with 2 horses, but they are both older, a little crotchety and fully retired. And neither of them ever wants to play with him, they would generally rather just bite him. I'm hoping to get him a friend this year that may be a little lower energy than he is, but is still actually willing to participate in some shenanigans with him. Poor kiddo is so bored and just wants a friend to hang out with, so this year we will hopefully find him a nice cute friend! Potentially another OTTB, or it might end up being some smaller horse that the family/friends can ride. Since Charmer is my main horse, I have very few requirements on what this second horse will be, I just want my big kid to get a fun friend!

I hope you all had a very Happy New Year! Bring it on 2018!