Q4 Review and Q1 Goals

Q4 Goal Review

1. Participate in 2pointober

Success - I participated and improved my time from 2:25 to 6:23. I found 2pointober useful and plan to do it again. 

2. Solidify my new leg position

Success - I still need to remind myself from time to time, but the correct leg position is becoming a lot more natural for me. 

3. Get softness from Kachina in all gaits and transitions within gaits

Semi-success - our trot improved hugely this quarter, but the canter isn't there yet. 

4. Practice test riding and all test movements

Nope - we went back to basics (again) last quarter. We are making some big improvements, but we haven't quite tackled test patterns yet. 

5. Re-introduce trot lengthening

Semi-success - This didn't happen in Q4, but it did happen this week!

6. Get correct bend more consistently at all 3 gaits

Semi-success - Huge success at walk and trot, not yet at canter. 

7. Improve hand/arm position and steady soft contact

Success - There's always more improvement to be done, but I have improved. Namely, I can ask for inside bend without weirdly lifting my arm, and I have learned to give up my death grip on the outside rein. 

8. Get Kachina to stand inside for grooming and tacking up

Semi-success - She's still not a fan of inside the barn and gets tense and paws a little, but she is much better than she was last winter and she isn't hazardous now (doesn't run into me etc.)

9. Ride in a lesson every month

Semi-success - I got two lessons in November. I didn't in October or December but I was better at using my brain and figuring out some solutions on my own. 

That equals a success rate of 5.5/9, and only 1 goal that I totally didn't do. I'm really happy with where we're at right now. 

2017 Q1 Goals

1. Ride in at least two clinics/lessons

Sandra is coming back Feb 25/26 and for the other I can either haul to a different city, try a new instructor here, or get another lesson with T

2. Be show-ready at Walk-Trot

Show season starts in early Q2, I'd like to be at least ready to kick some W/T butt. At this point that means I just need to practice pattern riding, and also do some mane and tail taming. 

3. Get up to at least first canter stage in the progression plan 

I've already ticked a few steps down in the list since the new year so I think this is achievable

4. Figure out girth and saddle pad/half pad 

A whole post on this is in the works

5. Do some desensitization work with plastic bags and/or clippers 

This winter is actually a real winter so I didn't end up clipping Kachina before Christmas, I do however want to clip her once the weather warms up so I can do longer workouts with her. It might not warm up in this quarter but I want to at least introduce the clippers. 

That's all the goals I'm going to make for this quarter. It's already 2 weeks into the quarter and I will be out of town for a total of 4 weeks for different things so this is plenty to do in the time I'm actually here.