Ultimate Goal #1
Be fair to my horse, both
on a day-to-day basis and ensuring her future health and happiness
2019 Goal #1A
Make Kachina a more solid citizen so her future
is protected in case my circumstances change.
Steps to Goal #1A
- Have other people handle Kachina
- Get better at bridling
- Improve competitive record (see goal #6)
- Develop ability to jump up to 2’
- Ask other people for feedback on what we need to improve to be more marketable for lease or lessons
- Do other cross-training or participate in all-around type event
2019 Goal #1B
Be fair to Kachina on a day-to-day basis
Steps to Goal #1B
- Provide regular vet and farrier care as required
- Continue to choose turnout and living situations that optimize her quality of life
- Develop grooming/tacking up routine that is minimally frustrating for either of us
- Keep expectations reasonable and increase training pressure/expectations only on ‘good’ days/when Kachina relaxed
- Advocate for my horse and stop working with trainers or other people who are not being fair to her
- Have Kachina and I improve in dressage through methods that build our cooperation and trust
- Use supplements as required to improve relaxation in the barn
- Re-evaluate all other goals as required to keep Kachina happy and healthy (this one is goal #1 for a reason)
Ultimate Goal #2
Enjoy horses and riding
2019 Goal #2
Find my horsey joy as much as possible
Steps to Goal #2
- Go on trail rides
- Find a fun activity to do in the snow/cold
- Canter or gallop out in the fields
- Even when I am stressed or short on time, go out and smell and pet my horse
- Spend time working on throughness and lengthens (my favorite parts of dressage)
- If the pursuit of other goals gets too intense, step back to find my happiness
- Ride with friends
- Participate in local shows and clinics
- Participate in a Pace and Chase
Ultimate Goal #3
Make a positive impact to
the horse and dressage community
2019 Goal #3
Make a positive impact to the horse and dressage
community in 2019
Steps to Goal #3
- Organize another local dressage show
- Be an active participant of my area dressage association
- Be an active participant of the community equestrian facility board
- Help out with other events
- Be kind and helpful when people ask me things
- Propose one new initiative
Ultimate Goal #4
Work through the Dressage
Levels to reach Prix St. George, achieving scores of 63% or higher under high
level judges
2019 Goal #4
Achieve a score of 63% or higher at First Level
and start schooling Second Level
Steps to Goal #4
- Test ride regularly to determine weaknesses
- Video my rides at least once a month and critique them myself
- Perfect the trot-canter transition (it’s dressage, perfection doesn’t exist, but make it so this transition is good and consistently good, where I can smoothly pick up a canter anytime and anywhere)
- Add walk-canter transitions into our regular repertoire
- Practice canter-walk transitions
- Develop rein-back movement
- Get comfortable doing patterns in canter (various size circles, diagonals, straightaways, loops etc.)
- Increase steepness of leg yield without losing back
- Improve stretchy trot circle to a ‘7’ (means much more stretch, much more consistency, and better transitions in/out)
- Keep more suppleness and throughness in the lengthened gaits
- Lose weight
- Take up contact with my elbows not my wrists
- Sit the canter better
- Use outside rein more properly to control the shoulder
- Use shoulder-in, shoulder-fore to improve our straightness and throughness
- Choose lessons/clinics/trainers that will specifically help us with weaknesses
- Go into each lesson with a specific goal (if plan needs to change that is okay, but at least have one)
- Stop cross-training work if it starts to negatively impact dressage
- Do at least one real dressage ride a week (other days can be fun, cross-training, ground-work, etc)
- Ride in front of Medium status or higher judge that I respect
Ultimate Goal #5
Become a dressage judge
2019 Goal #5
Make some progress towards my recorded judge application
Steps to Goal #5
- Audit with a Senior or FEI judge
- Use videos and real competitions to practice judging on my own
- Volunteer to judge a non-rated show
- Pass the EC judging exam
- Talk to judges and dressage riders I know about being references for me (need 5 total, 2 judges)
- Work towards 2nd Level scores (note: I likely will not complete the requirement of 2nd Level scores this year, but it sounds like I can still submit application and have my judging status pending until I complete this last requirement)
- This goal is not as time sensitive so I will be happy with any progress even if I don't complete all these steps
Ultimate Goal #6
Achieve some competitive
success in riding (what that looks like may vary
from year to year)
2019 Goal #6A
Earn an ADA Horse and Rider recognition award
(63%+ at 3 rated shows)
2019 Goal #6B
Start earning scores towards Bronze Medal (65%+ at
Silver or Gold show)
Steps to Goal #6A/B
- See steps for Goal #4 as well
- Get EC Passport for Kachina
- Get EC Silver Sport License
- Pay lifetime EC Dressage Award Registration fee (need to do before any scores can count towards medal)
- Plan and budget for show season in advance, including back up shows (however if I bomb more than one show I might need to call it and defer these goals to next year, show season is short and I don’t have enough money to keep trying excessively. My aim is to prep enough so this doesn’t happen)
- Compete in 3 or more dressage shows overall
- Compete in at least one Silver or Gold show
- Start show prep in January (the Spring shows always sneak up on me and I’m left feeling unprepared)
- Prepare specific training plan leading up to first show and stick with it
- Decide what classes to enter each show to maximize success (this includes whether I am shooting for Training Level scores, First Level scores, or both)
- In weeks prior to each show, stop making changes and work on consistency to reduce risk of new problems popping up at show (this has happened to me too many times)
- Choose certain key weeks where riding needs to be prioritized over other life commitments
