End of Year Goal Update

I'm suuuuper bad at achieving goals for myself, so this is mainly to try and keep me accountable

• My far off goal is for Jetta and I to get our First level scores for our Bronze medal. I've wanted to work towards this for a while and I think it's definitely doable, I just need to hurry up and get started! This is far off since I start clinics in June and I'm really poor so hopefully I can save and have enough for a recognized show!
• We did it! I didn't think it was going to happen after a couple of lackluster league shows, but Jetta did amazing! I was SO nervous, but we pulled it off with our best tests this year! I may have almost bankrupted myself, but the show was 100% worth it!
• I think the clinic helped with an unwritten goal to get more involved and make an effort, I've wanted to ride with that clinician for years too! 

 

• Take Jetta for trail rides! I'd really like to go to the beach since it has been years! 
• We did get to go on quite a few, but sadly no beach ride. 

• Baby needs to learn lots of things
• Tying
• She's a champ! Cross tying is still a work in progress, but I'm super happy with her normal tying. Next step is going somewhere new and tying her there or tying her to the trailer
• The beginnings of lunging
• We've started lunging, but that is still a work in progress, especially as I don't want to lunge her too much until she's older.
• Ponying
• Soon!
• Trailering by herself
• She's great! A regular little traveler
• Teach her to self load in the trailer
• Not yet, but I should definitely start this
• Take her on a handful of field trips
• So far only two field trips, but we will do more!
• Bathing
• Failed. Poor baby has still never had a bath, but I will probably take her to the barn where there's a hot water wash rack for her first one in the next month or two
• Maybe wear a surcingle and bit 
• Another one on the "soon" list
• General ground work and manners
• This is coming along really well, we now trot in hand, back up with halter and chest pressure, and she yields her haunches. We need to work on yielding her forehand more, but she's learning that swinging her head around as a weapon is not ok, neither is body slamming.
• Clipping her face
• Done! She's not a fan of her bridle path, but we finally are at the point where I can clip her bridle path, muzzle and chin while standing quietly! 

I set the bar really low this year due to vet school, but I'm really pleased with how well everything went! I tackled some huge goals for Jetta and I this year that have been in the works for way too long. 

2019 is a huge up-in-the-air year for me. I graduate in June and have no job lined up at the moment so I have no clue where I'll be come July. I may not even be in the same state depending on what opportunities I find. That means that the horses are going to be up in the air too. They are definitely never going to be sold, but they may be put on the back burner (like, super back burner, more so than now!). That said, I still like setting goals, so here's our new ones:

Jetta:

• Show at Second level
• Even if it's just a ride-a-test clinic. I want to go out in public and ride a second level test!
• Go cross country schooling
• Ride in a league show at least once
• Go for a few trail rides
• Beach ride! 
• This is always going on my goal list
• Audit a clinic
• I would love to ride in one again, but it may not be in the cards this year
• Since we're getting fairly comfortable schooling second level, start schooling third level movements and wear a double bridle a couple times

Maisie:

• Pony
• Lunge - install voice commands
• Self load in trailer
• Wear bridle and bit
• Long rein
• Carry a saddle around
• Go for a trail walk - ponying or in hand
• Get a bath
• Play on a trail obstacle course