What are you looking forward to this show/clinic season?

[EventingMaff]

It finally feels like spring is really in the air and at this point we’re truly into April when shows and clinics kick off. I though thought a fun thread would be to discuss what we’ve all got planned (so far - I know it’s still early!) for the season and what we’re most excited for?

For me, my new horse is just a baby with barely 20 rides so this season won’t be show focused but learning focused. I’m hoping to audit a clinic each month. My barn goes to a couple schooling shows here and there so I might try to grab a trailer spot to one just for exposure sake (not compete). If we’re progressing nicely I might try to end the season either with a small schooling show in the fall or bringing her to a clinic in the fall (will depend what’s available!).

Even though we have nothing “big” planned, I’m excited to see how she does on-site at some shows and to watch some good clinicians that come through!

What does everyone else have planned?

[katherineyyyy]

The time change has done wonders for my motivation!! For the first time in what feels like forever I actually uttered the words “I want to go to a show” :eek:

I am hoping to get my second level Bronze scores this year and attempt to start schooling some third level!! Headed to my first recognized dressage show in a couple years the first weekend in May.

Also my trainer has a new baby 3 year old, never raced, never trained, never been sat on TB coming in to the barn next weekend that I’m excited to meet. I’m hoping to be super involved in his training and learn a ton! Maybe if he ends up working out he can be my new horse this time next year…

[netg]

My baby (5 year old) is showing with my trainer this summer - probably training level and first. We suspect in tension she’ll be a rearer… I don’t know how to handle that, and do tend to pull too much in tension, so we’re getting her miles with him first to ensure she gets a good start! Next year I will likely show her first level.

Aiming to maybe get my bronze this year. My 9 year old is currently sore somewhere - enough that we see a difference in her gait, little enough that she still keeps trying to convince me I should ride her with very vocal whinnying and trying to drag me to the saddling cross ties when I take her to get grain. She has a chiro/lameness vet appointment next week - I’m suspecting she’s out in her back/pelvis after some really dramatic aerials she was doing during her first heat cycle of the year. If so, I know it takes time for adjustments to solidly stay in place and will probably not show her in June like planned, so we can keep up an adjustment/work routine to keep her aligned. Having her pace in a stall seems a bad plan for her back if that’s the issue. At least feet and ligaments/tendons in her legs seem ruled out as the problem.

[MegBackInSaddle]

I love reading about everyone’s plans! The young ones are so exciting, seeing how they react to new and strange things.

This time last year, I had no plans to own a horse any time in the foreseeable future. Fast forward to now, and I’ve had my favourite horse for almost 8 months, and we just got our own trailer. So it’s the 2019 Season of Adventure! This morning was our second lesson with a dressage trainer (neither Winnie or I had any exposure to dressage at all). We’re registered for our first ever jump clinic over Easter weekend. I’ll probably go to at least one little show, my first in well over a decade. I plan to try out some cross-country (also new for both of us). We’ll haul to some new trails, and probably to a place that has obstacles you can practice with. And we’re going to see what Winnie thinks about hunting with the hounds!

Basically, we’re going to dip our toes into every body of water we can find, dabble in a bunch of different stuff, and see what we enjoy most together. Soooooo excited to go adventuring with this fun, funny, brave, curious, sensitive mare. She’s an EXCELLENT travel partner, making me look like I’m better than I am, and she seems to be just as happy as I am when I hook the trailer up. Winnie likes to GO.

[EventingMaff]

@MegBackInSaddle - This sounds so fun!! I want to do something similar with my girl once we have the basics installed (like ya know, brakes, steering, etc :D). Sounds like you two are going to have an amazing Adventure season!

[KBC]

Dipped my toe in the water at an early show, new horse, new knee, Intro and Training to see how we would do, HE rocked it, I nearly died.

Our aim is to be riding Training, maybe First when the season gets into the swing. He is good enough, so up to me to catch up.

Now if the weather will stay decent, my knee will behave, his current ‘ouchie’ heals, we can actually start working in earnest towards it.

[CanteringCarrot]

Looking forward to…hopefully…a sound horse. Really, how do you all keep the damn things sound? :rolleyes: This particular creature, regardless of his excellent care and training, knows the vet very well.

Now, if horse and rider stay sound I’m looking forward to checking out the shows in this area. I moved 200km a few months ago, and I’d love to see what the competition is like here. I have to compete against pros btw gasps and horror :winkgrin:

We also have this trail puzzle thing I am going to try out. 20km of varying terrain, questions, challenges, and other fun. Technically it’s a competition.

[MegBackInSaddle]

@EventingMaff LOL! I do recommend brakes and steering be installed prior to the launch of any major adventures! So who’s your girl? A/S/L lol! But seriously, breed, age, her story?

I don’t have plans or even the desire to become excellent at anything in particular, but Winnie is a versatile mount with a great brain (OTTB, so she can run a little hot, but I prefer it that way), and I plan to help her keep growing into the incredible all-around horse that I know she can be. This is the most excited I’ve ever been about horse stuff, and I was once a 12-year-old girl, so that’s saying a lot!

@KBC Good luck with your new knee and your new guy’s ouchie!

[MysticOakRanch]

Looking forward to getting back ON a horse sometime later this Summer I had a pretty bad fall (not off a horse) and rotational fractures - 14 screws and a long metal plate holding my lower leg together. Not to mention a series of other family tragedies that have knocked me on my butt both physically and emotionally. So maybe I’ll be able to ride again in July - right now, PT is telling me it is going to be several months before I’m doing anything vaguely athletic again.

Pony debuted at 2nd level at the end of last year, and I was really HOPING to continue to do 2nd level this year. Now he’s been on vacay for 3 months and counting… And my mare was on the cusp of 3rd level - changes weren’t reliable, but everything else was absolutely solid. Ugh. So both are going to start over - maybe, must maybe, I’ll be ready to show by October or November this year.

I may be living vicariously through my friends and COTH riders this year…

[Lunabear1988]

Finding a new partner since having to euthinize my young gelding over the summer. And hopefully riding with some awesome trainers!

[MissAriel]

Last year we did some schooling shows and even did our first recognized show at TL.

My boy made some major strides in physical and mental maturity through the winter and is showing the kind of grown up horse he can be (he is just turning 6). Now that DST is here I am able to ride more and rely on trainer rides less. Of course, I have to really up my game to keep up with his new-found abilities, and not let him back slide.

At the end of last year (heck, even 2 months ago) I was hoping for a mix of schooling and rated shows, and working up to respectable scores at First Level. After this past month, this seems easily within our grasp, with some solid work on schooling second level by the end of the year.

[Manni01]

About clinics, I changed my goals. last year I did all my lessons through Clinics and I did ride with some amazing clinicians! But at the end of last year I felt I was stuck in my progress and switched back to a local trainer who had trained me before. And right now I think this was the best decision I ever made. So this year clinics are not that important for me… I might do a couple because I love the clinicians but for my goals I trust my Hometrainer…

And for the show season… My goal is still the Prix St George this year. around Christmas I started to wonder whether I might not be able to make it in 2019. my horse and me did a big jump last year from first level to fourth level and I was starting to wonder whether that might have been too fast. So since Christmas we have been focusing on the basics to make them more solid.
And after some ups and downs In the moment I am starting to hope that there is still a chance to reach my goal this year. we will see.

With my young horse (her little sister) i would love to do some little shows. she is doing amazing at home and we have been to a clinic already, which she handled like a pro. so we will see. But there is no pressure

[MsM]

Sorry for all those who have had bumps in their horsey roads. It does help me though to know that I am not the only one! My horse had a small DDFT injury in December and we are still at the hand walking stage. I had hoped to be solidly First with some Second level work this year and maybe get to a couple of schooling shows. Instead we will finish rehab (hopefully uneventfully) and spend most of the year rebuilding strength and going back to basics. I probably wont do any real lateral work or lengthenings until next winter to make sure he is totally healed.

[SolarFlare]

I am co-organizing a new schooling show series this summer I (try to) event, but also really like dressage, and our area has no schooling shows so we’re hoping to draw from our eventer friends as well as dressage riders, greenies, lesson riders, etc who want to have a less stressful, but still quality, experience. I’ve been busy getting sponsorships, managing our social media accounts, and trying to think of all the little details!

I’m hoping to be organized enough that I can show my horse in our shows too. We’ll start at Training and hopefully we’re able to move up to First by the end of the summer.

I’m also bringing in a couple dressage judges/clinicians for in-barn lesson days to supplement my awesome coach.

I will try to get out to a few combined tests and horse trials too (we have ditch homework to do first), and I also volunteer (scribe) at lots of provincial rated events. I’m currently planning a trip out east to scribe at Foshay International in New Brunswick. I’ve heard fantastic things about them and the Maritimes are beautiful so should be a great trip!

[Dutchmare433]

I don’t have solid plans yet for either of mine. But lots of clinics and lessons and trail riding now that I have easy access!

My mare will do her first show of the season in either late May or early June. I’m trying to decide if I want to go to regionals at 4th and PSG or at PSG and I-1. If I do 4th, I can do a 4th level freestyle and try for my silver bar. (Because of showing after regionals last year, I am already qualified for 2019 at PSG and have 1 score at 4th.) But I’d also really like to make the move up to I-1. Choices, choices! It should be a fun year with her. She has an exciting new fitness plan, which includes a 30-45 minute trail ride before we do any ring work. She loves it, I love it, and it’s a low impact way of getting and keeping her strong.

My 6 year old will be doing lots of lessons and clinics, and he might go out to a show later in the season if his trot work is strong enough for 2nd level, mostly because I think he’s a blast to show and take places. I think I’m leaning towards focusing on the training until he’s ready for 3rd.

This is after both horses had stupid issues over the winter that set them back—trying to get a handle on ulcers etc, no soundness issues, thankfully.

[LilyandBaron]

I love these threads! Both to hear about everyone else, but also to publicly declare personal goals is inspiring, with the caveat that the horse’s well-bring trumps all goals, so goals assuming and hoping no issues arise!

My TB mare moved up to First test 2 last season, but limited shows due to a fall from another horse taking me out, then her bout of cellulitis. So this year, my BABY (purchased at age 3 to train/sell as a hunter) will be 18!!! So I want to do some more First 2 tests, and move up from low 60s. I live in an area with great schooling circuits, so when I talk about showing, it’s not rated. I’d only do rated if she (or any of my “rescues”) was killing it in the schooling shows, and only then to prove TBs (offbreeds) are awesome.

I want to get to First 3 by the end of the season; a few years ago, I felt like Second was in reach, but life happened. No major training dilemmas caused set backs, just other events in life. But now she’s 18, and in great shape, but do I push for collection at her age? Or improve First, and start doing more trail rides to transition to her retirement gig? I’ll let her tell me, but if anyone has inputs on how they managed advancing on an older horse, I’m all ears. I have read threads that said they felt old age hit at “this” age, and the range was 23-26… But would adding collection at age 18 accelerate degeneration???

The fall I had last year led to retiring that horse - mystery ailments and money pit trying to fix it, and he’s also 18, so… I had purchased a third horse when I moved to my own farm, but literally wanted a potential gaited husband horse that was a good third wheel I didn’t feel guilty not riding. Well, I also like cute horses, so I got a cute OTTSTB from New Vocations. Since DH didn’t take to horses, when I retired the other one, I focused on the STB. A pacer at the track, he did wtc on the lunge and in pasture. Last year was awesome, and if I find his balance undersaddle, he has some super cute moments in all gaits. So this year feels like the year I’ll know what he will be.

He can canter, but needs improvement. Trot is pretty consistent - he only paces when he’s being a yak. Where other green horses invert or whatever, he does that and paces! But pretty rare now. Just yesterday, I got a few longer, less up/down strides of canter. He breaks to pace after maybe 10 strides max, which is light years more than last year! We have our first lesson of the season on Saturday after this awful winter. I jump him, and he lands cantering. I don’t stress over canter, so hacking out, jumping, or when I feel it’s “there” in the arena, vice fighting to get it. To be a real “sporthorse,” I need more/longer reaching canter, but also need slower, more balanced trot, where he tilts his pelvis to get his hind legs under/back lifted, instead of pushing out behind. So for him, lessons, and I hope to show crossrail “jumpers,” Intro dressage, and baby XC. If he doesn’t get more consistent in wtc, he’ll be my fun “jumper”/trail horse until the TB retires, then I’ll go shopping.

[joiedevie99]

I’ve got one coming back from a long lay-up who will likely spend the year getting fit again (fingers crossed he stays sound), and another aiming towards the small tour CDIs in August/September.

[Rerider54]

@katherineyyyy

The time change has done wonders for my motivation!! …

I am hoping to get my second level Bronze scores this year and attempt to start schooling some third level!!
.

For me the motivation has come from warmer weather and I will now be going to a clinic next week (Dorothy Morkis) now that my horse is sound and getting back in shape.In our lesson last week my instructor had us run through most of what we know in walk and trot and that is solid. The canter was still too tiring for her to do lots of that work. But the weather has been great and we have done a lot out in the trails/fields, trotting and cantering gloriously.

But as we all know more is expected at Second Level (and even more at Third) so the shows will have to wait a bit. I am thinking about slipping in a couple shows in May to get MY show anxiety issues and test the waters. The new Second Level 1 seems much better for us then the last model. I am hoping it won’t take me multiple shows to remember how to RIDE at a show (hint, relaxed and forward thinking).

[HereComesZach]

Context:

2017: Retired my favorite horse. Cried.

2018: Took on a project horse who was lame and aggressive. Poured a ton of money into vet bills and trainers. She got more lame and more dangerous. Had to put her down. Really heartbreaking. More crying.

Bought a ‘nice’ horse for myself who promptly got Lyme, a funky bacterial infection from the particularly wet summer, pulled his shoes off constantly, punctured his face on god-knows-what, and then popped a splint.

2019: I’m really looking forward to ‘nice’ new horse being sound and sane :lol:

[Dutchmare433]

@joiedevie99

I’ve got one coming back from a long lay-up who will likely spend the year getting fit again (fingers crossed he stays sound), and another aiming towards the small tour CDIs in August/September.

I was thinking I might do Devon this year, maybe I’ll see you there!