I’m looking forward to showing my home bred, 4th generation of my breeding program, at first level this year. He is 5 and stepping up to the plate. We don’t plan to receive any earth-shattering scores but if he puts in some correct tests I’ll be happy. I also hope to get my stinker pony going back under saddle again. If he proves sound which he appears to be at this point I might try my hand at western dressage. He took me to PSG so he’s due for something different if he’s able to make a comeback. I’d just be thrilled if he can be my main trail pony again. As for clinics, I am looking forward to the possibility of riding with a German judge/clinician who I have ridden with in the past. She loved my stallion and my stinker pony. I’m anxious to see what she thinks of “junior”. Compared to years past, while I’m getting back into the swing of showing, everything from here forward will be far more low key than previous years of campaigning. The goal is simply to have fun and see if I can reach some unseen goals. Every day in the saddle is a gift.
I am also in the rehab club for the next few months. Mare fractured her coffin bone wing last fall, and was just cleared to start some trotting a few weeks ago. I’m hoping to have her back under saddle in about a month, and then it will be a couple more months of rebuilding, so first level will have to wait until next year, most likely. Hopefully she’ll be very solid at TL and we can show once or twice before the season is over, since she gets pretty nervous at shows, and thus needs some miles.
Also, there is the coming three year old I acquired at the end of last summer. She has been wearing tack and lunging a bit. The hope is to back her in August or September and get her basic W/T/C by winter.
I’m hoping to do schooling shows this year in intro level with a maybe recognized show in late summer. I never shown before and did one schooling show last year( intro a&b) which was an eye opener as far as nerves, prep time, trailering, and my riding skills. This year I am going to try and better my score and hopefully get intro c in, but nervous about the canter at the events. I bought the horse last year, and we are still a new team.
I just sent in my first entry of the season. My goal with my older mare is to get our 3rd level scores for bronze. It has been a huge goal of mine for so long, it seems almost unreal that it could possibly happen this season. My trainer will be showing my 5 year old mare, and I’m so excited to see her progress. We have a great group of people at our barn and I’m so looking forward to showing with them and cheering each other on. We are all at different places in our riding journeys and I love having friends that have been there before me to lean on.
My goal by the end of this season is to be comfortable and competent enough to make the extra time and money of showing recognized in 2020 worthwhile. I’ll do this by going to several schooling shows and qualifying and riding at the schooling show championship.
We did our first schooling show in 4 years so far this Spring showing 1st level. Came in second in the amateur division and that was in a class with at least two silver medalists.
Step 1 of my goal for this season has been attained (go to a schooling show and do well). Step 2 is getting the second required qualifying score at a schooling show. We’re going to another schooling show in mid May and maybe another in June. After early July it’s way too hot to show until early Fall in this part of the country.
Living in the desert Southwest my show season will be wrapping up at the end of the month…I have 3 more shows, one open and 2 Arabian. My goal is to simply inch closer to the magical 60% at PSG to earn my medal scores. I have been working with a new trainer to fill in the holes my last trainer didn’t address, so I’m hopeful for an improvement from our first go of it. As far as clinics I r4guslry work with Heather Blitz and am actually riding with her this weekend. My lesson today was as usual extremely helpful. She not only helps me with riding biomechanics but has tried to help me get over my anxiety/hatred of showing. She told me all Team memebers are required to work with a sports psychologist and she found her sessions really helpful. She strongly suggested I look into it to help showing be more enjoyable and to get the anxiety out of the way so I can actually concentrate on riding like I do at home. It’s actually a perfect thing to work with the sweltering heat of summer quickly approaching.
Here in AZ my show season will be coming to an end at the end of this month. I have 3 shows coming up. My goal is to inch closer to the magical 60% at PSG to earn my silver medal scores. I have been working with a new trainer for the last 4 months who has helped fill in the huge holes left by my previous trainer so I hope to see some improvements in the quality of the movements. I routinely clinic with Heather Blitz and am actually riding with her this weekend. She not only helps me with biomechanics but when I told her of my anxiety/hatred of showing she was surprised but then said everyone on the Team is required to attend sports psychology sessions and she found it extremely helpful and encouraged me to address this issue. So, my other goal is to work on the mental side of showing and try to conquer the anxiety that makes showing miserable for me as well as changes how I operate as a rider.
Is it enough that I’m looking forward to hopefully fitting into my new, and totally fab purple Pikeur show coat?
I love this thread! Thanks OP!
For OTTB #1: Keep him sound and happy is the number one goal. Beyond that, I am planning on showing Third Level this year and my goal is to be able to ride a Third Level test without tension and keeping the thoroughness I can get at home in the show ring. I’m trying to make him the best Third Level horse he can be because this is going to be his limit, unfortunately. Age is catching up to us 
For OTTB #2: Baby horse! I’m super excited to take him for some weekend lessons with my trainer (she is 2 hours away so I haul up there and stay overnight to get more lessons), and then hopefully to Culpeper in June to school. Depending on how he does there, he may do Dressage at Lexington in July, or he may just school there- or do part of both. He will show Training Level, maybe trying a First Level test late in the year. There’s no rush.
Hoping to take both boys to Rosemount in September. My friend who half leases OTTB #1 is aiming for First Level GAIGs, and I’ll probably have a casual goal of Training Level GAIGs with OTTB #2, so hopefully we will both be showing in the Region 1 Finals!
I am really hopeful that I can squeak out my two scores at 4th level towards my silver. I show on a fairly tight budget, so I would love to get those in one outing. My coach has us aiming for the PSG by the end of this year or next season if I don’t feel like she’s ready.
I have another mare that is older, but behind on her training. I would love to Q her for regionals at training level and show her at first. Again, that pesky budget might alter my plans! She needs to gain strength for more collection in the canter. Only time and miles can do that, but hopeful that she will be schooling all of second level solidly by the end of the year. If she gets strong enough, we might play with changes this summer too.
My main goal is regular lessons so I can really start to understand the training process. Both horses I have trained up myself.
My four year old is getting started as well. He had about 15 rides least year, and I am going to get him going lightly this summer. Excited to be bringing him along, but I think he’s my last youngster. I am really fortunate with three nice horses, and I am really trying to enjoy the process. It’s fun to see what others have planned!
I am on the lookout for fun clinics to audit this season - unfortunately, it seems like some of my regular options from years past are either not advertising as much as they used to, or haven’t scheduled them yet. Boo hiss.
On the other hand, I am traveling in routinely to a local former GP rider and doing lessons on ground-work with him. My long lining skills are entirely self-taught so I am really, really enjoying having the opportunity to work on this with some tremendously well educated horses with such a nuanced eye to assist and support me. But oh my goodness - lessons with him (in the saddle) have always left me thinking I wanted a break (let’s do groundwork!) and now I am doing groundwork…my brain is melting please just throw me in the saddle now where at least I am fundamentally competent in the basics. :lol: I am tired of sucking!
I am a wannabe eventer who also wants to live a bit in the dressage world. We moved to NC, and previously living in no where Ontario, both my husband and I are looking forward to learning all the things. I lost my horse 2 months ago, he was not a fan of dressage, he wasnt really a fan of much other then me, hay and jumping. I bought a OTTB from a fellow COTHer, she was already at our farm, and I already adored her, so it felt like a good fit.
Goals for Greta include acceptance of the job first
After 20+ years doing Hunter/Jumper, I am driving into the world of dressage! I am learning as much as I can as fast as I can. One of my goals this year is to go watch a major dressage show. I have gone to Kentucky 3 Day for the last many years to spectate, but I don’t really know where would be a good place to see GREAT dressage riders in the US since I don’t yet know what the big dressage shows are each year. Any recommendations?
Starting the choreography for a second level pas de deux…my riding partner will choose the music and we hope to show in the fall. I don’t care about scores anymore and this is way more fun for me
we both have Iberian horses that look gorgeous together.
