what type of events/clinics will you do this year?

[bigbaytb]

Ok. So it's freezing cold and I'm dreaming about the warmer weather and competing.

Just out of curiosity, how do you decide your show and clinic schedule? Is it all USEA sanctioned HT's? Schooling HT's, CT's or derbies..any dressage shows or H/J shows? Will you do clinics or do less of those and just work with your instructor.

I still try to decide what type of mix I want to do so not to over-do it with my horse and get the best training/experience and keep up with my finances. I may do less schooling shows after spring of this year and pick a few good HT's and a USDF dressage show (or just do a dressage schooling show, still undecided). Of course we all dream of the AEC's too..wonder if it's in the cards for me too? I might only do one clinic this year too.

so , what say you?

[Jazzy Lady]

I'll do a mixture of Ontario events, US events and FEI this year. Whatever works in the right scheduling and gets me prepared for my year end goals.

It begins in February in Florida and then my competition will end in November.

Gonna be a good one!

[Wee Dee Trrr]

Clinic with Ian Stark.
Few CTs.
Few HTs.
Training 3 Day Event. : )

[undersaddle]

I had grand plans for getting my girl out and exposing her to the idea of eventing by doing some baby CT's (walking around, looking at fences, being on the grounds), dressage schooling shows (one or two intro tests, learning how to hang out and relax), I had my eye on maybe doing a clinic or two with a young horse trainer.

Unfortunately, my ankle is still taking its sweet time remembering that it has to fully function and that it needs to start holding its own again, and my little girl thought it would be great fun (I still think she wanted more attention) to shred and slice up her back leg. ::Knocking on wood:: at least while it has been an emotional (and expensive) process, it looks like she should have no permanent damage (please cross your fingers).

It looks like she and I will continue to mend together through the spring, and hopefully we will both be able to start reconditioning ourselves together.

Hey, we still have the fall, and then there is definitely next year!

[Auburn]

The day that I mailed my money to Denny for the March Adult Camp in Southern Pines was the day that Tess went into Rood and Riddle. I imagine that it is going to be a very slow road back from pneumonia, so we probably will not be going to camp. :( Fortunately, I have a friend in Cincy who might take my place.

I had planned a move up to Novice. I had planned on going to events, within a two hour drive (except for the AEC's, which is seven hours).

Now, it depends on what Tess can handle. Eventing or pasture puff, she will always have a home with me. :yes:

[RunForIt]

...as possible. If horsie wasn't dealing with an eye abcess we would be in FL for the Area III Adult Riders clinic ....for Andrew's lessons AND jumping with Peter Atkins! Lucky everyone who gets to be coached by Ruthie and Andrew at Rocking Horse for the T3DE clinic!!!!!! :cool:

[ddashaq]

I will be attending whichever schooling events and h/j shows my barn goes to. I am also planning on going to a couple of arabian shows to do some sport horse classes. No clinics this year, but I will be doing regular lessons!

[KBG Eventer]

I am going to Ocala II in February as my first horse trial of the year (at Novice) and spending a week there before. I'll probably do around a horse trial a month from February-October or November, but I will probably be taking a break June and July.

I like having my trainer at an event although I have gone on my own several times before and been fine. All of the horse trials I am hoping/planning on doing are the ones he's going to anyways. I would like to move up to Training in the Spring, but I will see how things go. Last year I went to a recognized dressage show and qualified for my area's dressage championships at Training Level. I would like to do a couple of dressage shows again and move up to First Level.

I want to get back in the routine of seeing my event trainer once a month in addition to seeing him at an event. And I take a dressage lesson once a week with the dressage trainer at the barn we board at. A event clinician comes once a month now, and I hope to do those. So in conclusion hopefully I will be getting some more jump practice in especially if we finally get some standards built (I board at a dressage barn)! :)

I will probably to the hunter/jumper schooling show my Pony Club does as well...in the fall. And I will do some of the fun classes and Level 1 and 2 jumpers.

[joharavhf]

I'm going to play it by ear as this is the first year for my little pony man. That said, I definitely have goals - my main goal being to do a USEA BN sanctioned event in the fall. I'll do a few schooling HTs at elementary and then move to the BN divisions at some more schooling HTs....

However, if we have bobbles at anything I'll be keeping it to the lower jumps. This pony is to be my daughter's pony club mount so my goal is for him to be overly confident and very safe!

[Dr. Doolittle]

Stephen Bradley jumping lessons/clinics (over the winter); dressage lessons monthly (with a straight dressage person who actually comes to our barn :)); Jim Koford dressage clinics (when he's in town over the winter/spring--love that man--he so PROFOUNDLY gets my horse! ;);, maybe a dressage schooling show or two over the winter and spring (since Her Majesty NEEDS to get into a dressage ring and be reminded that--ahem--she *must* listen to ME, dammit!), and maybe some schools over courses at FPP jumper shows. Alas, there are no CTs that offer a level over T until April. *Sigh* Those would be very helpful for my mare, and I would love to do them (but I have a bunch of students at the baby levels who *really* need to do them, so it's just as well that I will be able to focus on them only!)

First HT, I plan to enter Morven at T at the end of March (and let the girl cruise around and just "rein her in" if she gets cheeky--if it's too sloppy, I can always make it a VERY expensive CT :p)

Second, Loudoun at Morven at P (Damn the big honking Trakehner--full speed ahead! :D), and then perhaps I will enter DRHT (at P) on the chance that I am unable to complete at Loudoun--IOW, if we are unlucky enough to get torrential downpours that trash the footing on x-country, since I won't run her in slop...(Hoping to keep her barefoot all year at P, fingers crossed. She has never been shod, and is coming 11. She does great on ALL types of footing, and never slips; I'm hoping to keep the streak going! :)) If I do enter both (and finish Loudoun), I may make DRHT a CT.

Then VAHT at P, and possibly Waredaca? Though I think that's the immediately following weekend, dammit :(

Nothing until MDHT (Rubicon's big table still scares the shit out of me, since that's my mare's Achilles heel; might prevent me from entering Seneca as well.) Possibly Fair Hill? It depends.
Mostly on how I feel, how the horse is doing, how much help I am able to drum up...

Here's the thing. I am old, decrepid, in constant, chronic pain, fighting to stay fit and flexible (work out every.single.day :sigh:) I get myofascial release, chiro, take painkillers, have a STRONG WILL to push past all of my "infirmities" (but none of this works 100% in terms of mind over matter), so all of these hopes and plans are predicated on MY ability to do it safely and competently, as well as my overiding motivation to keep putting on my spurs every day, forcing myself to go out and ride, and keeping my (very difficult) horse in the shape to do this; if I am unable to do that, it's not fair to her. OTOH, I'm not quite ready to give up yet--OR hand her off to someone else (younger). I figure this may well be my last year doing this (though I may play around doing lower level stuff with greenies I work with), since the struggle to keep myself going is very, very taxing on me--not mention my family (my anxiety-ridden teenaged daughter keeps *begging* me to just quit, already...)

My horse has NEVER felt better, never BEEN better...so this is *the* year to get 'er done, do or die. (Hopefully the former! ;))

Okay, enough of the doom and gloom!!

Carry on, and good luck to everyone this year! For those with horses who have been temporarily "benched", hang in there; you *will* get your shot. :yes:

[asterix]

Oh, Dr. D, THIS will be your year, I can feel it!!!
That trak wasn't even on the P course last I looked, just I. Heck, I know you can do it!!!

I'm hoping to get the husband-munchkin-horse out to some jumper shows this winter -- although at lower heights than I had thought due to our unauthorized somersault.

Then there will be some sort of a season, but between finances and horses, I have no idea what.
Novice with the munchkin?? Perhaps Training later???

The big horse is [THANK GOD] officially Recovered from his suspensory injury (how cool is that!!!!). At the moment he is exuberantly bounding around doing flatwork as ridiculously puffed-up as possible (which is _very_, especially since we are doing bareback dressage at the moment). The vets say he can go as far as he thinks he can, which is encouraging in a vague sort of way.
I imagine we'll wait until we are good to go at a soft Training and just take it easy for a while.

I'd LOVE to do the T3d with the munchkin but doubt it will be this year

[Dr. Doolittle]

Oh, Dr. D, THIS will be your year, I can feel it!!!
That trak wasn't even on the P course last I looked, just I. Heck, I know you can do it!!!

I'm hoping to get the husband-munchkin-horse out to some jumper shows this winter -- although at lower heights than I had thought due to our unauthorized somersault.

Then there will be some sort of a season, but between finances and horses, I have no idea what.
Novice with the munchkin?? Perhaps Training later???

The big horse is [THANK GOD] officially Recovered from his suspensory injury (how cool is that!!!!). At the moment he is exuberantly bounding around doing flatwork as ridiculously puffed-up as possible (which is _very_, especially since we are doing bareback dressage at the moment). The vets say he can go as far as he thinks he can, which is encouraging in a vague sort of way.
I imagine we'll wait until we are good to go at a soft Training and just take it easy for a while.

I'd LOVE to do the T3d with the munchkin but doubt it will be this year

asterix, this is SO exciting--what GREAT NEWS!!! :D

Phew, what a happy relief to have him back in action! I have these visual images of the big guy--and puffed up, even bigger than usual--feeling extremely good about himself; with you aboard doing "bareback dressage"...Definitely worthy of one of those stylized horsie cartoons. ;) (I just did some of that bareback dressage stuff myself today, actually! Keeps you warm, for sure--and works those core muscles...)

(Thanks much for the encouraging words! I'm not worried about that Trakehner at Morven, actually--the girl feels like she could jump the moon these days, and leave some room under herself :) Her MOM, OTOH, not quite so spry...And I do need to be able to stay aboard and finish the dang course! :p)

I'm sure the HH will rock everything he does this year; that mishap was clearly an anomoly, and every horse has one of those on rare ocassions...Though it's understandably traumatic for the pilot!

[Little Valkyrie]

A few clinics with Eric Horgan, and maybe a few jumper shows, but I am taking a hiatus of undetermined length from eventing- you can find me in the hunt field! Just wasn't fun anymore, and my mare and I need to reconnect. In the mean time, I will be cheering everyone on and volunteering at many local events! Good luck to all competing!!

[RunForIt]

Dr. D - I'll be your cheering section if you'll do the same for me...I'm eyeing an age bracket that is truly getting my attention...turn 59 march 2nd - ME 60?!!!!! Still feel great but creakier for sure. Get that mare out there and have big fun!!!!!! :D :cool:

[Dr. Doolittle]

:lol:

Thanks, RunForIt--that's a deal! We never-say-die creaky types need to stick together! ;)

(My mental attitude is definitely the one thing that remains ageless, and keeps me hanging in there...)

[takethestage]

I'd like to start the season at Morven in March at either BN or N, it depends how many times I can school XC between now and then. From there I plan on doing one HT a month until June, probably sticking with unrecognized trials definitely at N. Once I'm out of school, I'm aiming for one to two recognized trials a month until Sept. I'd like to get to the AECs at N and move up to T around that time. I'm also going to do some local/low rated dressage and jumper shows in between to keep us sharp. :)

[Speedy]

I have some plans for the Little One...but if I put them out there, she will try to kill herself. I am pretty sure she reads the internet while I'm at work.

What she already knows and thus can be divulged - weekly clinics hosted by our trainer through the winter in preparation for the spring. Tons of fun, we never miss them.

[yellowbritches]

Dr. D- I'm so excited you are riding with Stephen! You two will really kiss some tushy now!

asterix- Glad the big guy is back in action. I hate those soft tissue things...but the coming back is always, umm, exciting. ;)

We will do mostly recognized stuff, though I'm sure if the schedule permits and we've got horses/riders appropriate for a unrec, we'd do it (I'm pretty sure some Loch Moy short courses will be on the horizon, as we have some fresh, young blood-meaning kids- coming up that will probably be ready to get their feet wet sometime this year). I'm sure we'll also do a few dressage and jumper shows, and if the Dun One keeps his head on straight (touch wood, but he is actually TRYING to get along and be obiedient! ), we'll be doing some FEI stuff, too. The BFG's dad has a year end goal of the Waredaca T3DE...and there's been talk about it for Vernon and I (fearing that there won't be any prelim long format three day in 2010. :cry:).

I also DESPERATELY want to do a Lucinda Green clinic, and I really would like to go to the Kim Severson clinic that is in the neighborhood next weekend...but there's issues with that...we'll see. I'd do some other good clinics, too.

[deltawave]

There are some shows that I just build my work schedule around as much as I can (Maui Jim, Richland) and there are a couple of clinicians that I'll also move heaven and earth to ride with if I can. It doesn't always work, but that's the framework for my summer.

This year I may do some more local/unrecognized stuff if the economy continues to stagger--I want to support the local horse/eventing scene a bit more, and I have just as much fun "local" as I do at the "big shows". I won't go to places that have crappy courses, but there are a good number of nice ones around, fortunately.

I do, however, want to get Bonnie qualified for a T3D in 2010 if I can, so I'll have to do a number of recognized Trainings this year, if all is going along according to plan. And I'll really make an effort to trailer-pool as much as possible this year to save fuel. That sometimes makes up my mind as to "which show", too.

[ss3777]

My schedule will sadly be determined by the real estate market. In a perfect world I will:

As many Eric Horgan clinics/camps as possible.
Denny short course.
get Schultzie going BN
try and move the Wagon to N (at least at a CT)
visit 3 winds as much as possible (just a fair warning Betsy ;) )

Tempt LV to return to the dark side :)

[HWilliams]

Well my horse's season will start at Ocala II in Feb. She left from KS to FL yesterday with my trainer. I will be flying down for a week before Rocking Horse III and will be starting my own season at RH. Then some schooling events in March back home, Holly Hill and/or Spring Bay in April. Mill Creek (Hopefully our first training!) in May, then a few in August. Hopefully the AECs, and a few in Oct! It will hopefully be a great season!

[ThirdCharm]

Whatever is most appropriate for my horses.

Livi and the 5 yo are going to get to go with me to SP for lessons every couple weeks; Livi is starting the season with a run at IP, then moving up to Int at Pine Top if all goes well; the 5 yo (Revi) is going to do another schooling HT or two at Novice and then do a few recognized Novice this spring hopefully moving up to T in the summer. I'm already a little frustrated with the season as I'd planned to do a couple of weekday HTs in Feb and I have to work both days.... also, have a couple of clinics planned, one dressage and one with a BNT eventer. We have a very busy season planned at the barn, with two recognized events per month and usually a schooling HT or xc day thrown in, until the middle of June at least....

Jennifer

[bambam]

Assuming HRH and I are both sound, I am going to try to go to Southern Pines at T in March. If I do not do that then the first one of the season will likely be Morven.
I will likely do a couple more at T in the spring and will hopefully throw in a combined test or 2 at P (and if I cannot find any good ones, do some 3'6 jumper classes since P dressage is the least of our problems). Then hopefully sometime in late spring/early summer we will be ready for a run at P. That move up will only happen if we hit no major hiccups (like a recurrence of last years stopping spree :)) or lay ups and I actually improve instead of getting stuck in a serious rut caused by my lack of riding ability and we all know how likely it is that all things go according to plan with horses, especially if it requires me to demonstrate some skill ;)
I may try to do the spring Lucinda clinic but not sure.