Q1 Goals Review | Q2 Goals (And a CONTEST)

I am so behind on reviewing my first quarter goals, guys. What a mess. So, let's just dive in. Also, I know these posts tend to be boring AF, so I filled it with pretty photos and a contest!

One of my goals this year was the read more books about horse training. One of those books? Janet Foy's Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse: Riding Through the Levels on the Peculiar, Opinionated, Complicated Mounts We All Love. Liz bought me this book last year at the annual Janet Foy clinic at my barn (which is coming up this weekend!! Expect a write up soon!). I have actually been working through it, and I love this book and want to share it with everyone. So I thought, what a better thing to offer in a contest?

Win this!

To enter?

1. Scroll through this long boring goals post, and comment telling me your favorite photo and goal from the post in the comments by next Wednesday the 15th. 
2. For an additional entry, share my post on your blog or social media (and comment here letting me know). 

I'll draw a name and announce the winner Friday May 17th. Good luck!!

Now, on to the goals...

Try to contain your excitement, Asterid...

Q1 (JANUARY-MARCH) GOAL BREAKDOWN

Q1 Pig Goals

1. Solidify plans for Pig's spring boarding situation.
   ✔️ Happily moved back home, and settling in well.
2. Stay healthy and at a good weight.
   ✔️ He started to lose weight a bit before moving, but now that he's back in a good pasture, I anticipate his weight will stabilize and stay excellent.
3. Go for a handful of rides.
   ✔️ I am so surprised with myself. When I made this a priority, I actually managed to get out there and visit and ride the old man more and more. I am looking forward to finding him a lease situation where he can get more regular work.

Can't wait to get this guy back to this!

Q1 Bast Goals

1. Settle in Bast fully at new barn.
   ✔️ Done and done. He's happy and mature in his field board situation, and I couldn't ask for a more perfect set up to continue his training.
2. Commit to regular riding schedule of 4-5 days a week.
   ✔️ For the most part I am out there 5 days a week. Though not every day is actually much of a work day. That's perfect for a young horse at this stage of training, IMO.
3. Take 3 lessons.
   ✔️ Took awhile to get back to regular lessons, but I'm in the swing of things again!
4. Reinstall the leg yield.
   ✔️ Still sticky off leg leg, but that's mostly in the canter lateral work now. Instead of reinstalling these, we are now working on maintaining straightness and developing expression in them. This is much more fun!
5. Develop straightness, including ability to ride straight up the centerline.
   ✔️ Our straightness is much improved. Still, this is a work in progress. However, I no longer feel like our centerlines are embarrassingly drunk. Winning.
6. Continue developing shoulder-in, pushing to hold for 1/4 of the long side at time.
   ✔️ Yes! This is so accomplished. He's getting really good at shoulder in, and can hold the left almost the entire long side. The right is only about half the long side, but only because we still are negotiating with terrorists to get bend off the left leg. 
7. Get outside and exploring once a week, even if just for a long hand walk.
   ✔️ SO done. I made it a priority to walk around, hack, or work in the field at least once a week. As the days have lengthened and we've moved to field board, this is growing to about 2x a week.
8. Run through Training 3 and First 1 and identify the struggle points.
   ❌ Oops. We've shown and run through Training 3 for sure, but we haven't touched First 1. Honestly he hasn't felt ready yet. We have a long way to go for the relaxation needed for First.

We also need to learn to leg yield without making that face omg.

Q1 My Goals

1. Run 80 Miles
   ❌ I was so excited to come out and run like crazy this year, and then sprained my ankle while riding my freaking horse, and was laid up for a whole month. I didn't get back to running until March. Ugh.
2. Find and commit to morning routine, so I can get to the barn earlier.
   ❌ For the most part I have a routine now, but getting out earlier is looking harder and harder. We'll see how the rest of summer goes as I have to start shifting my running to early or late.
3. Get my organizational system and contracts in order.
   ❌ I did literally no work on this. Fail.
4. Get to the gym once a week minimum for strength work, beyond regular work at home.
   ✔️ YES! I signed up for a different gym that is really easy to hit on the way home from work or the barn. This makes it so much easier to pop in for some basic strength work.

Mom. I need you to run more. Or else the couch gets the tooth!

Q2 (APRIL-JUNE) GOALS

Q2 Pig Goals

1. Stay happy and healthy and settled at the farm.
2. Shorten those damn long toes as much as possible.
3. Return to low level work with myself and/or lease rider.

Q2 Bast Goals

1. Keep health, weight, and ulcers managed.
2. Show Recognized Training level for scores in the low to mid 60s. 
3. Find relaxation in work, resulting in better suppleness and bend.
4. Cross water 2x a month to get to longer trails.
5. School First 1-2, and identify weak spots.
6. Lesson 5x.
7. Trial and error a few things to try to reduce all that mouthing action.
8. Jump 2ft a couple of times.
9. Introduce more collection into the trot.
10. Introduce more counter canter and collection into the canter.

Q2 Personal Goals

1. Blog 1-2x weekly.
2. Finish 1 of my training books.
3. Contracts in order.
4. Establish budget to support showing and meeting needs of animals in light of new purchases.
5. Run 90 miles.
6. Gym 2x weekly, adding back in circuit workouts 1x weekly.
7. Find way to get to work 30 minutes earlier in day, so you can sleep more.
8. Get a couple of extra pounds on Asterid without allowing Lyra to return to #fatElvis status.

Moar treats?!

Wish me luck with these goals. They are mostly continuing what I'm already doing, but the accountability part can be so hard to stick with. You know? Bring on Q2 ... what's left of it!

(P.S. Don't forget to comment to enter the contest!)