Highlights of last year, hopes for the coming year?

Senior Friend Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 188

I thought it would be fun to have a thread about our achievements with our big boys and girls last year, and our aspirations for the coming year...who knows, it may give some of us novices ideas of what to aim for in the future!

My highlights were the arrival of Jack in August, having been searching for the right fella for ages Very Happy

the improvement in his condition since he has been with me and buying a saddle that actually fits properly and a harness, which he has taken to like a duck to water Wink

Hopes for this year are taking him to the Cranleigh and Surrey County shows, getting him pulling properly (not just lifting me off my feet when we are trotting whilst long-reining Laughing

) doing our first walk/trot dressage test and me going to Peterborough and doing a horse logging course whilst getting the timber brokerage off the ground....

The pipe dream is the arrival of a bay filly with four whites to keep Jack company Shocked

So come on, spill the beans everyone...what are your highlights of 2009 and hopes for this coming year?

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:55 am

Uneventful year for us as far as positive things are concerned. Just plodding on really but would love to be reminded of everyone's elses achievements. I can remember a few of them. Laughing

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:44 am

Highlight's of 2009 are riding Ruby and learning to long reign. Very Happy

Hopes for this year are to work on getting my confidence while riding (am sick of having jelly legs everytime I think about riding). Sad

Getting Ruby used to her harness and eventually have her pulling a tyre. Smile

Highlight's of this year so far is Ruby been very good for the farrier. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:14 am

my highlights were stumbling across monty and him capturing my heart !

Building his trust to groom , pick feet up , tack up , ride...lots and lots !!

My dream for 2010 is to get out on long hacks !

tracy...you are quite local to me...just a thought hun , as i completely know where you are coming from , but would you like to come over to see monty , and have a lead rein plod about on him ? he is as good as gold walking with me.. no preasure..but let me know, your more than welcome ! xxx

Friend in Training Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Posts: 47

Well I haven't had Jack for very long so I'm a bit limited but my biggest highlight of course, was finding Jack in the first place! My second was watching as my experienced friend led him home from the stable that he had been delivered to and hence been stuck at for 4 days due to the ice. Its a couple of miles to walk and he was very very good, especially considering it had been such an upheaval and change for him over the previous few days. The sun was shining and it was a very proud moment to watch my big strong lad plodding patiently along when he could have just pulled my little friend over if he wanted. And lastly I guess I should also cut myself a bit of slack and say that overall I think I've done quite well seeing Jack is my first horse and we've had this lousy weather. Its been hard work but I can honestly say that I'm glad its me doing it rather than him being looked after in full livery or something. We've already built up a good foundation bond and thats what I want to build on this year along with my riding and learning more about natural horsemanship. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:50 pm

2009... that was enough, glad to see the back of it!

2010... Stay sound! that is all I ask. (if I can push my luck a bit I would like to get Samson back into work)

Good luck everyone!

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:07 pm

2009..Birth of William... :=)

2010.. Cover Dolly again in may - june and start with more 'activities' for both of them (and together), They have 'stood there' passive for far too long during the last half of 2009 !

Maybe obtain another mare if I can afford it (but have my doubts).. Sad

Find a more suitable farm than this one.

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:47 pm

Nick wrote:

2009..Birth of William... :=)

2010.. Cover Dolly again in may - june and start with more 'activities' for both of them (and together), They have 'stood there' passive for far too long during the last half of 2009 !

Maybe obtain another mare if I can afford it (but have my doubts).. Sad

Find a more suitable farm than this one.

Return to the UK? Wink

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:42 pm

Im keeping all options open Lizzy yes...Will be 'weighing' a lot of things up to find out which direction life is going to take. I know Im missing the culture....both Shire horse and English. (probably something to do with my age matron....) Laughing

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:57 pm

Highlights of 2009 for me were being asked to be part of the team of heavy horses that did a three day display at the Town & Country show at Stoneleigh in August. Biggest highlight though has to be having Bayley delivered at the end of December and knowing that he is mine even though I already knew he was mine from the day he was born.

Plans for 2010 - doing working weekends with the heavy horse club I am in, taking Bayley to some shows and just generally enjoying being with my horses.

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:10 am

2009 highlights - showing - once we got the hang of it! Carriage driving. We lost enthusiasm for horse activities after losing Ruby in August so it seems that we didn't do as much as we ought to have done.

Plans for 2010 - making up for lost time in 2009! Getting out in the carriage more, more shows, riding George ( Confused

) , maybe finding a stallion for Rosie and/or breaking her to harness, keeping the blog up to date! Will be interesting to come back in 2011 and see how much (or how little) of this we achieve! Laughing

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:43 am

my plans are to Ride, Much,Much more and shift a few pounds.. small goals really x

Friend Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Posts: 54 Location: Berkshire

Highlights of 2009 - Entering the Royal COunty of Berkshire Show with my mare,coming last in the class but having the biggest cheer of all entries from friends and family Very Happy

Plans for 2010 - to do more shows but to be placed (that'll only happen if the judge likes the old traditional type)