Goals for 2018

I can't believe another year has gone by, and we are quickly approaching Cupid's 7th birthday!!  In my mind he is still 4 I think.  Before I get to our goals for the new year, here's how we did for 2017:

1) Sit up and keep leg on instead of ride up Cupid's neck with a chokehold on the reins when I get nervous. 

A- I still lean forward a little when I'm nervous, but vast improvement!! 

2) Learn to do flying lead changes and walk to canter transition.

C Cupid is starting to get the idea of lead changes, but we're not there yet. I forgot about the transitions, but coincidentally did them my last lesson in 2017 and it went well.

3) Straightness - especially over jumps.

B- Still a little drifting, especially after jumps, but our approach has gotten a lot better.  Can still work on our centerlines, and keeping my leg on to keep Cupid straight when there are strange object alongside the arena he scoots away from.

4) Get comfortable cantering courses. 

B It's gotten better, but I did chicken out at our last schooling show and ended up trotting because Cupid was feeling too quick to me.  But we did canter our ticketed rounds last fall.

In 2017 we went to 3 dressage schooling shows, 1 hunter schooling show, 1 hunter ticketed rounds, 1 hunter pace, did half a combined test, and went on several off property trail rides.  

My goals for 2018:

1) Develop a more effective leg.  I resort to using my upper body too much.  Even when I try / think I'm using my legs, like to keep Cupid straight when I know he's thinking of shying away from something, he ignores me so I know I need to be more effective.  Plus I let him break from the canter way more often than I should!

2) First level dressage by the end of the year.  Of course that means rocking training level first.  Our first rated show is only a few weeks away!

3) Flying changes.  Left over from last year.

In addition to doing rated dressage shows, I hope to do a few hunter schooling shows and be confident to canter.  I'd also like to learn to do trail obstacles, and continue getting experience on trail rides.  Most of all, I just hope Cupid and I stay healthy!