Ay yi yi

Can there please be more hours in the day? I don't have time to do anything that I want to do. I feel like I'm slacking in all areas of my life - friends feel like I'm ditching them constantly, but it's not like I'm doing it to go ride, because ponees are feeling neglected too. Luke was a jerk on the ground last week, and he's always perfect.

Anyway, I'm not sure if anyone reads this even, but it's good for me to keep track of my progress. I have GOT to start riding him more. I do better during the school year when I don't have to work 40 hours a week.

Molly is gonna start riding him once a week for me, which is super exciting. So hopefully I'll be able to ride him at least three times a week and lunge him once. That would be 5 days. I gotta get moving though....Grand River is in less than a month. Yikes!

So my goal for schedules for next week will be:

Monday: Molly ride Luke.

Tuesday: My turn! Hopefully work on flatwork and a little bit of jumping if he's doing well.

Wednesday: Lunge in Side Reins

Thursday: Day off for Luke

Friday: Outside riding - flat work and jumping

Saturday: More dressage

Sunday: Day off

So hopefully we'll finally start getting somewhere. We're doing very green at Grand River. *sigh*...it would be Baby Beginner Novice if I could just get that right lead. Oh well...one step at a time!

Goals!

Okay...I need to stop messing around and get serious about my riding. Luke was doing so well for a while, but he needs to be ridden more than twice a week. It's not that I haven't wanted to ride, I've just been unmotivated. Now that Melissa can ride again, and now that I'll have a new saddle next week, it's time to get motivated!

So I figured I'd write out my goals and my summer schedule, and update along the way! :) Good plan?

Goals
- Get out and go places without it being a huge deal.
- Go out of my way to make new places a positive experience for him - don't just throw him on the trailer and go...make sure he gets to run around at home first, and then sit and observe for a half hour or so before I tack him up and ride.
- Break 60% on a dressage test...I shouldn't even be happy with THAT for a score, but it would be progress - we've been getting mid to high 50's.
- Slow down a little on cross country - Luke loves being outside, and will trot or canter happily up to jumps, but loves to take off for a few strides on the backside. The waterford is helping a little.
- Learn to BEND - enough said!
- Accept contact a little more.
- HAVE FUN!

Summer Schedule:

June
June 6th - Dressage Clinic - it was awesome, we learned a ton!
June 27th - Dressage Schooling show - Intro Tests A & B - possibly have someone else ride him in Training 1 or 2.
June 28th - Stone Gate? (Probably not...but I am looking into the possibility)

July
July 11 - XC Schooling at Hackamore Farm - maybe
July 12 - Hackamore Farm - maybe
July 17-18 - South Farm Mini Camp!
July 19 - South Farm Mini Trial (Either Very Green or BBN!)

And hopefully XC schooling a few times

August
August 2 - Grand River Hunt
August 9 - Buckeye Horse Park/WRPC
August 23 - Bath Pony Club
August 30 - Buckeye Horse Park Hunter Pace

September
September 6 - Bath Pony Club Hunter Pace
September 13 - South Farm
September 20 - Grand River Hunter Pace OR
September 20-21 - Stone Gate Farm H.T in the Starter Div. - hey, a girl can hope!
September 27 - Stone Gate Hunter Pace (And my 21st birthday! :) )

October
October 4 - South Farm Hunter Pace
October 11 - Magnolia Waynesburg Hunter Pace
October 18 - Chagrin Valley Hunt Hunter Pace

Whew! That was exhausting to type out, let alone think about competing in all of those! I probably won't make it to all of that because it would be $$$, but those are the ones I'll be choosing from. I really hope I can do all the fall hunter paces, and am looking SO forward to mini camp!

Now...I just have to stay motivated towards these goals. I can do it!

Tomorrow - lunge work, a little flatwork and "XC Schooling" in the back pasture.