Happy New Year

 2011 is here.  I have, despite myself made resolutions and set some goals.  If you don't have dreams or goals, then you can't be let down if you don't achieve them right?  However, I always believe in having something to work towards.  I am lucky, I have a healthy, sound horse (touch wood) who is more than ready to come out and work.  He is generous and game and I am excited about what we can achieve together as a partnership, even if it is just on a schooling level this year.  The goals I've set for this year, pretty much haven't changed from last year.  So here goes, these are not in any particular order.

1) Work on more lateral movements, turn on the forehand, leg yield and shoulder in.  Start to introduce rein back, traverse and some lengthening of steps.

2) Establish rhythm,  balance and straightness.  Have Wolfie working consistently long and low in his outline, soft in his mouth and through his poll and back.  Depending on how the schooling progresses, start to ask for a little more collection towards the end of the year.  Work in the bitless bridle (if I ever decide which type to get).

3) Introduce more ridden pole work, building up to jumping.

4) Trailer out to Mugdock and possibly Aberfoyle forestry and hack around the bridle paths.

5) Trailer to an indoor school to ride as a training / schooling session.

6) Take part in a trec obstacle phase and hopefully a level 1 orienteering phase.

7) Enter a Dressage test (even if it's just a walk and trot test).

8) Take both Wolfie and Buttons to a local show

9) Take Wolfie to the beach.

10) Work with Wolfie and the umbrella.

My main aims are just to get Wolfie out, expand his world and build his confidence in travelling to new surroundings.  Everything is just part of his training / schooling just now.  I have no plans to seriously compete this year, we're just going to have some fun.

My resolutions are to run the Glasgow half marathon.  I have only ever ran a 10k before, but I got such a buzz out of finishing that I want to attempt this.  I'd love to run a marathon, just to say I had achieved it, but I'm not a natural runner, so I will attempt the half marathon to raise sponsorship for the Sepsus Charity.  I'm going to try and talk my sister in to running it with me.  Good way to help get riding fit too.  I'm also going to give blood a few time this year if I can.  Try and stay positive and try and go away for a weeks holiday in the sunshine somewhere.

We have had a thaw over the last week, however the stables is still covered in ice.  It seems to take longer to thaw there than anywhere else.  I did have some ideas about trying to get Wolfie out along the tracks, however as C. was being brought in from the field yesterday, he slipped on ice and went right down.  I don't really know what happened after that, but I think he gave himself such a fright and was so tense that every time he put a foot down, he slipped.  He couldn't get a grip anywhere, it was horrible.  He's a little worrier at the best of times and when he panics or worries, he just walks super fast with a little choppy stride.  We ended up just scattering bedding down to make a track he could try and grip on to get back to his stable.  On the ice he looked lame and sore on every leg, but once he got to a small flat concrete area that was clear, he seemed to walk fairly normally.  Hopefully he's just given himself a bump and a fright.  Everywhere has been gritted, it just seems to be at varying times of the day, depending on the temperature it can be even slippier.     Having seen C. fall, I had thought about keeping Wolfie in, but then I run the risk of him coming out as a high as a kite and doing something silly if he's been stuck in the stable. Getting him out every day at least keeps the edge off him.

I've been having a look into what sort of equipment I would need to take part in a Le Trec orienteering phase.  Map measurer, map case, compass.  I could pick them up in a camping shop.  First aid kit I could put together myself.  There are various types of saddle bags available.  I like the ones that fit over the front of the saddle, they seem to range in price from basic economy ones at around £15.00 up to £50.00.  I definitely think it would be worth buying good quality ones as it's something I would also use out hacking.  It would be good to have a water canister with us and normally I cram everything into my pockets, so I could off load some of that.

I have found out that a lot of endurance riders use GPS tracking systems.  Like the Garmin wrist mounted units.  They are commonly used by runners and cyclists and do a whole range of things, but the rider can wear them and they can measure the distance you have ridden.  I'm interested in getting one of these, mostly for personal use when we are out and it also means we'll always be found :-).