End of March Analysis; April Goals!

March was a very weird month. So many ups and downs, so many interesting things, great things, and terrible things, all wrapped into one month. It was a good month overall, don't get me wrong! There were a LOT of things that went into it though. A LOT. 

And April is going to be EVEN BUSIER. And then May? May will be EVEN MORE SO! 

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 O-Ren March Goals:

1) Stay as best as possible to a training schedule despite the weather - the weather will be a huge upcoming challenge!
I did a pretty good job with this one, considering all the things that happened. The beginning of the month was all ice, but then melted and dried quickly. We worked hard, and a lot, through most of the month - and then we had the harness break. She has been doing groundwork, lunging, and long lining every day since, so she is by no means sitting around doing nothing - but I'd really rather be in the box seat!

2) Finish ordering all supplies needed for showing! And make sure they are all organized!
Success! I think - I am pretty sure - than I have everything together. "Everything" did include some panicked new-harness-ordering, and brass-hardware-sending-back, and reordering-chrome-bits, all of which were completely unscheduled... but it all got done. My chrome rein rail and my new harness are HERE! And so is everything else that I need - at least, I hope!

3) Get winch installed, and padding/ratchet straps, and practice loading cart in trailer - and then go places!
Success! This one was huge for me. It was just one of those amazing moments where I can't believe I really got it all to work out the way I wanted it to. I was so proud of myself when I stood back and looked at my cart secured into my truck bed for the first time. And I was even MORE proud when I drove with it an hour and back to and from my lesson and it didn't fly out of my truck. Hooray!

4) Practice cones at a tight clearance, and run through dressage tests, specifically Training 2 POM
Success - sort of! I got to practice all of these things in my lesson - but that was only ONE day! I practice what I can at home, but it's not quite the same. The tight clearance cones are really challenging and I need more practice for sure!

5) Make sure fully prepped for the April HDT - send in entry form, make sure all supplies are on hand, re-read rulebook, secure a navigator, and everything else I am forgetting!
Oh boy... I think I have all of these things under control! I have a navigator, all my supplies, my entry it in, I have my dressage test memorized... and.... uhhh.... crap... what else am I forgetting?? I need to make another list!!

6) Work on the same training things - quiet transitions, supple bending in both directions, etc.
Success - even when we had some really bad days!

7) Change out all hardware on carriage to brass
Oh hell. What a fiasco this has turned out to be. Ordered all the brass parts - yay! So many of them - 6 footman's loops, a drawer knob, 2 shaft tips, and a rein rail. I had all of the footman's loops installed, as well as the drawer knob... and then the rein rail got smashed, and the harness broke. And the new harness has all stainless hardware. So I had to take all of it back off and reinstall the chrome, send back all of the brass, reorder the missing chrome parts, and just got them in the mail today. All I have left to do is install the new rein rail thankfully. Oye.

Pangea March Goals:

1) Make sure all foaling supplies are on hand
Success! Everything is ready to go!

2) Give full set of shots mid-month
Success! AND we had no bad reactions. She got some Previcox along with her shots and she was feeling gooooooood!

3) Start monitoring outward physical signs and udder development!
Success! You've been following along all month... and now we're down to the wire! 

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O-Ren April Goals:
1) Make it successfully through out first HDT without killing anybody! Make it a positive learning experience! 
2) Attend the first NTW Games Day of the year and hopefully whoop some booty!
3) Practice cones more - and dressage tests, the Training level ones!
4) Continue to work on same training issues - relaxation, good transitions, quality of gaits, etc.
5) Did I mention not dying at our first HDT? 

Pangea April Goals:
1) With luck - have a healthy, happy baby and an easy birth!


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Boy there is a LOT of stuff coming up! P has solidly entered the "I am so miserable right now" stage - I am hoping she drops this baby soon! My rein rail and my harness are HERE! Tomorrow we get back to driving!

And one last note: today is O's Gotcha Day! I've had her for two whole years now. We've had our ups and downs, but I wouldn't change any of it. We have accomplished so many things!


Here is O the day I brought her home, after a much-needed bath:

And of course, here is O the first time I saw her, when I went to go try her:

Yeahhh. I definitely bought that. She was so sweet on the ground, and a pretty mover, and totally sound... but when I went to ride her, I couldn't get her to go faster than a walk. I'd put my leg on, and she'd stop dead and bite my feet when I tried to get her going again. I couldn't even get her to trot.

Of course, then I got her home and I couldn't get her to *stop*.... I had to run her into a fence and jump off our first ride, because she couldn't steer or go slower than some gait inbetween jigging trot and maniacal flailing canter. It was special.


Two years later, we've managed to do all of these things:

And now we've embarking into the world of combined driving. Who would have guessed! Definitely not me, two years ago!