Six Month Goal Check

Seriously? Is the year almost half over already? Time really does fly.

2016 was the first year I have ever set any goals. I'm just not a to do list, goal setting type of person. Since I actually decided to set some for us this year, I figured a half way check would be nice. To be honest, I don't even fully remember all my goals, so this may be interesting.

Here is what I laid out back in December:

Goals for 2016:

1.) Finish up the 2015-2016 hunter pace series and earn the Supporter Award. All rides do not have to be on Gem, but I do have to personally attend them all. 

Big fail on this one. I was doing really well until I missed one due to an out of town funeral. That put me out of it anyway, but to put the nail in the coffin there was a ride at Biltmore the weekend after the endurance ride there. Pete can't handle that much grave and rock with no conditioning and having already missed one, it didn't seem worth the risk. The last one of the season is Memorial weekend and we won't be making that one either. 

2.) Multi Day Endurance ride in the Spring. Can be either two 50s or a 50 and 25. Currently aiming for a ride early April in Jasper, FL.

I did the Bilmore 100 instead and consider this a win.

3.) Help manage an ultramarathon alongside Dusty to coincide with the Ride Between the Rivers Endurance Ride. Dusty was approached about this idea when we were there this summer and we are both super excited. Gem will likely stay home unless someone wants me to bring her along to ride her in the endurance ride.

Uncertain at the moment and not looking good. We both really want to do this, but can't find insurance to cover the runners and all the other dual events out there are either not responding to us or have not had runner insurance which is not something we are comfortable doing. We have one last hope out there.

4.) Get Haley to her first endurance ride. I'm already making excuses for this one, but she can only attend in the summer and summer rides just don't happen down here. The only viable option would be the Moonlight Sandhills ride, but I think it may conflict with the RBTR ultra/endurance ride. 

Big old fail on this one. Once I moved Gem, I really lost touch with her. She ended up leaving the old barn as well over drama, but has no trailer and Gem is 40 minute sin the wrong direction to pick her up.
 
5 and 6 are fall specific, so those can't be determined yet. 

7.) Figure out her hoof protection situation once and for all. The April ride and the November Broxton ride will help me test things out. I won't ask her to do a 100 barefoot, but I know the trails are friendly in case something were to fail.

Score!!! NGs on front, steel on back are working great for the moment. Will continue to assess and evaluate at each trim cycle. 

8.) Get the trailer organized. This has been a work in progress for over a year now and just needs to be completed before I rip my hair out. Trying to ease all stress that I can before next January. 

Success!!! Dusty finished up a few things the week before Biltmore. I only have one more minor thing I want to do before I call it complete. 

9.) Complete an Equathon. This is kind of a sorta goal in that if it works in the schedule and helps Gem's conditioning then great, but if not it isn't a big deal. 

Not yet. Probably won't happen. 

10.) Continue to improve my fitness. I've started to run again and will be adding in some weights and spin classes as able throughout the year. 

Success!!!

11.) Dressage lessons. I would love to start taking some dressage to help Gem improve in her movement and make things more efficient for her. I can't afford both lessons and the paces, so this will have to wait until the summer. 

Nope and I don't care. All action shots of Gem showed a beautiful heel first landing and full extension with a relaxed and happy mare. With all As and a happy, sound horse after a difficult ride, I have zero interest in changing anything at the moment. 

Overall not horrible. Doing the 100 earlier than originally planned changed a lot of my focus this year, but all in all I think things have been going well. I really wish things had panned out better for the Hunter Pace series and had I done a spring 50 instead I would have still made it. The 100 was more important to me though. Bring on the next 6 months!!!