Review of 2015 and Goals for 2016

Obviously, I am very goal-oriented and I will work harder knowing that I set a certain goal. I also love mentally checking them off through the year. Last year, I set the following goals:

 GOALS FOR 2015

1. Learn how to set up and ride the working canter pirouette. We are now reliably getting the smaller pirouette canter, but I still don't have a feel for this movement. I need more instruction so that I can feel more confident schooling it at home. Check! Although I haven't been schooling actual half or quarter pirouettes much this year, in the last couple months, they have finally started coming together. I definitely still have a lot to learn in this movement, but we've made huge progress in the pirouettes.
2. Get consistent 3 tempis. These oddly feel easier than the 4 tempis. However, it still takes me several attempts before I get in the rhythm of the aids and it sure doesn't feel easy yet. I hope these become more flowing this year. Check! The threes are feeling good! We can set the two sets needed for fourth level fairly consistently. Doing more as needed in PSG, it's more of a challenge to keep the same tempo and collection, but they are getting much better!
3. Get consistent 4 tempis.  These are quite hard for me. There isn't much room to school these inside, and there is just so much time to lose the balance and collection between the changes. I usually get a 3 somewhere in our line. Check! We've spent most of our time focusing on the fours, and they are so much easier now. Again, the line of two sets of fours is much easier to get than the four sets needed for PSG. I think we are on the right path and feel really excited about how much the tempi changes have improved.
4. Get flowing trot and canter halfpasses. I feel like I know how to ride these movements better now. I am blocking less and getting the correct bend and balance. Now we just need more time and practice. I hope these will continue to improve this year. The trot halfpasses have potential to earn good scores. Check! The trot halfpasses are so much better. The key was really learning to use my inside leg, and position the shoulders in front of the haunches. The canter halfpasses have definitely improved. We got some great scores this year, but these will stay on my list for next year. They still take more thought than the trot halfpasses for me.
5. Improve the walk pirouettes. Finally I am beginning to understand this movement. I want to get someone other than 4s and 5s for our TOHs! Check! Check Check! Finally! I get these! These may be the biggest improvement of the year.
6. Continue to improve my position. I need to work on staying more up and open in my upper body, soft in my left hand, and long in the leg with low heels. This may be a goal that remains from year to year, but I'll keep working on it. Check! Just had a lesson with Kristin Stein the day after Christmas and she commented how much straighter I am sitting. YAY! I am now trying to figure out how to ride with a quieter seat in the trot. It's a challenge to ride that quietness from my core, but hopefully it will come together.
7. Obtain scores consistently 60%+ at third level. This goal feels like a stretch, because we always seem to have some scores in the 50s. One day I will learn to really ride each movement and not forgot our tests! Maybe this will be the year! CHECK! This is so exciting, but we actually accomplished this! I rode 10 third level tests on Gadget and all of them were a score of 60% or greater. Most amazingly, we had three 70%+ scores! I never, ever thought that Gadget and I would get a 70%! So amazing!
8. Get out at 4th level.  This is certainly the biggest goal. Kenny basically stated that I should really come back out at third level this year now that I am riding these movements much better. Ever the competitive one, I can't help but want to move up. We'll see. I'm still keeping it on the list. DOUBLE CHECK! Ever anxious, I jumped into fourth level at our first show, and we continued to make great progress in fourth level test 1. We even achieved a 66% at the WPDA show and a 64% at the regional championship show to win the 4-1 class!

2015 was definitely an incredible year with Gadget. The scores were fantastic and achieving high point scores and lots of blue ribbons was such a surprise. I was truly overwhelmed by our success. Life was complicated and disappointing in other areas, so this was such a blessing to have Gadget completely turn into a rock star.

And now, I have even bigger plans for 2016:

GOALS FOR 2016:

1. Improve the working pirouette and work on the canter pirouette for PSG. The pirouettes are still new to me and Gadget, so I am hoping that we will get more experience in this movement and begin showing the pirouette. 
2. Work on half-steps. I just started touching on the beginning of halfsteps with Gadget, and I want to continue working on moving toward better halfsteps. I think this will give him more range in his collected trot.
3. Continue to improve the flow, consistency, and relaxation in the tempi changes. Gadget now completely understands the aids for the tempi changes, and he tries to hard to please me. Right now, he is getting very fired up about the tempis. I think working on keeping the tempo of the canter and relaxation in place will be critical to the success of these changes.
4. Improve the canter halfpass. It's just not a movement that is easy for me to ride. Gadget can go sideways, and he can bend, but keeping him in position with enough later movement is not easy. I want to continue improving those halfpasses.
5. Show 4-2 and/or 4-3. Fourth level test 2 seems like the most logical progression at this point. Fourth three is rumored to be more difficult than PSG in some ways. These tests are technical and quick-moving, but I'm excited to give them a try!
6. Maybe Show PSG?! I have had a couple friends and trainers mention that PSG may be on the horizon. It makes my heart skip a beat to think of actually showing at PSG with Gadget. 
7. USDF Silver Medal. To think of getting my silver medal on Gadget would be such a monumental accomplishment. I so want it to happen! This may not happen, but I'm throwing it on the list!
8. Jump, do cavaletti, hack or some other non-dressage work regularly. Gadget loves his non-dressage work, and I want to make sure that he is happy. I want to make sure I build in lots of time galloping in the field, popping over crossrails, or playing over poles.
9. Continue working on my seat to make it quieter. Control of my seat is becoming more and more important. I need to be quieter and more precise in my cues. I owe it to Gadget to be as fit and finessed in the saddle as I can be, so I really want to continue improving. 
10. Lose 10 pounds before show season. Not exactly a horsey goal, but it's important to me and my riding. I'm squeezing into my fat clothes right now, and I hate it. Need to at least get down to my normal weight range before show season.

I have high hopes for 2016, and I am ready to get started!