Looking Forward

As is my trend of late, this isn’t a ‘quantitative goals with timelines’ post. 

Of course I do have a rough idea of where we’d like to go in 2022. 

But, if I’ve learned anything over the last few years it’s that even these ‘non goals’ can change in an instant! 2021 brought us fire, flood, and Covid...and then there are the little day to day things actually in my control that I drop the ball on or misjudge. The situation is fluid, to put it mildly :)

However I’m also quite adaptable and resourceful so I'd like to think most of what I outline here will see progress, one way or another. Maybe for 2022,  if I say ‘go to a show’ that might mean a virtual entry from home rather than x show series on y dates. Or maybe we hop on a ferry and get there, who knows?

This could be a year of huge change with my husband's work closing. Relocating and/or taking a time out to travel is a strong option, or perhaps we'll just decide to stay where we are and stay quiet this year. I'm actually fine with either.

River above the dam and pen stocks the other night. Been a long while since there was steam coming out the big stack for the power boiler in the distance, but change is good :)

 

I'm surprisingly content with horsey progress and activities in 2021 and hope to just build on that through 2022.

Bridget:

- Breeding plan is back. There are a couple of new options for stallions that are very tempting. They all live at the same farm so the rest of the logistics remain the same. We'll see. Fingers crossed flights and transportation stay uninterrupted at a level of service that works for us this spring. 

Found this over the shoulder glamour shot in the archives. 

Sophie: 

- Continue to get her health sorted and optimized.

- Continue her education. Introduce little jumps, work on that canter. 

- Training level dressage show (Vancouver Island trip?) 

She currently measures a bit heavier then she was here, but still looks a bit underweight...she must have grown this fall too.

Activities:

Trying for one local clinic a month year round, plus one away trip per month starting again in April.

- Continue monthly dressage clinics with Sophie

- Mountain Trail clinic in May in the city. This was originally intended for Bridget, but might clash with her going away to be bred. A friend is coordinating some xc schooling in the same trip (why it might be fun to have Sophie confidently popping over tiny things by then)

- Get to EC’s place for a dressage boot camp at least a couple of times

- Girls weekend clinic on the island again - planning for 2 this year, one in early spring and one in August.

- Sophie to a “real” show.

Tiny Property:

- Water and power installed to barn early spring.

- Horses to move in late spring. 

- Ring complete by fall.

- Research wi-fi boost/extender options for future remote lesson possibilities. (and working from the barn, who am I kidding)

The snow made me really regret storing my hay here and keeping the horses elsewhere this winter. I'm going to be so ready to move them home and not move so much hay and feed around.

Self:

- Volunteer hours, support local equestrian club activities

- Encourage healthy, positive  mindset

- Continue to refine work/life balance

- Explore other career and location options

- More trailer driving (backing up) confidence

- Try to set up Pivo at least a couple of times a month and review. I have these tools at my disposal but am poor at utilizing them.

This seems like a huge list...maybe stay tuned for monthly lists where I break things down in to manageable pieces.