Thank you all for your kind words and support yesterday. It meant the world to me.
For starters, I’m not giving up on my eventing dream due to one bad show. We had issues, sure but deep down I know we can conquer starter level. Eeyore is capable and I am capable. We just need to be capable on the same day.
I’ve been running different ideas through my head ever since packing up and driving home from the show and I think I have a decent enough plan to start with.
First, I want Trainer AB to take him to his next show. Possibly at Windridge in February if she is available. Eeyore needs a big confidence building outing and she is the better one to do that for him than I am. Getting him some show miles without me in the irons will go a long way to ease my own concerns when it comes to leaving the start box. Plus it will give her a better idea of how he feels throughout the show so we can come up with a more solid plan of how to manage him. Right now he gets too amped up for dressage to go well, but then can lose too much to make it all the way to the end.
Second, we need better fitness. This time of year is the absolute worst for working on this. Yesterday it rained all day again and the 10 day forecast shows half the days with over a 50% chance of significant rain fall. It makes for sloppy conditions and a lot of time off with no indoor arena available for use. Still though there are options. Even walking trail rides help build good strong abs and butt muscles and if there is one thing I know how to do, it is leg up a horse. Eeyore is getting slated for some long, slow miles on trail on bad days and faster miles on good ones. Hopefully come spring we are both in better shape to tackle this sport.
Third, I have some spare change from selling my Bates and I’ve been toying with the idea of sending him off to Trainer AB for a month of full training, but I think taking more lessons is a better use of that money. When it comes down to it, I’m the weak link here and having someone else ride my horse won’t fix me. With a limited horse budget the money has to be well spent and I think right now it would be better to try to finagle at least one lesson a week, if not two, with Trainer AB for the next month or two until it runs out. January and February are my slowest months at work due to deductibles starting over again. I typically don’t do surgery which frees up every Friday. I think I can sneak in a lesson every Wednesday night at the local barn she comes to then add a Friday lesson at her place as well. This should help with fitness too but more importantly, it gets me on him in front of her eyes much more frequently.
With more education on my part and better fitness on both our parts, I think we can come out swinging better in the spring of 2020. Eeyore does enjoy this game quite a bit when he isn’t half dead and sore. He isn’t a horse who digs down deep to find his next gear when the going gets rough and I’m fine with that. I don’t need a brave horse that will get us killed and I have no dreams of upper level eventing. If I ever make it to BN, I’ll be thrilled. He does have it in him to do starter though and I really want to do it, so my eyes are set on a redemption outing in mid to late spring 2020.
The Roaming Rider 
I think your plan sounds really good! I would say two things.
1 – Don’t put so much pressure on yourself that it stops being fun. Burn out is real.
2 – Don’t hesitate to use a combination of pro rides and lessons.
For me, sending May to a trainer for a month would mostly be useless. However, WATCHING my pro ride May and getting her feedback/thoughts as they happen is pretty significant. I always take video to watch/review later and compare with what I do.
Sometimes, you just get stuck and having a pro help you out is the whole point. Either way, I totally agree with the whole “start with more lessons” idea. I think you are both going to be awesome in 2020!
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That was my thought. Him getting ridden while I’m at work isn’t what I need. I need to be told a million more times to sit up, grab mane and dozens of other things. Funneling the money to more lessons I think will be more beneficial. Plus Trainer is happy to get on him and we can split the lesson into half her and half me as well or once a week her and the other day me. Lots of ways to make it work for what we need
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Your plan sounds great!!! I agree with literally all of it. While sending him out for training WOULD improve him, I think you’ll get more out of it with lessons because you’ll both improve together. Some horses I would definitely recommend sending out to training. But I dont think your situation (at this point) is one of them. It could also be once AB sits on him she’ll say “I know how to fix this and make it easier for you”, and then you can reassess. But this is a great start!!
I’m excited for you guys ❤
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Looking back I haven’t had consistent lessons since day light savings time ended and my ride time got moved to 845pm and ugh to that. Getting back to lessons will make a huge impact
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This show was data collection and as you and Eeyore go to more shows you’ll have more data. Maybe a 40 min hard ride isn’t the way to go on the day before a one day HT – maybe he just needs 40 min of walking and 15 min of work, or some other combination. You’ll learn the ideal plan as you progress!
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Very true. I learned a lot about him and what he can and can’t tolerate going into a show
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I agree with everything said so far. And will add, that it is a tough time of year to concentrate on riding and conditioning, with the holidays and family obligations. So, definitely take some time to just enjoy everything around you. Even if you want to do a February event, there is NO reason Eeyore can’t gain proper fitness in the month of January. I know in the past you’ve taken multiple days off from riding which is totally fine. If you can commit to riding, or having him worked 4 days a week, you will be more than prepared for another Starter event.
And, now you know what doesn’t work. Which will help so much to getting a plan for what will work. And giving him firm expectations from here on out. Your training rides will set the expectation for how to act at a show.
You two have progressed so much in a really short time. You should be super proud of yourselves. I mean honestly, I’m super proud of you and have loved watching your journey. It’s very inspirational!!
Keep up the good work, remember to breathe and enjoy it, and get a realistic plan in place. If you’re anything like me, having a plan that is realistic, and flexible, is key.
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4 days a week won’t happen unless I found someone who wanted to part lease him at my place which is highly unlikely. With family and work I’m lucky to sneak in 2 days most weeks to be honest.
Lessons are a great way to make me ride. Not only do I have the lesson itself but I always ride him the day before as well to make sure the lesson is as useful as possible. No use going with a half feral Eeyore and spending the entire time cantering him back to reality. If I can get weekly or twice weekly lessons on the books through Jan and Feb, that will guarantee me 2-4 rides a week
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I think your plan is very sound and well thought out. I am glad you’re not quitting, and have come up with a solid goal for next year, and I think you’ll knock it out of the park!
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I hope so! If we can fuddle our way through 2/3rds of the last event, with some hard work I think we can do decent at an entire one this spring
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Your plan sounds good to me. Like everyone said, it’s a solid plan. And I agree with making sure that there is fun in there for both of you.
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Oh I always make sure it is fun. Horses are my outlet so if it isn’t fun It isn’t worth doing
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Lots of great ideas here. I would add another one. Consider sacrificing a decent score on dressage. As long as you dont do anything that would get you eliminated?
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We already do that hahahahah!!!!! I mean we scored a 39.8 which is pretty crappy and we’re in last place after dressage both shows by a big margin. I don’t care about being competitive. I get what you are saying though. If he is either a bit too wild for dressage or too dead to do the jumping phases, then err on the side of too wild in dressage and I agree with that
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If you go to the one on Feb 15th, let me know and I’ll try to make it since it’s less than 2 hours from me!
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I need to coordinate with Trainer. If she can ride him we will go but I’m not going to be in the irons. Windridge scares me on a good day
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This sounds like a great plan!
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I’m hoping it works
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Super solid plan!
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yesssss i love this!! fitness is such a game changer for charlie too. maybe he and Eeyore are similar in some ways — like if things get too hard for charlie he’s honestly a bit of a quitter haha. so i generally try to get him a little more fit than is necessary for our level, and that helps keep him going for me even when i make mistakes.
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Eeyore is hard for me to figure out. He comes out all gung ho thinking he is invincible and could go all day. Then things get hard and he is all “hell no where’s my couch and beer?” I’m not sure how to teach him energy conservation. He is line a toddler I swear
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