April Analysis + May Goals

I won't lie, April was a very slow month for a variety of reasons, but that being said while I didn't reach many of my goals, I did make a point of doing some different things that I really, really enjoyed.

• Spend at least 4 Hrs in the Saddle
  I think I was about 2 Hours Total
• Spend at least 30 Min w/o Stirrups
  Assuming bareback counts, I nailed this because I rode bareback all month
• Get out of the arena at least 3 times
  I ended up taking Sierra home early in April, so every ride was outdoors but other than a short wander down the road, I didn't hack out at all.
• Continue to develop the R + R + C in W & T
  Given that I was riding bareback, I didn't really work on any of this
• Continue to correct the unevenness in the reins
  Also did not do this
• Do more ground work yielding front + hind quarters
  I definitely did a fair bit of ground work
• Do at least 1 fun and 'out of the ordinary' thing
  We definitely did this!

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• Omeprazole Treatment
  To start once I bring Sierra home
• Farrier Appointment
  Shoes, April 27
• REMT Appointment #4
  April 6
• Saddle Fit #2
  TBA

I have a hard time with goals, because I absolutely hate not accomplishing them.... but I've got to say, I am overall pretty happy with how my time with Sierra went in April.  My Saddle Fitter took my Dressage Saddle home at HTS II (March 30) before going out of town, so it was about mid-April before she got a chance to look at my saddle.  In the meantime, I had lent my Jump saddle to a friend to borrow so I was saddle-less, and between that and the projected weather I chose to take Sierra home... but in typical Alberta fashion, upon taking Sierra home the weather quickly changed for the worse and it didn't leave for very desirable riding weather.  Without diving too far into things, my Dressage saddle is unfortunately not going to work for Sierra and as a result, my saddle is for sale and I will be saddle shopping in the near future.  It's bitter sweet, but has opened up a doorway to spending a lot of time riding bareback working on my own body and balance, and it has been incredibly enjoyable and I want to carry that feeling into May.

May Goals

• Spend at least 5 Hours in the Saddle
• Ride Bareback in a  Halter at least twice
• Hack out at least 4 times
• R + R + C in all 3 gaits 
• Jump at least once
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• PEMF Appointment #1 (2019)
• Pentosan Injection