Equine Goals!

Shirley at Ride a Good Horse posted her equine goals a few days ago (which she in turn had gotten from Kimberley at Ranch Momma)
I've been thinking for awhile of what I hope to accomplish with my horses this year so I thought I would follow along and put it in writing.

These two boys (Voodoo above, Applejack below) I hope to have in really good shape this spring/summer.  Both are going to barrel races and team sorting.  And while I do both of these for fun I am hoping to have a good season with both boys.  Applejack got some tuning this winter on the pattern from a friend... she found some holes that I was missing and he's been running a nice pattern, let's hope that pattern is the same once we start entering!  I'm really hoping he bumps up into the 2D from 3D this year but if not then I hope to place consistently in the top of 3D.  With Voodoo I'm hoping to start running and placing consistently, he's usually in 3D so far so we'll see what this year holds.  Even if he remains in 3D it would be nice to place more often.

This little man, he needs a job aside from being a buddy.  I don't have people visit with young children often enough for him to be really put to work and he gets chunky pretty darn easy.  Well it turns out that I've got a group of friends that drive!  Which is an idea I've been toying around with.  Actually learning to drive has been on my equine bucket list for a long time, but driving Rootbeer occurred to me late last summer.  I've got a good group of people to help me out... and who knows maybe one day in the future some of the other horses will becoming driving horses too (I personally think Voodoo would look pretty sharp with a buggy)  I have done a littel bit of driving in the past but it would be nice to really learn how.

These two aren't old enough to have "jobs" yet.  Instead they'll spend the year learning the little things that lead to being grownups.  Feet handling, improve their leading, trailering lessons, grooming, etc etc.  And no Odin isn't bigger than Octavius, he's on a bunch of packed snow.  Tavi is actually the bigger of the two.

My Cessa, this girl gets to just be a horse, and spoiled with attention.  My only goal here is to give her the best life possible and to recognize when she's letting me know its The Time.

I'm also hoping to put together some 'obstacles' that I can use with all the horses, whether mounted or on the ground, to help desensitize them.  Think bridges, tarps, small jumps, etc.