2017 Goals: Half-Way Check-In

Q

- Stay healthy and happy physically and mentally  
She hasn't tread a lame step since last September's diagnosis. She's fat, sassy, happy, and ready to return to low level work as soon as I find the time. I'm not in a hurry because more rest will only benefit the leg.
- Continue to see steady improvement and be able to put this whole suspensory ordeal in the rear-view mirror this year  
See above
- At the proper time, build back strength and fitness (through hiking and dressage that will be intensely focused at the walk for a few months)
See above
- Achieve a more acute understanding of the aids and get her to accept contact
Work in progress.
- Teach her lateral movements under saddle
Work in progress.
- Build her body back in a more balanced fashion that it was preceding her injury
Work in progress.
- Enjoy many slow miles of trails (whereby "slow" is mostly walking and meandering and "many" is any amount >20 miles for the year)
Work in progress.

Griffin

- Stay healthy and happy physically and mentally
He is all of these things!
- Build and develop our prowess at dressage and jumping
He's steady in the contact 90% of the time; he hasn't balked at a jump yet this year; we've begun schooling 2'9" rather regularly after schooling 2'6" for ages.
- Travel and compete in at least two shows 
Got several scheduled for the latter half of the year!
- Ride in at least two clinics with Stephen
Eh. Clinics with Stephen may or may not happen. We'll see how the cards are dealt in the second half of the year.
- Take at least two lessons with a jumping trainer
I tried to schedule a lesson with a jumping trainer and ultimately never heard back from her. I've since reached out to a Centered Riding instructor and hope to get up to her for lessons once I move Griffin (this month?!)
- Spend some time perfecting our gallop - something I've never focused on before
We've done this and continue to do it! We're both more comfortable and now I'm working on finessing the finer points.

Stan

- Stay healthy and happy physically and mentally
Stan is all of these things - he looks, moves, and acts amazing for 16!
- Continue to build fitness with the goal of having a sleek, muscular athlete who doesn't look his age
Big success!
- Ride > 200 miles on him for the yearDefinitely marching toward that goal. We're at 75.2 recorded miles for the year plus numerous lunge line sessions.
- Compete in at least one LD 
Slated for August.

Kenai

- Stay healthy and happy physically and mentally
He's happy and moving well, but I'm 95% certain he has alopecia X. If it isn't one thing with this dog...
- Continue to build strength
He's stronger than he's been since the surgery debacles. I'm really, really pleased with how he's been moving the past few months.
- Maintain a healthy weight and diet
He's at a GREAT weight and I'm really pleased with his diet despite the hair loss. He is SO happy and moving SO freely and is a very happy dog. The hair loss is just a freak cosmetic thing going on it seems!
- Keep him comfortable on whatever combination of supplements help him the most
Dasuquin, fish oil, melatonin, and zinc in combination with his joint-health-focused food have him acting like a puppy despite being 7 years old.

Myself

- Stay healthy and happy physically and mentally
I'm three of these things. Work is challenging my mental health 40 hours a week, but that just can't be helped with this administration. It is a VERY hard time to be a scientist within the government. Demoralizing is the name of the game these days, I'm afraid...
- Lead climb above a 5.8
Working toward this! Dave is out for the year with an injury, so climbing partners aren't easy to come by. This is good and bad -  bad because of the obvious lack of partner, but good because I have to sack up and lead if I want to climb more!
- Conquer at least one trail on Canaan Mountain without hike-a-biking
I haven't been biking as much as I'd like due to work, but I still hope to push toward this goal.
- Bike North Fork Mountain again faster than before
See above.
- Build a stronger body
Definitely stronger!
- Advance my mandolin skill
Hahahaha. What mandolin? I really ought to pull it out again. Dave hasn't been playing his guitar much either though...
- Build my photography and editing prowess as well as my small photography side business
I've really got a good editing flow that I'm really happy with now. My goal is to have a public portfolio to advertise my services by the end of July. I've been working on selecting favorite shots for that since May. I've got several fun shoots already lined up and am looking forward to what the rest of the year holds!