�March 2019

SPS News �1

SPC NEWS Saddleworth Pony Club Monthly Newsletter

Friezland Arena

It is essential we look after Friezland arena to keep it nice for all our use. FUG have proposed two litter picking days on 17th March or 31st March at 2pm. Please offer your support where ever you can.

HELP! Wanted

We need stewards for our Novice Show to be held at Friezland Arena on Sunday 7th April. Stewards can be older members, family or friends. There is a free class voucher for one of

our shows for any one that helps.

Easter Walk 🐣 On Good Friday (19/04/19) we will be holding our annual Easter Egg Hunt, setting off from Boodle Car Park, Daisy Nook (M35 9WJ) at 10.30am.

On meeting in the carpark, each group is given a pen and paper, then everyone sets off following the trail of egg shaped clues answering horse related questions as you go through the beautiful country park. On return (whilst the answers are checked), all the children that are booked on the walk are given sausage butties and a drink followed by an Easter Egg (friends and family can buy lunch at the Cafe). Please book on with Penny Ridley 07795201135 and advise of any dietary requirements.

�March 2019

SPS News �2

What to wear at Outdoor Rallies

Members

Hat that is at the correct standard and tagged, optional body protector (compulsory for Cross Country)

White Shirt & PC Tie

PC Sweatshirt & Badge

Plain Beige/Light Coloured Jodhpurs or Breeches

Black or Brown Jodhpur Boots with Clips or elastic, Jodhpur Boots with plain chaps or long boots

Girls should wear a hairnet with optional scrunchie

Ponies & Tack

Ponies don’t need plaiting but clean, smart ponies score well for turnout marks!

Your tack should be what you usually use. It should be clean and well maintained - new blingy tack embellished with diamonds doesn’t impress, where as well fitting, clean, well cared for tack will impress your instructor! Use your usual saddlecloth/numnah and boots (if your pony wears them) - again clean and black/brown/muted colours are preferable.

Outdoor Rallies Before we know it the outdoor rallies will be starting on the Pony Club Field. These Rallies are brilliant fun and fantastic value for money (working out at just £5 for 1.5hr lesson!). The groups are often different to the Indoor Rallies (groups are posted on Facebook and the Website beforehand). Please arrive at the field and be tacked up and onboard for 6.20pm ready for the Rally to start at 6.30 sharp! At the start the instructor will chat to the group, check tack and mark turnout (Marks go towards the Tack and Turnout Trophy handed out at the Presentation Dance) it is at this point you should hand the Instructor the +++++ form if there is anything in particular they need to know about the pony. Tuition covers many aspects such as flatwork, jumping, poles and gridwork - younger ones might do fun exercises such as ‘Round The World’. Also members might go over things for the Efficiency and Progressive tests and badges. Simple things like mounting and dismounting and changing the length of stirrups the correct way are often forgotten (especially by the older members!). Please bring coats/waterproofs/suncream - the weather up on the field has its own microclimate and can be VERY unpredictable! If the ground is too wet we revert to the Wet Weather Rally Back-Up Plan. This will be posted on the Website and Facebook as soon at the decision has been made. This will be at an arena local to you with groups more mixed but at least we don’t miss out! Dates - 07/05/19, 04/06/19, 02/07/19, 27/08/19 & 10/09/19

Please book on with Joanne Bradley - 07751987293

�March 2019

SPS News �3

Meet The Instructor APC (Accredited Professional Coach) BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach in Complete Horsemanship, BHS Stage 5 Stable Manager, UKCC Level 3, Cert. Ed., Equine Sports& Rehabilitation Massage Therapist (ESMT)

I have been riding since I was 4 at riding schools in Delph (Dr Moore’s, and at Highmoor Riding School when older) but never lucky enough to own a horse until I was 16 and left school and paid for his upkeep myself! I used to help mucking out and leading on lessons all day at Liz Bridge’s (now Longden) at Highmoor on a Saturday in order to gain a free bareback ride whilst leading ponies down to the fields – this is where you learnt about horses and their behaviour!! I used to take a pony called Billy down to PC for their rallies on Armit Road, Friesland and remember crying when he bit Mrs Boon’s finger when she was testing me for my D test as I thought that would cause me to fail!! I soon progressed to taking Firecracker (who was aptly named!) for rallies and shows and vividly remember Ian Ratcliffe putting us all through our paces when trying out for jumping teams – basically if you couldn’t jump 4ft you weren’t on the team and there was only 1 team! I desperately wanted to work with horses when I left school at 16 but my non-horsey parents wouldn’t allow it so I started a 5 year apprenticeship as a Dental Technician (must have been the boxes I ticked at a careers day!) My small wage though did allow me to buy my first horse – Charlie – which on reflection was completely unsuitable – he couldn’t canter, was bad in traffic, hated being in a stable-would climb or jump out and he was

an ex trotter too!! However I fell in love with him and had to have him – I sold my piano to buy him (much to my mum’s horror!) He was definitely my horse of a lifetime and I quickly gained his trust and trained him to jump - he ended up being one of the best jumping horses around locally and I could even manage to hack down Platting Road and Oldham Road in the end without incidence!! Sadly probably due to his earlier trotting career he developed pedal osteitis which at the time had no cure - it broke my heart.

I finished my apprenticeship at a similar time and then went to work with horses!! I gained my BHSAI whilst in Kent training as a working pupil at a private boarding school and then going on to work for an advanced event rider who had extremely high standards – this is where I learnt how to truly care for horses. Not an easy life so I came back home a little sick of horses and had various jobs such as being a Dental Technician again, working for British Airways on reservations, and then for North West Auto Trader selling and designing advertising space to the motor trade (don’t ask me how I blagged my way into that job?!) At the same time as these jobs I still did some teaching at weekends and evenings which I loved. I was Chief Instructor at Saddleworth around 1989 I think for about 4-5years when Kathy Scott and Bernie were joint DC’s and loved inspiring the children – we had a large membership and held rallies on Tuesday’s at Friezland and Wednesday’s at Rochdale on Roch Valley Way, we had a lot of team success too! I particularly remember taking Ernie Connell team jumping on his famous Irish pony Willy! I was Chief Instructor again when Dot Harrison and Janice Phethean were DC’s and we were instrumental in gaining Platting Road as our PC field when Armit Road was being built on. Some of the PC members came and did a guard of honour at my wedding in 2000 which was lovely. I then decided to bite the bullet – train for my BHSII (now rebranded as Stage 4 Senior Coach) and go self-employed teaching, riding horses, basically doing anything to do with horses!! And I’ve never looked back! I went on to gain my BHS Stable Manager and then later doing my UKCC coaching qualifications which I think has had the biggest impact on my teaching and then going back to college

and summer school at Huddersfield University to gain my Cert Ed allowing me to teach Equine courses in FE Colleges. I was very lucky to have the late Chris Roberts train and inspire me, she let me have lessons on her PSG horse Benj so I learnt all the movements such as half pass, 1 and 2-time changes and piaffe and passage and am eternally grateful to her, she was so generous with her time.

I’ve had various horses along the way – Fly who taught me about contact as she was so difficult in her mouth, the mad Mabel who was quite bad - tempered in the stable but wonderful to jump (ask Stacey!) and Rose who was just Rose! - none of them straightforward but that’s how you learn!! I now have a small livery yard on our farm and teach at college as well as freelance and I love my job! I’ve recently qualified as a Sports Massage therapist which is really helping horses and their owners. At pony club it’s wonderful that I now teach the children of children I used to teach – yes I am that old!! Pony Club has given me great friendships and it’s lovely to see new partnerships blossom and the camaraderie is the best!! Long may it continue!!

�March 2019

SPS News �4

Upcoming training

09/03/19, 24/03/19, 06/04/19 10.30am Mounted Games Rally New Gap Farm OL10 2QD Book on with Shelley Wildbore - 07753600487

10/03/19 Chris Smith Jumping Rally Lower Mudd Farm SK14 6JN FULL

17/03/19 Alison Calvert Pole Clinic Lower Mudd Farm SK14 6JN FULL

09/04/19 Chris Smith Jumping Rally Dean Valley SK7 1RQ Book on with Pat Dewhurst o7966065342

25/04/19, 09/05/19, 23/05/19, 06/06/19 Dressage Rallies Friezland Arena OL3 7HJ Book on with Pat Dewhurst o7966065342

06/05/19 Debbie Sykes Show Jumping Training Day Pony Club Field OL4 4AF Book on with Debbie Sykes 07712780608

Results

Dressage

Our dressage team was out in full force on Saturday 2nd March at Warren Farm for the Final of the Winter League and achieved fantastic results! In the Intermediate Dengie Shannon Roche 1st and Freya

Shaw 2nd (Both Qualifying), Novice Jessica Morrell 2nd Qualifying and also came 6th on her other ride, In the Grass Roots Aimee Tempest came 1st and Jayden Birch 3rd. In the Prelim 18 Lillie Moores 1st and Jessica Morrell 4th. The other competitors were Myla Baker, Ellie Barnes, Amaia Barnes Sophie Sykes and Georgia Ridgeway. Well Done! Everyone rode brilliantly.

Show Jumping

On Saturday 23rd February the Show Jumping Teams went to Osbaldeston for the next competition of the Winter League. Everyone jumped well, the standard is always extremely high at Pony Club events.

Saddleworth Silver (Lydia Bradley, Amaia Barnes, Myla Baker and Georgia Ridgway) were placed a very respectable 4th out of 18 and three individuals went through tho the Jump Off on a Double Clear; Georgia Ridgeway, Myla Baker and Zac Baker who finished a

wonderful 6th.

�March 2019

SAFETY TIPS - Debbie Sykes

When out and about lately I’ve seen a few near misses and been involved in some rescues so thought I would share some safety tips!!

TIP 1

If you have an Ifor Williams trailer carry a tool like this:-

! ! !

If you then need to take down the breast bars quickly you can do it from the outside of the trailer safely!!

TIP 2

NEVER tie your horse or pony to a haynet or just a tie ring – if they panic they’ll either pull back and slip or just pull back – either way they will really damage the cervical vertebrae in their neck.

Tie to baler twine that has been split though as baler twine that’s used these days on large round bales or Heston bales won’t snap as its too thick!!

! !

TIP 3

Always carry either a knife, pair of scissors or scalpel blades in your kit – that way if a horse or pony gets stuck and caught up in a haynet (puts a leg through it) you can quickly cut net free as it’s surprising how tight knots get when they’re pulled on and then you can’t undo them quickly!

MERCHANDISE Rachel Guarino

At all the Indoor Rallies I aim to set up a little Shop for people to buy any items needed or place orders for the Special Order Merchandise (that we don’t keep in stock). It is still helpful if you can text me with any requirements so I can check we have the items and get them ready for you as it massively speeds things up, especially as it can get busy at times. When the indoor rallies end all orders need be texted or emailed to me (I can advise about sizes, or can exchange unworn items if needed), I will then message you back with the price and we can arrange getting the items to you at the next rally/event you will be attending – I usually have at least one child at most things! Then please bring the correct cash (preferably in a named envelope) or BACS the payment – stating the child’s name and MDISE (abbreviation of merchandise) so we can allocate the payment.

Saddlecloths for Teams

Most of our team Saddlecloths are too small for anything bigger than a small pony and the number we have has dwindled when people

have failed to hand them in after competitions so we are now going to do things differently. Everyone is going to own their own, but when researching what to buy I found I couldn’t please everyone as there are so many sizes, styles and types for all the different saddles out there. I have decided that it is best if you buy your own favourite style and size, bring it in to me and I will get it embroidered for you. Saddlecloths for dressage should be plain White that will be embroidered with Black (that can also be used for Show Jumping) or alternatively for Show Jumping Black that will be embroidered in white. The cost of embroidery on both sides is £10 in total. The only thing to bare in mind is if they are very thick he might not be able to fit it in the machine but sometimes washing it a few times flattens it enough to fit in.

Please look on the website for Special Order Items, we have loads of exciting stuff from Cross Country Tops to Gillets and Wooly Hats!!!

Coming soon

A what to wear section on the website for all New Members

SPS News �5

�March 2019

SPS News �6

Reference Section

Complaints

Saddleworth Pony Club has a complaints procedure which is to be adhered to. If you feel you need to make a complaint regarding any issues within our club, please contact Juliette Smith on 07827 323218

Membership and Teams Competitions

To be eligible to compete on any of the Pony Club Teams membership must be paid before the end of January. N.B. Any current member that has not re-joined before the end of February will not be eligible to compete on ANY area teams in that membership year.

Training

All training (apart from rallies) must be paid to the

organiser in CASH 💴 - Correct money is always appreciated.

🐶🐶🐶🐶 Dogs🐶🐶 🐶🐶

If you bring dogs to an event run by Saddleworth Pony Club please ensure it is kept on a lead at all times and you clean up after them and take it home

💩 with you.

🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶

Payments

We are trying to discourage people paying by cheque but please be aware that if you do pay by cheque they may not get paid into the PC Bank Account straight away so please make sure funds are always available.

Merchandise

Please contact Rachel Guarino to order Merchandise Text : 07976731530

Label BACS payments mdise and the child’s name so we can allocate the payment

Saddleworth Pony Club BACS

When making payments to the account it is imperative you label the payment with the members name AND what it is for so we can allocate the payment correctly. Account Number : 30359422 Sort Code : 01-08-99

Useful Contacts:-

District Commissioner - Penny Ridley 07795 201135 Membership - Tracey Bleakley 07703 317012 Rally Co-ordinator & Facebook - Joanne Bradley 07751 987293 Merchandise, Newsletter & Website - Rachel Guarino 07976731530 Complaints Officer - Juliette Smith 07827 323218 Friezland User Group (FUG) - Anne Townsend 07977 75427 or Samantha Bentley 07843 336534

Team Managers

Dressage Pat Dewhurst

07966065342

Mounted Games Shelley Wildebore

07753600487

Show Jumping Liz Roche

07881825422

Eventing Gill Morrell

07720349274