May Newsletter

Well obviously we had to use this super cute photo of Murphy that one of our members took this month – simply because he’s the best ☺

STABLE MANAGEMENT

Our Summer stable management courses are filling up fairly fast – the beginner course (8^th – 11^th July) is already full, although we may put on another week if demand requires it. There is currently still space in the novice course ( 15^th – 18^th July inclusive) and the advanced course ( 22^nd – 25^th July inclusive) so if you would like to book a space, then contact reception. All stable management courses cost £155.00 per person and include a 4 day course, a riding lesson each day and a stable management lecture and supervised grooming. We take a £50 deposit on booking and then the remaining balance has to be paid before the course begins. If you want to book a space, make sure you know which pony your child would like before booking and whether they are available. 

MEMBERSHIP FEES

A big thank you to everyone who has been organised and paid their membership fees before the deadline of 1^st May. The prepayment discount is now no longer applicable but the majority of members have been great and paid up and gotten forms done early enough. 

We have already bought a few new things with the membership fees – we have bought four more little x-country fences (like the skinny brush) for training in the arena as the skinny brush has been well used by our lessons over the last 12 months. We have also bought a solarium for the horses, which is basically a system of heat lamps which are suspended above the wash bay area, meaning that if we need to wash the horses off after working or warm them up to be worked they can have the heat lamp treatment! 

We are now also actively looking for 1 or 2 small ponies (similar size/type to Holly and Murphy) for the riding school although these ponies are extremely hard to find! The other thing on the shopping list is a new saddle for Dixie, which will be done this month – so you can be happy that membership fees are as normal being reinvested back into the club and our horses. 

ASSESSMENTS

We will be assessing ALL lessons from 1^st June to 6^th June inclusive. As normal, the assessments are not a test – they are a way that we check that our staff are following our teaching syllabus correctly and more importantly ensure that you are still riding in the correct group lesson standard and have a standard allocated to you. Sally will be doing the majority of the assessments and Martin will cover some, so the only difference you may notice is that Helen is teaching some of Sally’s lessons that week in order that we can cover all the assessing and teaching. Once you are assessed, you will be able to pick up your assessment form from reception the next time you attend for your lesson, which will detail which standard you are (in a coloured ribbon – details of our grading colours are on the website) and give some positive comments on what you need to concentrate on over the next 12 months for your riding. If you have any questions about your assessment, please don’t hesitate to ask your coach or Sally about them and parents, please help us by emphasising at home to children that the assessments are not a test and are nothing to worry about! 

STAGE ONE AND TWO

We are hosting a BHS stage one assessment at the end of this month and a Stage 2 assessment in June, which some of our members are taking part in. Remember if you want to cover any of the assessment syllabus, or want to run through a mock assessment or cover anything specific, please just ask your coach or Ali at reception as we can always arrange something for you. There will be some changes to group lessons on the day of the assessments, but we again will keep our members advised about it.