January 2010

Dear Pinnerwood Riding Club Member,

Don't want to tempt fate but finally looks like we may be over the worst of the weather that scuppered most equine activities for best part of a month! Top marks to the new Pinnerwood school surface that stood up incredibly well to the snow & ice!

New Members
As the committee, now led by Emma Poulton as Chair and ably assisted by Trish Baker as secretary settle in for the year ahead, we are delighted to welcome back the 38 of you who have renewed promptly and also happy to say 'hello' to Rusty with Duchess as our latest new member.

Forthcoming Events
Quiz Supper Night Fri 29th Jan - We have a capacity crowd of 40 for this popular event and have confirmed numbers to the caterer already. So if you have committed to come we will have to charge the £10 entry fee for any 'no-shows'! It's a 7.30 start at Littlebourne Farm, Northwood Road, Harefield, Middx, UB9 6PU. The Club House is at bottom of car park on left. There will a cash bar available.

Body Sculpting Workshops - Sunday 7th Feb & Sunday 14th March
Following last year's sell-out success we have organised further Workshops with Amanda Gover BHSIT at Hixam Hall Stables, in Ware (Herts)The Intro day on 7th Feb runs from 10am to 1pm and is designed to start participants off with a 'blue-print' riding position to work on. Cost is £10 per person. The follow up workshop on 14/3 runs from 11-1.30 and is designed for more intensive work in smaller groups (maximum 4). Cost is £20 per person. Both events are subsidised by the London Riding Clubs Training Fund.

Amanda has a passion for Classical and firmly believes that the horse cannot respond correctly unless the rider understands the theory behind how to ask correctly. "No-one has ever explained it like that before" is regularly said during lessons. Amanda is one of only a few Instructors in the UK to combine the use of a Riding Simulator with her conventional lessons. It is amazing at how effectively the simulator can improve your riding. One-to-one training in walk, trot and canter with the instructor at your side and visual feed back from mirrors allows you to see your improvement. As an alternative to lunge lessons, the rider is able to focus entirely on their position, balance, straightness and posture without worrying about the horse. A safe environment for riders to improve the security of their seat, perfect the rising trot or improve their canter position. Sophisticated sensors for the leg and hand allow the more advanced rider to refine their aiding and perfect their position. Despite being initially sceptical regarding the benefits of riding a mechanical horse, having attended a few of Amanda's lessons I have been amazed at how helpful they are!

If you would like to attend please put your name on the list on the noticeboard or contact Pennie at penniewickstead1@googlemail.com or tel 07740 430939.

Training Grant - Area 9, which includes Harrow, Northwood, Deloitte, Wormwood Scrubs, BBC, BHS London Civil Service and Honourable Artillery Riding Clubs as well as Pinnerwood, have just received £835 worth of training grant from British Riding Clubs. If anyone has a training events or activities they would like to see run in our Area please email speak to Pennie with Ned, as the Area Training Rep.

Group Lessons - Sat 13th Feb - 3 sessions, with maximum of 3 participants per class to take place at Pinnerwood. Either flat/poles or jumping depending on preference. Please add your name to list on board.

Woodland Treasure Hunt - Sat 27th Feb put the date in your diary, full details to follow. Cost will be £5 per person to hunt down the treasures and win points!

Horsey Contestants wanted for Big Brother!
Bizarre I know but my contact in BHS London Region has passed on a message to advise that the final Big Brother is looking for housemates with an equine interest! Auditions are in London on February 6th.
As always BB are looking for potential housemates of all ages and would particularly like to find some in the equestrian world - be that polo, eventing, hunting etc. It would also be nice to speak to people who are a bit older than the average housemate, people from the more elite circles, or people with very strong opinions pertaining to their sport.

For those of you who are interested please contact either Equine PR via email - eqwynne@googlemail.com or tel 07717 298 182 or Jude Eccles on 07871679123, and you will be fast tracked through the auditions with no need for queuing.

Membership Renewal
New club year started 1/11/09 so renewals are now long overdue - please pay your dues to any member of the committee! This will be the last newsletter to those who don't rejoin.

Poo Picking
We've noticed that some of the school and round-pen users have been picking up poos but then leaving them outside the manege/ round-pen - could everyone ensure that all muck is picked up and taken to the muck-heap please!

And Finally
Congratulations to Abbi Blakey, who many of you know as Piper's sharer before she moved away to Bishops Stortford. Abbi gave birth to a baby girl, Megan Kate on 15th January. Our congratulations go to Abbi and her husband Richard on their new arrival.

PWRC Committee - Emma Poulton, Tricia Baker, Carole Perham, Karen Warmoth, Juliet Wickstead, Maggie Dudfield, Chris Blackburn, Penny Hathaway and Rob Francis