So much has happened since the last news letter it’s difficult to know where to start!
The new school has obviously been a huge development and well worth the wait. Thanks to Brian and his team we are now enjoying puddle free lessons. Good job boys!
Other new arrivals include Zac (Above) – a spotted stallion (Wow!)
And a new pony for the school called Eccles.
On a rather a sad note our much loved school master ‘Stranger’ was put to sleep last month after a happy and well earned retirement. Goodbye Stranger and thank you.
Summer 09 Schedule
There is lots of fun to be had this summer holidays.
If you want to join in all you have to do is ring and book:
Office – 01873 810649
Fiona - 07941 049485
Sam – 07890 236928
PONY CARE DAYS - Mondays
10AM – 3.30PM £35 Bring a packed Lunch!
Lots to do all day. Learn to catch your pony, feed & water, groom, tack up and ride morning & afternoon.
JUMPING DAYS - Tuesdays
10AM – 3.30PM £35 Bring a packed lunch!
Learn to walk a course, ride against the clock, do a show jumping round or go cross country and jump in the field!
COMPETITION DAYS £35 - Wednesdays
August 5th Dressage
August 12th Jumping
August 19th Trec Training & Competition
August 26th Games & Handy Pony
PONY & CHIPS - Thursdays
11am – 2pm £25
Go out on the hill for a ride, stop for a picnic of pop & chips.
DAY RIDES & MORNING RIDES
£45 & £25
Will be on Mondays and Tuesdays
Adult only days £45 - Fridays
All lessons as normal – please let us know if you are not coming. Thank you.Website
Don’t forget to check in on the Golden Castle Website
WWW.GOLDEN-CASTLE.CO.UK
There you will find more on latest news and upcoming events, plus lots of photos in the Gallery!
Joiner & Leavers
Not new to the riders at GC but new to the Loan scheme, Paula now has Minnie on half loan with Bethan
HORSE & RIDER PROFILE
RHIANNON & BONNIE
I started riding at Golden Castle over 20 years ago on the one and only Chester!! Back then there was no indoor school, no office and a very small tack room. Fiona taught me all I needed to know about riding and looking after horses through lessons, pony care days and riding camps. I can remember my very first competition. I rode Chester and he decided that instead of racing when Fiona shouted go, he needed to go to the toilet, and we had to restart the race.
Four and a half years ago, I turned up for my Saturday lesson to see my name in the book next to Bonnie. Who is Bonnie? I asked. Fiona told me that she belonged to Gill, but had been a bit naughty and she wondered if I would ride her so that she could see what Bonnie was doing.
I went around to the Barn and was welcomed by the friendliest horse I had ever met. Bonnie came to the door to say hello, and to see if I had any food!!! I started riding her regularly and one lesson we jumped. What a jump!!!! She was fantastic and after I declared how brilliant she was, Fiona told me that she was for sale. A few weeks later she was mine.
I couldn’t have picked a more challenging mare. Bonnie liked doing things her way and needed a lot of persuading to do what I wanted her to do. She would buck and rear, and one occasion did them both at the same time, a bit like a Lipizzaner. But after a lot of help from Sam and a lot of perseverance, Bonnie became the lovely little horse that I will always remember. She loved her jumping and looked after me wherever we went. At her first ever show she refused to stand still outside the arena and danced around. Other competitors kept out of our way, and the man on the gate couldn’t stop laughing at her, but once she was in the ring she was fantastic. She jumped everything brilliantly and came away with a 3rd place rosette. More rosettes followed whenever she went show jumping. I would get into the ring and Bonnie would take over, all I had to do was point her at the correct jumps.
Dressage however was a completely different matter. Bon never really saw the point of dressage. At my first ever dressage competition she had a huge strop. Ariane had come with us for moral support and watched as Bonnie bucked and bucked and bucked. My test sheet was an interesting read – well sat, well sat and the final comment…. Little devil.
Apart from eating and jumping, Bonnie also loved galloping – as long as she was in front. She had such a turn of speed. She loved it when we went to the beach. The galloping was brilliant. The sea however was not such fun. Bonnie decided that there may be monsters in the water and she jumped sideways to get away from them. This meant that I fell off into the sea, and after realising that I was no longer with her, Bonnie galloped off towards home (and the nudist part of the beach). I will never forget the day we went xc training in a field full of cows. One of the cows decided to chase some of the horses. Not a good idea when Bonnie was around. Instead of trotting towards the jump, Bonnie turned to face the cow and stood up tall – as though she was daring the cow to challenge her. The cow decided to leave her alone!!!!!!!
She was a real character and she was my best friend. Every day when I arrived at the stables, Bonnie would be there at the door waiting for me. (or rather for me to go and get her some hay – she had me well trained). She was always there to give me a hug when I was having a bad day, and to listen to me when I was moaning about work. She could always bring a smile to my face, particularly when she was demolishing one of her licks in five minutes.
It was a privilege and honour to own and ride you Bonnie. You were a very special girl and I will never forget you. You were one in a million!!!!!
Thank you Sam and Fiona for all that you did for me and Bonnie, and Sam thanks for being there for me on the worst night of my life.
Rhiannon
OUT & ABOUT...
There have been so many rides and competitions this last year that it would be impossible to cover them all. More mention on these can be found at www.golden-castle.co.uk. For now here is a little something on the Bleanavon Stirrup Club Show & The Endurance GB Fun Ride – also at Bleanavon...
ENDURANCE GB BLEANAVON FUN RIDE
Cath Turner
On Sunday July 5th Fiona and Angel, Sam and Dixie, Arianne and Breeze, Mags and Hollywood, Bethan and Mini and Blaze and I took part in the Blaenavon Ride. Fiona and Sam took the long route, the rest of us did the short one.
Unusually for this July it was a lovely day. We started from a field by a pub called The Whistle. Fiona and Sam went off to do their ride at a good fast pace and the rest of us, at a more leisurely one, followed the orange spray paint markers up over the hill with a couple of good canters, down an old mining track, through a couple of streets and back along a long cycle track . This brought us to the entrance to Big Pit and we went around, cantering through fields and back to The Whistle-thanks Bethan for getting on and off to open the gates!
Everybody had a great time, the horses were well-behaved and seemed to enjoy it too. Rosettes all round at the end and we were invited to come again next year.
Thank you, Fiona and Sam for taking us along.
Sunnybank Dressage
Results
Sarah – 2nd & 4th Place
Bethan 5th & 6th Place
Well done!
Sunnybank Dressage
Results
Sarah – 2nd & 4th Place
Bethan 5th & 6th Place
Well done!
Riding in Spain
A group of us are going to Spain for a week of glorious riding amongst the hills and volcanos of northern Spain.
The Dates are 25th Oct – 1st Nov
Log on to the website below to find out more
www.canjou.com
Click on ‘The Routes’ to see the -
THE VOLACANO & CASTLE TRAIL
There is still the opportunity to join us but you need to let Fiona or Sarah know NOW!
BLEANAVON STIRRUP CLUB SHOW
This year Golden Castle returned to the Novice show at Bleanavon for its second year.
A fabulous day was had by all – the weather was good, the ponies were wonderful and everyone returned home with a rosette – what could be better!
On behalf of all those who took part a big Thank you goes out to Sam who, as ever, provided much needed support and tolerance both before & during the show.
RESULTS
Supreme Champion Rose & Murphy
Reserve Champion Sarah & Lola
Best Turned Out – Coloured
1st Sarah & Lola
2nd Mags & Hollywood
Best Turned Out – Solid
1st Rose & Murphy
2nd Cath & Blaze
5th Paula & Minnie
6th Julie & April
7th Jackie & Ali
Walk & Trot Class
5th Julie & April
6th Mags & Hollywood
Walk Trot & Canter Class
1st Sarah & Lola
4th Jackie & Ali
6th Fiona & Ra Ra
Jumping 1ft6
3rd Fiona & Ra Ra
Clear Rounds
Fiona & Ra Ra x 2
Jackie & Ali
Rose & Murphy
Mags & Hollywood
Sarah & Lola
Julie & April
Well done everyone!
Thanks to Arianne & Bethan for helping out on the day!