Golden Castle

News

The bad weather and cancellations of July and early August gave way to better weather and lots of activity for GC riders at the end of August and into September – detailed results from the Llangynidr Show courtesy of Kate – as well as updates from all other competitions are covered in this issue. Still lots of events and activities coming up so check out the Coming Up section; if there’s anything you’d like to take part in just ask! Fingers crossed for a mild autumn! Sam and Fiona

Out and About!

First Affiliated Event for Kate and Minstrel – August 16^th

Kate and Mini took part in their first BE Affiliated Event (Intro Level) along with Sam and Benson. The XC course had a wide variety of obstacles as well as having large rolls of hay covered in green plastic flapping around randomly placed around the course. Kate loved it and is planning to do another before the end of the season (and has promised to write a piece along with Rhianne for a future newsletter!)

More BE Points for Ice

Sam and Ice have completed four further Novice events – Sapey, Urchinwood Manor, Cleobury Mortimer and Park Farm, collecting two consecutive BE points at Cleobury Mortimer and Park Farm. The pair are now consistently and tantalisingly close to the places – at Cleobury Mortimer they completed the day a nail-biting 11^th, with less than 1 point (ie 1 second on the XC course or 1 mark in the dressage) out of the placings. We did have Matt Ryan, ex Olympic medallist and hot from Burghley in our section……. Ice now has 4 BE points at Novice level and the aim is to add more to the tally before the season is over.

Toby and Fiona Complete their first 80km ride – August 19th

Having already completed a number of shorter (as in 40km, so not that short….) rides this season the ace GC endurance team were one of only three horses to complete the 80km ride at Euston Park, Norfolk. This was a big step up for Toby and one that he and Fiona have been aiming for throughout the year. See the full story below from Fiona!

 More out and about over the page

Penny Pony and Rosemary

My name is Penny Pony and I used to live at Golden Castle. I think I’m quite old because I have one or two grey hairs and only a few teeth. I got a bit stiff and I like being lazy so Fiona decided to retire me – well done Fiona! A few months earlier, “an upright” (those with only two legs, instead of four) called Rosemary started having riding lessons. Fiona and Sam went to visit her smallholding as for some strange reason they like donkeys – can’t see the attraction myself and I’m sure Chester would agree with me! As Rosemary had taken a shine to me Fiona asked her if I could go and live with her. Of course she and husband Chris couldn’t resist me and I arrived one wet, windy, dark October afternoon in 2005. I had a posh new rug to wear (which I soon ripped to shreds) which was a good thing as it didn’t stop raining for six months. I was put into a field with Sooty the Shetland, a black, short, rather fat specimen who, not surprisingly fell madly in love with me. (I was his first girlfriend.) He became so passionate that he wouldn’t let me out of the field and because of his “weight issues” he now lives on the other side of the electric fence. He occasionally gallops under the fence to join me but is soon removed when the uprights realise where he is! I personally find him a bit of a nuisance but the uprights seem to love him. Now to the donkeys. There’s a smallish brown, pretty one (not as pretty as me) called Parsley and a very tall, grey one called Jack. I did visit their stable once but I’m not very keen on their diet of straw and restricted grazing. Sooty lives with them and they have some fights which are well worth watching. Parsley is a particularly noisy and greedy donkey who persists in shouting loudly every morning at 6.30 and again at 4pm until the uprights come running. Jack isn’t quite as noisy, he just makes lion noises and asthmatic type wheezes. Unfortunately I have to share my fields with some brown creatures which look like teddy bears. I believe they are Coloured Ryeland sheep but I’d never seen sheep like that before and I love chasing them. One of the baby bears called Stick (they all have names) has the cheek to lick my tail! Fiona liked the look of them and although an avid sheep hater now has some of her own. She’ll learn! I like to keep the uprights on their toes so I’ve vandalised gates, walls, fences and a new hayrack. Still, they need to keep busy! I love climbing into hawthorn trees to make my mane nice and sticky and I climb up very high banks in the snow and then come down on my side. For some reason Rosemary covers her eyes. I thought retirement meant exactly that but no, we regularly have to go off on hacks up the mountain or down to the village. They seem to be getting longer, last time we were out for two hours. Fortunately I was stopped and admired by ten different people who told me how beautiful I was and gave me cuddles. The more time I spend being cuddled the less I need to move! I’m not keen on butterflies when I’m out and about and if I see a pram I do a dance and then refuse to go past it. They sometimes have funny little pink things in them which move and frighten me! All in all I think I’m rather spoilt. I get loads of attention and nice tasty supplements to keep me healthy. The uprights grow carrots and things so I have a few treats now and then if I’ve been good. To all the other working horses at Golden Castle I can definitely recommend retirement!

Fantastic showing for GC riders and horses at Llangyndir Show!

Twelve riders and horses took part in various classes at the Llangynidr Annual Show on August 26, with some great results. A huge amount of effort was put in by everyone to make sure their horses were presented as professionally as possible and that the riders looked smart and tidy – and the work paid off! It was particularly gratifying to see the horses and riders demonstrate huge flexibility, entering different classes in different combinations to make the most of the showing opportunity. We’ve tried to capture all the results – I’m sure everyone can appreciate that there was a lot going on and riders to help/horses to swap over and manage so if we’ve made any errors then apologies in advance. Please also see some of the pictures from the show at the end of the newsletter.

(Classes entered and places where successful)

• April – with Sammy, best turned out and 3^rd – pony the judge would most like to take home; with Islene, 6^th – pony with the prettiest face
• Duke – with Sophie, 1^st – best veteran horse/pony, 6^th – best turned out, with Emily, 6^th – best lead rein pony; with Victoria – best pony club pony
• Mouse – with Michelle, 3^rd – best riding club horse and 3^rd – best turned out
• Murphy – with Cath, 2^nd - best turned out, and best riding club horse
• Hollywood – with Martha, 2^nd – coloured in hand, and best turned out; with Simon, 1^st - coloured ridden; with Michelle, 1st – family horse
• Ali – with Jackie, 3^rd – mountain and moorland,  3^rd – family horse, 4^th – best turned out; with Charlotte, 3^rd – riding club horse

Completing our first 80k endurance ride – Fiona and Toby

We were going to do the Ridgeway ride which isn’t too far away but with foot and mouth it was cancelled so a replacement was found - Euston Park. The catch of course was that it was in Norfolk! The weekend started with a 5 1/2 hr drive on Saturday to the venue. We did stop at service stations along the way to let the dogs have a run -Toby got a few funny looks but we arrived safely and set up camp. The people next door were from Ross - small world! Sunday dawned fine, the promised rain was holding off, very nervous now – a long way to drag everyone to fail, so no pressure then…….Off we set at 9.10 am. The plan was to stick at 12kph, the going was hard but no hills which is very strange. Only a halt at 48k today with Brian crewing, meeting me at points around the route with drinks for Toby and me. All was going well until the last section - the time was good but the distance was wrong - 3k too much - so my time was wrong and we were slower than I wanted. We came in well and went straight to the vet so didn't lose any more time. After a 40 minute hold we were back out on a different route - only 32k this time!  I was trying to maintain a rhythm but having trouble with my legs - I had new chaps on for the first section which had been fine at home but were cutting off the circulation in my legs; I had made a quick change back to the old ones at the stop and that had helped a bit but I was finding it hard to trot so we walked for 2mins then cantered for 3, alternating where the terrain allowed. We were really having to work for our time and I was worried we’d be out on the distance again but didn't want to push any harder.  It was 34k, 2k too much so we were late home but went straight to the vet and luckily had no problems. We finished in a time of 7.17 hrs overall and an average speed of 10.98 and gained a “completion” although no grade. We had been lucky – as we walked back to the box Toby started to stiffen behind - if I had rested before presenting to the vet he would have failed us.  Luckily we had gone straight to the vet – and secured our first 80k completion. I think we

both need to be fitter for next time (don't tell Brian, he thought it was too much for Toby and said I should look at getting something more suitable. He denies this of course but too late - meet Angel my new, future endurance horse….. but that's another story).

New Prices from September 2007

We have just confirmed our new price list for 07/08. As always we strive to minimize any additional costs to you all but inevitably there are some new/increasing costs that have an impact, including the cost of feed/hay/straw and insurance. We will always try and be as accommodating and helpful as possible so do please talk to us about what you are trying to achieve with your horse/lessons and how we can work with you to help you achieve what you want to within your budget. The completed new price list is available at the yard and pinned on the notice board.

The Long Ride to Cockitt Hill – August 17th

On a fine, sunny Friday Fiona, Cath, Jackie and Rosemary set off with saddlebags and sandwiches to ride a circular route from GC, across the A40, through Bwlch and up and over Mynndd Llangorse to drop down Cockitt Hill to the road pass between Mynndd Llangorse and Mynndd Troed and then back up over the hill to circle back to the yard. Sarah rode up from home on Ceri to join the gang for lunch (bringing some tea and chocolate for the picnic). Watch out for more day rides in the coming months.

More clear rounds……..August 20th

GC held another successful clear round show jumping evening with heights from mini to 2’9 – 3ft. Lola carried off most improved – after two nervous rounds earlier in the month, she trotted round the mini courses like a seasoned show jumper – cantering and everything! More SJ to come in September.

Dressage evening – a new challenge

On August 30^th, 8 riders took the opportunity to test their flatwork in three different tests ranging from a walk and trot test for beginners to standard British Dressage Prelim Tests. Sophie and April took the honours in class 1, Kate and Mini in class 2 and Rhianne and Toffee in class 3.

Coming up – things for the diary

September 23^rd - Pencoed – indoor eventer challenge – 18 SJ/cross country style jumps indoors – 2’3 – 3’3 classes; sponsored ride at Blaenavon

September 24 - GC Evening Show Jumping – everyone is welcome – please book with Sam or Fiona

September 29^th – TREC at Cefn Mably – replacement for the event cancelled earlier in the year

October 6^th – Hartpury – indoor eventer challenge (same series as Pencoed)

October 7^th – pick and mix and tracks ride at Hilltop and fun ride with optional jumps near Ross on Wye

October 13 – Sam and Ice in action at Mount Ballon.

Christmas Ball

The menu is now available so please do confirm places/dinner order for the 23^rd November. A highlight will be a video montage of action from all the affiliated events completed so far this year (courtesy of Fred who is a whiz with computers). Plenty of room for friends/partners so definitely the more the merrier. We do need confirmation of numbers by around September 17^th so let us know by email/phone/written note if you will be there.

Joiners and Leavers

Introducing Angel, Fiona’s new chestnut Arab mare, bought at the recent Ascot Arab and TB horse sale. Angel is currently living at Ty Mawr with Fiona’s horses and will be brought into work to compete at endurance next season.

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Two “real” leavers this month (although we’re sure they’ll be back to visit/in holidays): good luck to Elinor who is starting her University course this September at Birmingham. And goodbye and good luck to Rhianne who is moving up to Milton Keynes to start a new life there with Rhys (and Toffee is going too, of course). We’d like to say thank you to both of them for all their hard work and support here and wish them the best of luck for the future (and hopefully see them back for the Ball….).

And some sad news. Nickie, our old yard manager, had to have her lovely horse Cloud put down last week after she became stuck in a deep ditch and hedge whilst out in her field. Although she was rescued, her internal injuries proved to be too serious and a few days after being lifted to safety by the fire brigade Cloud had to be put down. Many of you will remember Cloud and Nickie – all our good wishes go to her at this very sad time.

Out and About – in pictures………………..Llangynidr Show, GC Showjumping and Cloud