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Hoofprint Gaddesden Place RDA Newsletter
Spring 2016 www.gaddesdenplacerda.org.uk
Enquiries Tel: 01442 246924
Published by Gaddesden Place RDA Centre - Briden's Camp, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 6EX
A Private Limited Company Registered in England and Wales No: 7512961
Registered Charity No: 1140330
We have some exciting new projects this year! Firstly Vaulting is coming to Gaddesden. If
you have ever seen equestrian vaulting you will understand why it is growing into a popular
activity within RDA. The benefits of team work, agility, fitness, and fun make it an exciting
addition to any group. See page four for more information on this and some photos of
“Codey” and his training to become a vaulting horse.
If all goes according to plan, by September, Gaddesden Place RDA Centre will be the first
disabled vaulting group in Hertfordshire and the first in the East Region to use a real horse!
Secondly, we will be introducing a new Horse Care programme on Wednesday evenings.
Ask our Centre Manager, Louise Lumsden
or email her at [email protected]
if you are interested in signing up for this.
Also, please don’t forget to buy your tickets to the Barn dance on 11th June as
they are sure to sell out. Yee ha!
Contact [email protected] for tickets
Latest News!
Codey and Tonto have
both been to church!
To St Mary’s Church in
Redbourn to be precise.
This was to help them
launch us as their Charity
of the Year which we hope
will be rewarding, not just
financially but in the form
of friendships made and
contacts formed.
The congregation young and old certainly seemed interested to hear about our work and
many came to give the ponies a pat while they mowed the churchyard grass.
As you can see from the photo, it was a gorgeous spring day and the ponies seemed to enjoy
their outing. ooooooOoooooo
Term Dates
Sat 28th
May to Fri 3rd
June inclusive
Summer half term:
(holiday rides and riding assessments during half term)
Sat 16th
July Last day of Summer term
Sat 10th
September Autumn Term: RDA restarts
Mon 24th
October to
Sat 29th
October
inclusive
Autumn half term:
Sat 10th
December Last day of term before Christmas break
Other Dates for your Diary!
Sun 22nd
May -RDA Regional Competition at Oaklands College, Smallford Campus, St
Albans AL4 0JA. Please let Christina Grieve know if you are able to help
either for a couple of hours on Sat 21st May to help set up, or on the
actual day.
Sat 11th
June 2016 Barn Dance £15 per person including hog roast, juice and water. Veg
option available. BYOB. At Northchurch Social Centre. Tickets from
Karen Gosen. [email protected]
Sun 26th
June Sponsored Ride on Gaddesden Estate. Volunteers required to marshall
this event. Please contact Margaret Keith if you can help.
Fri 15th
to Sun 17th
July RDA National Championships at Hartpury, Glos. GL19 3BE. More than
400 competitors and 250 horses go to this event!
Sun 24th
July Volunteers buffet lunch at Margaret Keith’s house. 1pm onwards. This is
a “Thank you” to all our wonderful volunteers for the dedication and hard
work throughout the year. We hope the sun shines as Margaret has one of
the best views in the County from her garden!
Sun 25th
September Sponsored Ride on Gaddesden Estate. Volunteers required to marshall
this event. Please contact Margaret Keith if you can help.
Fri 7th
October Golf Day “The Rider Cup” at Stocks Golf Club in Aldbury. £75 per head
including bacon rolls to start and dinner. Contact
[email protected] to book a place
Sat 15th
October Quiz night, Markyate Village Hall.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Christina coaching Will Cochrane on
Beetle and being trained by Nicky and
Tracy from the Diamond Centre.
Hannah Cullen a vet student on work
experience, was roped in to help with the
vaulting demo, with Tracy from the
Diamond Centre giving guidance to
Christina.
Louise Training Codey on the
Lunge at Gaddesden
Two Shacks Barn vaulters
practice their routine on the
barrel horse with the assistance
of Sam Gilman, whose legs are
just visible!
Nicky and Tracy from the Diamond
Centre demonstrate on Beetle
RDA Vaulting comes to Gaddesden!
As many of you know we only have six ponies at Gaddesden Place RDA
and options for expansion of our activities is limited by the available
grazing. While our trustees are always interested in suggestions to reduce
the waiting list, there were some sceptical looks when starting up a Vaulting
group was suggested!
The best way to understand Vaulting is to see it in action so off we went to
visit other RDA Vaulting groups. We soon realised what a great team sport
it is! Training a team of disabled vaulters to execute a gymnastic routine
only requires one horse. Vaulting offers all the benefits of team work,
agility, fitness and fun. Vaulters also learn to interact with and care for their
horse. The other advantage, for those in mainstream school, is that sessions
can be run after school when we hope some young and gymnastic
volunteers will be available to help demonstrate the moves!
“Codey” the pony, Louise, Christina, Val and Karen are being trained to
deliver vaulting sessions and are practising by training our volunteers.
Initially we had a couple of visits to Shacks Barn RDA Vaulting Group near
Towcester and the Diamond Centre in Carshalton, Surrey. Then Nicky
Sutcliffe and Tracy Glover from the Diamond Centre very kindly brought
their vaulting pony “Beetle” to us for a training session. We have been
practicing regularly with Codey and they were happy with his progress.
There are plans for us to do more training over the summer term. We have
applied for a grant to buy some more equipment and pay for Codey’s
summer training camp with able bodied vaulters prior to beginning vaulting
at Gaddesden in September.
Many thanks to Sam Gilman from Shacks Barn, Jane Barker from Perry
Group, Nicky Sutcliffe and Tracy Glover at the Diamond Centre as well as
Marisa Bretherton-Mackay at National Office for their help, advice and the
equipment they have lent to get us going.
We hope to offer some taster sessions to riders who might like to join us, so
please let Louise, our Centre Manager, know if you are interested.
Many Thanks to:
Chilterns Chapter of BNI for their
support!
The Chilterns Chapter of Business Network International (BNI), a local business
networking group have been raising money for Gaddesden Place RDA over the last
year. The group, who meet weekly at Latimer House, have held a wine tasting and two members ran a half marathon.
They presented us with a cheque for £1,000 which is much appreciated.
Oscar (wearing his
new hat made by
the Christmas
knitters) studies his
Grade 1 Riding
Cert with coach
Christina.
Grade One Riding Aoife Keaveney
David Grigoire
L J Winzar
Oscar Gray
Felicity Loria
Gabriel Aspart
Lara Crawley
Adam Fendrich
Liberty Proctor
Iqra Hussain
Jahrel Kerr
Amy Johnson
Max Markowski
Rebekah Warner
Grade One Horse Care Felicity Loria
Gabriel Aspart
Lara Crawley
Rebekah Warner
Grade Two Riding Samantha Wilson Luke Kingsman
Grade Two Horse Care Samantha Wilson Luke Kingsman
Grade Four Horse Care Jack Eldridge
Endeavour Award
Sebastein Clewlow
Aoife and her Mum
LJ with his Mum
David with his Father
Coach Julie Wilcox and
Jack Eldridge
Sun 22nd May???
Are you free???
The RDA Regional Competition needs you! Oaklands College in St Albans is the venue. If you can help please tell
Christina Grieve or email
[email protected] Tasks are varied and the day is not only worthwhile but fun. Your help will be much appreciated by all involved.
Sandra began volunteering for RDA eight years ago. She
had been thinking about joining the Chiltern District RDA
Group for a while, and when she heard we were merging
with Gaddesden Place RDA she decided that was the time to
come along.
Having her own ponies meant Sandra was a natural, and
she fitted in to the Wednesday morning session beautifully.
A quiet and self- effacing person, Sandra was the ideal
helper. She was happy to handle the trickiest horse, which
soon settled in her capable hands, whilst being kind and
empathetic to her riders.
Sandra’s sudden illness took everyone by surprise, but she
kept in touch from her hospital bed, where she was
obviously missing (as she put it) “all her furry friends”.
Her loss is considerable, as has been evident from the large
sum raised in her memory, to date over £800. On a personal
level, I miss seeing her with her husband David walking
over Whipsnade Common in the early mornings to tend
their ponies, and then again at the end of the day; a truly
devoted couple.
Sandra is also missed at Dunstable Sainsbury’s , where I
still expect to see her giving a wave from the tills, or busy
on supervising duty… Hilary Fox, Volunteer and friend
In the summer of 2013, Sandra and her husband very kindly gave up one Sunday to take Bramble in their trailer to a
local show at Toddington where Beaky, one of our volunteers and trainee coaches, jumped him in the local
competition there. Bramble was very well behaved and they came home with a 4th rosette. Bramble loved his outing
and this would not have been possible without the generosity of Sandra and her husband. Sandra was a great help to
Beaky on that day, offering her sound knowledge and advice. I will always remember Sandra for this and her lovely
smile! Cathy Bolshaw, Chairman and RDA Coach
(Editor note-Funds raised in memory of Sandra have been used to purchase a special supportive saddle for very
small riders as well as a wooden bridge and some nesting boxes to put in our new Sensory Garden, where riders
may be lucky enough to spot wild birds, which we know Sandra loved.)
Sandra Watson 1944-2016
Many thanks to Students from UTC Watford for their support!
UTC Watford is a University Technical college which specialises in Event Management. Students Erica Gosen and amy Jourdan organised a 1950's diner event as part of their Travel, Tourism and Event Management course. Their hard work raised £300 for Gaddesden Place RDA but it looks as though they had some fun too!
ooooOoooo
Emma Loveland, Principal of Watford UTC said: "It is excellent practical experience for our students to put the skills they are learning here into practice at a public event. They organised the event from start to finish, from its overall promotion, to hosting on the day".
Here are Karen and Rebecca
suitably dressed for
a Christmas collection!
Sainsbury
collection on 21st
December 2015
raised £763
and the
Easter collection
raised £430 Many thanks to all
volunteers who gave up
their time to help us and
also to Sainsbury at
Apsley for their
continued support.
Thank you to the Christmas knitters!
Some lovely things were knitted prior to Xmas to raise funds including hats, scarves and even some tinselly hedgehogs. Grateful recipient Libby Grieve with her Christmas present which she takes to bed with her most nights.
Anna says her mum is an ‘avid quilter’ and the quilt took a few months to make. It travelled with Jan between the UK and the US whilst being completed. It is completely made by hand, no machine stitching in sight! The picture shows the quilt on a king size bed (dimensions are 220cmsx190cms) and is a truly unique, one off piece.
If you would like to bid for this beautiful quilt, please email
[email protected] with the subject “Quilt” and your bid.
Many stitches in time…… We have a unique hand-made horse themed quilt to auction which has been painstakingly made by Jan Sapte, the mother of one of our volunteers, Anna. Jan has very generously donated the quilt to us with all the proceeds going entirely to Gaddesden Place RDA.
Silly hats, daft jumpers, elves and Santa?
It must have been Christmas week
at Gaddesden!
Gwen (Wednesday Coach) writes a Tribute to Paddy Thirteen years ago I took home a huge pet from Gaddesden Place RDA - a piebald
Irish cob (crossed with a bulldozer) who was showing signs of arthritis so could no
longer be used for lessons.
Paddy had a huge character backed up with the sweetest nature, and I had so
much fun with him over the years. He enjoyed a walk down the lane with the dog,
loved a fuss and a bath - but the thing he loved even more than polos was a roll in
the mud!I made a promise to the trustees that I would look after him - and with
the help of the vet and a very patient farrier who Paddy would sit on at every visit,
keep Paddy as comfortable as possible - and to love him until the end of his days.
That sad day came on April 5th, and I had to say goodbye to him at the top of his
field where the wild daffodils were flowering. It was the last kind thing I could do
for him. Rest in peace Padster- you are a star!
The Gaddesden Place Fire! The Gaddesden Place Fire! The Gaddesden Place Fire! The Gaddesden Place Fire!
While searching for our website one day ( www.gaddesdenplacerda.org.uk ) I pressed a wrong button and
found myself bidding for an item on ebay! As you can see below, I became the owner of a tatty postcard of
“Fire at Gaddesden Place”. Evidently, this was a big event in 1905, as big as Buncefield was a hundred
years later. There was no telephone and the local fire brigade was in its infancy. One of the estate workers
had to gallop on horseback the three miles to Hemel Hempstead to raise the alarm. A horse drawn manual
water pump was despatched which arrived an hour and a half later. No text messaging in those days!
The hilltop location of the house meant that water had to be pumped up from the River Gade but the
pump and pipes could not maintain the pressure required and estate workers had to form a human chain
from the river to haul water up the slope.
Staff were all evacuated safely and estate workers managed to remove many valuable items such as
paintings, antiques and the wine collection. Apparently the following day, hundreds of people came to
survey the smoking ruins. The butler, fearing the crowds might begin looting began to return the wine to
the undamaged cellar with the assistance of a footman.
Unfortunately a wall of red hot bricks collapsed, killing the butler and trapping the poor footman who later
died of his burns. It appears an enterprising photographer in Berkhamsted quickly began to sell postcards
judging by the message on the reverse dated only a few days later, which tells the addressee in High
Wycombe she will write at length soon.
Some good did come out of the tragedy because money was raised to build a modern fire station in Hemel
Hempstead with better equipment.
And Have Fun!
Gillian being hoisted off the
wheelchair ramp
Do you know the main Objectives of Riding for the
Disabled???
They are to deliver opportunities for;
• Therapy
• Achievement
• Physical Activity and enjoyment
To fulfil these objectives the Gaddesden volunteers and
coaches train continuously to improve standards. Over the
past year, volunteers attended training at Oaklands College in
St Albans as well as “in house”. Coaches attended training at
Digswell Place RDA and also medical conditions training
organised by our County Coach. Staff have had training at
National level. All coaches have First Aid and Safeguarding
certificates where required and are regularly reviewed. The
team works hard to deliver a high quality experience.
RDA gives individuals the opportunity to;
• Reach therapeutic goals
• Achieve their personal ambitions
• Combat social isolation
• Develop life skills
• Experience the outdoors
• Connect with animals
Many thanks to the
team from TUI Luton!
Over Easter, a team from TUI Luton volunteered to help with some much needed maintenance. TUI is part of the international travel group which includes brands such as Thompson, First Choice, Falcon, Hayes and Jarvis, Sunsail, Austravel and Crystal Ski holidays. The team painted part of our Indoor School which was in dire need of some TLC!
The wooden boards which line the arena are subject to a great deal of wear and tear. Sand from the arena surface is one problem. Another is the moisture from the overhead sprinkler system, which is used to lay the dust and keep the working surface soft. These quickly eat away at the wooden boards. Regular maintenance by painting with a preserving paint helps to prevent rot and extends the life of the school. We are really pleased with our smart painted boards. Thanks to Team TUI and hope the paint came off easily!
Behind the scenes...... A day in the life of Pete the Farrier
Pete has been making sure the Gaddesden pony’s shoes are at their best for the past 25 years.
On a bright sunny day in April Hoofprint went to the yard armed with coffee and hot cross buns to watch
him work and ask him some questions.
How long have you been
a farrier? Pete started an
apprenticeship when he
was 16 and has been
working as a farrier ever
since. We didn't ask him
how long that is! Today
the apprenticeship to be a
farrier is 4 years.
How do you know
which size of shoe is
right for the pony?
The size of shoe required
depends on the size and
weight of the pony and is
measured beforehand.
What are horseshoes
made of?
Horseshoes are usually
made of mild steel as
these are very strong
and durable. However,
race horses have shoes
that are made of
aluminium which are
much lighter (otherwise
it would be like Usain
Bolt running in wellies!)
How often do horses
need their shoes
replacing? Usually every 6 weeks
but this will depend on
how much work the
horse is doing.
How long does it take to
shoe a pony?
“It's all in the
preparation” said Pete,
but generally 40-50
minutes per pony.
Make sure the pony has a
hay net to distract it!
Size the shoe, Take off the
existing shoe.
Pare the wall of the hoof
back - making sure the
hoof is symmetrical on
both sides using a rasp to
trim and smooth the hoof
Fit and nail the new shoe
make sure the clenches
(ends of the nails) are flat
and secure.
You can see that
Bramble looks very
relaxed and doesn’t mind
his shoe fittings at all.
Pete also showed us how to make and shape a horse shoe using a
furnace which involves a lot of skill.
Thank you Pete for keeping our Ponies' hooves in top
condition!
Can you help? We need auction prizes for our Charity Golf Day on Friday 7
th October. This will
be our biggest fundraiser for 2016 and the auction is a very important feature of
the day. Several prestigious companies have already offered support including
Champneys and The Good Housekeeping Institute but we will need many more
pledges to make the day a success. If you can donate an experience, or a lovely
treat as a prize, please email Karen Gosen :