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Dear All We arrive at the Christmas festive season again and wish you all a very happy and successful 2009. It has been great to see all of our regular clients again and also to meet some new faces. We haven’t sent cards out this year as we have now over 2000 on the database so instead, we will do our newsletter and put up some of our favourite horse and pony shots which can then be printed off. Please watch out for additions to the picture gallery throughout the year. Hopefully your favourite will be up there somewhere! Our usual team of horses are still going strong… Caffraegh, Worthy, Masie, Barney, Rhodri, Biscuit, Hobby and Ghaz are now very efficient at their job. New to the team is Meg’s new horse Dublin who hacks out regularly with Meg and then joins us and the clients; he is a wonderful character. Other new additions are: ‘So’, a skewbald mare who now does lead rein and jump work. Betty (an old show jumper) is doing flat work lessons, hacking and escort work and also jump work for the more advanced! (She has a very powerful engine when jumping!) Lucy, who is doing all round work, jump work and is being further trained for different jobs at present. Bobby, Inca’s dad, is now a supreme cruiser for the more advanced riders; he does a few lessons depending on rider level and also escorts a lot of the hacks. Inca is being trained for show jumping and also developing very good flatwork. She doesn’t do lessons at present as she is very sharp! Shadow is now also being trained for the school after a successful jumping career for suitable riders and is a fantastic pony / little horse to ride for the more advanced ride. . Ella is now owned by the Hayward family. She always loved her jumping and after 6 years in the school Ella has finally earned her way out to now go jumping on a more regular basis with a very keen Daisy! This year, Shelley and I have started a new junior jump team chosen from our weekly show jumping club. Show Jumping club really brings on the next generation and also tests their nerve… and ours at times!! Our new jockeys are developing into competent riders and are learning to ride and cope with green or more difficult horses and ponies, and to develop good flatwork. They are now also working towards their BHS and ABRS exams which start them on to their professional levels should they wish to work with horses later on in life, or just to upgrade their present level of horsemanship. We took these jockeys to their first show and all rode double clears in their first class; Daisy was placed 5th out of 40+ with Ella. We will be working towards our next show at the beginning of next year when the season kicks off again. Meanwhile there is plenty of training to be done! Well done to Anna Johnston, Daisy Hayward, Nicole and Alice Hanson who will now ride a mixed selection of horses and ponies at these events, and we hope to be starting affiliated shows in the next couple of months with them. We also are preparing a Senior Novice team which includes some of our livery clients. They will start at British Novice level in the Spring. We’ll update you on their progress in the next newsletter. The truck is also used to ferry our regular clients for a day out to a show under training and supervision. This has been very successful and we hope to continue this in 2009. Shelley has had a cracking year with Kid and Joss; Joss is jumping very consistently in her baby classes and winning her way up to the next level. She is now competing at Newcomers level and aiming for Foxhunters in 2009. Kid continues to be very consistent at 1.15 – 1.30 level. Shelley rides approx 5 -6 horses each day and teaches for several hours as well. She is kept very busy and active and as well as the ‘fun stuff’, has yard duties which forever get in the way! Ashley and I did our HGV test this year so now our larger truck is able to pay its way more with extra travelling and the income it brings in. When we run out of space in the house it can also accommodate overnight visitors too!! We now take our senior clients out (both affiliated and unaffiliated) when we have a team ready to go. We can travel up to 5 which makes the journey (and atmosphere!!) very worthwhile. Sadly, Topsy has had to be retired this year due to old age / wear and tear. Tops worked 10 years escorting out the hacks and also show jumping with myself and is very high mileage. She may have a foal next year if she ‘takes’ as she is still very fit in herself. They now join Viking (30 years) and Portia who will be 24 years old. The old horses still come back to help the young horses with new jobs and make good field or travel companions. The Dean team include myself, Shelley, Sue and now Catherine, who is now here full time. Catherine is a very competent rider and horse handler. She also escorts hacks and teaches to her level. Amanda will also be seen around on the yard working part time doing yard duties and mucking out. She and her daughter, Jemma, ride here regularly and Amanda does a very reliable job to help keep the yard ticking over. New trainee Nicole, and Daisy (as mentioned above in the Show Jumping club) will also be seen regularly on the yard helping and assisting. Hannah has moved on to work more sensible hours after 6 - 7 years working with us outside in all weathers - although she still keeps her horse as a hobby. Abby has also left us after several years, again, taking a different direction. She does however miss the horses and still stays in touch. New investments this year include an up-to-date set of show jumps, and a new surface in the school. Both are heavily used and in action every day! Occasionally we have a few horses or ponies for sale on the website. We try and match horse and rider to ensure harmony ensues!! This also give you a chance to try the horse out in different conditions under supervision before buying. I hope that this updates you on what we have been up to and what your favourite horses are doing. We look forward to seeing you all in the future for riding lessons and hacking, or perhaps for one of our mini breaks / riding holidays or for one of our sleepovers / half day courses. The farmhouse is available for holiday breaks and can sleep up to 9 people (ideal for small family groups) and is fully modernised and updated. Mini Dean is available for short breaks and riding holidays… remember we cater for most levels so should be able to tailor a course to suit your ability. Happy Christmas! Have a successful and Happy 2009, and good health!! Tracy and all at Dean - 2 and 4 legged P.S. … a big thank you to all our horses who are a massive part of this team! |
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Proprietor: Tracy Eames
Dean Riding Stables . Lower Dean Farm . Dean
Nr. Parracombe . North Devon . EX31 4PJ . England
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Eames