Blanketing Tips

 Hey Raynham Riders,

Since it appears winter has arrived and is here to stay, most of our horses have winter blankets on. Here are some important things to know:

• If your horse is very sweaty, they need to be cooled out by hand walking them with a cooler on before their blanket is put on. Coolers are available in the tack up area.
• Blankets are sized and straps are adjusted specifically for each horse. Please ensure you are putting the correct blanket on by checking the name tag on the front of the blanket. If you are unsure, please ask a staff member.
• It is very important that blankets are put on/taken off correctly, for both the safety of the horses and riders and to prevent damage to the blankets. Below are the steps.

As always, if you are ever unsure, please ask one of our friendly staff! Thank you for your help keeping our horses safe, warm, and blankets in good repair,

Your Raynham Team


HOW TO REMOVE A BLANKET:

1. Unclip leg straps at the back of the blanket
2. Undo the belly straps
3. Undo the chest clips/buckles
4. Fold the back 1/3 of the blanket forward to ensure the leg straps are not tangled around their hind legs
5. Fold the front 1/3 forward and then slide the blanket off the horse towards you. Please hang up neatly while you are riding (on the horses' stall door, on the blanket rack in the big barn, or on the grooming stall partition, once the tack up area is complete).

HOW TO PUT ON A BLANKET:

1. Ensure you have the front of the blanket orientated toward the front of the horse and slowly drape the blanket of the horses' back.
2. Do up the chest buckets, ensuring you put the strap back through the buckle (not just the pin) so it is secure. If the blanket has chest clips, please attach them with the opening of the clip towards the horse's chest, so they do not get caught on anything.
3. Do up the belly straps (they cross), and ensure they are laying flat, not twisted
4. Attach the leg straps by passing the strap around the hind leg and attaching at the back of the blanket on the same side. When doing up the second strap, also loop it through the first strap to make the blanket more secure.
5. If any of the straps are missing or the blanket is damaged, please check with staff - it may not be safe for the horse to wear.

Here are some photos:


Chest buckles need to be done up correctly - please 

put the strap through the buckle AND the keeper.

Snaps should be clipped with the opening towards the horse.

Belly straps should be done up diagonally, and 

ensure that they are not twisted.

Tuesday, December 1st - LESSONS CANCELLED

 Hey Raynham Riders,

While the main roads are fine right now, the snow is expected to continue throughout the evening, so we have decided to cancel classes to ensure everyone stays safe.

During the winter session, we build an inclement weather cancellation into the session but as we are still in the fall session, we ask that riders try to book a make-up class.  If you are unable to fit in a time by the end of the session, we will deduct the missed class from your next session's fees.  Please use the booking code SNOWDAY in the online scheduler to rebook.

There are a few time slots open tomorrow as well as this weekend!  Please let me know if you need a hand rebooking.

Nikki

Tuesday, December 1st - Keeping an Eye on the Weather!

Hey Raynham Riders!

School buses were not canceled in York Region today, which is one of the things we use to determine if we should cancel classes.  Currently, the road conditions are poor, so I have canceled my morning daytime lessons.  We will keep an eye on the weather and the roads and post by 1pm if classes will be running this evening.

If you have to go out this morning, be careful and stay safe out there!

Nikki

Grooming Kits

 Hey Everyone!

In case you didn't read through the email blast we sent out yesterday, we are asking that all riders have their own grooming kits. We are currently disinfecting brushes but they are starting to freeze, and in an attempt to be extra cautious, we feel it would be safest for all participants to have their own equipment. I have received a few emails asking what needs to be in a grooming kit. Here is a good article explaining the various types of brushes.

All brush kits MUST have:

• a hoof pick (to clean out the horses' hooves)
• a curry comb (to loosen dirt and shedding hair)
• a hard/dandy brush (to sweep away loosened dirt & hair)

It is also nice to have:

• a comb or brush for the horses' mane (tails should NOT be combed without detangler)
• a soft/body brush (to remove remaining dust and polish the coat)

We will have the curry comb/hard brush combo and a hoof pick available for sale for $10.00, please let us know if you would like to order a set.

If you would like to pick out your own brushes, the

Nobleton Feedmill

is only 5 minutes from the barn and they have a good selection! They are located at 12 Old King Rd, Nobleton, ON L0G 1N0.

You can also order or pick up from local tack shops, including www.greenhawk.com, www.bakerssaddlery.com, www.bahrsaddlery.com, https://www.pleasantridge.ca, www.horseandhound.ca

Covid-19 Restrictions Update

Hey Raynham Riders,

As I am sure everyone has heard, as of tomorrow, York Region will be in the Red Zone for Covid-19 restrictions. Thankfully, we were very careful when scheduling our fall classes so we do not have to cancel any classes. We will be strictly enforcing the rules to comply with public health guidelines, details were sent out via our latest email blast. If you do not receive our emails blast, you can subscribe here: http://eepurl.com/ce2AP-/

Below are the guidelines that affect recreational sports facilities and how we will be adhering to them:

• All sports and recreational programs in other facilities (arenas and multiplexes) limited to 10 people per room indoors and 25 outdoors
• Riders are only permitted to enter the tack-up area 30 min prior to the start of their lesson and must leave 30 min after their lesson time to ensure we do not have too many people in the tack up area at once.
• Riders finishing their lesson are asked to wait in the arena until the next lesson enters, again to prevent crowding in the tack up area
• As it has started to get too dark in the evenings to use the outdoor grooming stalls, we will be using cross ties in the drive shed to keep riders spread out.
• Also, just a reminder that as always, only boarders and staff are permitted in the big barn. Please do not enter, even to just pass through.
• Name and contact information must be collected from all patrons and attendance for team sports is required; records must be maintained for at least one month AND
• Require appointments for entry; one reservation for teams
• All lessons are by appointment only, so we are already following these guidelines.
• No spectators are permitted, but each person under the age of 18 years who is participating in activities in the facility may be accompanied by one parent or guardian
• This was already a rule for indoor lessons and will be strictly enforced. Parents/guardians are not permitted in the tack up area but can watch lessons from the bleachers in the big area or seating area for the small arena, spread apart 3m and must wear masks.
• Screening of patrons, including spectators, is required (e.g. questionnaire)
• All riders, staff, and volunteers are required to submit this self-screening form before each visit to the barn. It will be emailed and sent via text 24 hours before your appointment.
• Face coverings are required, except when exercising
• This was already a rule, thank you to everyone for your continued compliance.

In addition, all riders MUST now have their own grooming tools (please label with rider name). We will continue to provide brushes for the next two weeks to give riders times to order/purchase their own. We will also have the combo curry comb/hard brushes & hoof picks available for purchase at the barn.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  As always, we are constantly working to make Raynham the BEST place to ride!

Nikki & the Raynham Team!

Session One Payment Past Due & Session Two Lesson Scheduling!

Hey Raynham Riders, 

Time is flying by; we are also already more than halfway through the fall lesson session! If you paid in installments, the second payment was due October 26th. If you have not yet sent payment, e-transfer is our preferred method or you can bring a cheque to your next lesson.  Please let us know if you need your invoice resent.  Thank you!

SESSION TWO LESSON SCHEDULING

All riders are assumed to be continuing classes throughout the school year in their current time slot unless you let us know you need to make a change.   The winter session is 10 weeks long, January 2nd – Friday, March 12th but we only bill for 9 weeks in case of an inclement weather cancellation (lessons will be canceled in the event of freezing rain, heavy snow, or extreme cold - below - 12c before the wind chill).  For full details, see our Riding School Policies.
 
To more easily track everyone’s responses, we are asking EVERYONE to please submit the Session Two Lesson Form to either confirm you can continue with your current time or to let us know if you need to change times or discontinue classes.  If you are currently on the WAITING LIST, please also submit this form to confirm you are still interested in classes.  Please submit by Monday, Nov 30th.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Nikki

Winter Riding Tips!

Hey Raynham Riders,

We have been very spoiled this month so far with summer-like temperatures and outdoor riding!  It looks like we are going to return to more seasonal temps this week so here are my tips for dressing for cold-weather riding.  We are also very excited that our tack up area renovation is now complete and is HEATED to keep riders warm while tacking/untacking this winter :)

• Dress in layers and make sure your base layers are moisture-wicking. Thermal long underwear designed for skiing is ideal! Once you are riding you will warm up quickly, so be sure your top layers have zippers so they can easily be removed when mounted.
• Head, hands, and feet lose body heat quickly. Wear winter boots with ski socks, warm gloves or mittens, and a hat when tacking up. Snow pants or sweatpants over your breeches are a good idea for chilly days. You can remove the extra layers and switch to riding boots and gloves right before you get on.
• When riding, a headband can fit under a helmet or a cozy helmet cover is also a great option. 
• Winter riding boots (some options include: Greenhawk or Pleasant Ridge) and gloves are awesome for staying comfortable during the winter months.  
• If you can’t purchase riding-specific gear, your regular winter boots may be fine. They need to have a ½” – 1 ½“ heel, not too chunky treads and the foot needs to be narrow enough to fit into the stirrup. Ask your instructor to check if you are unsure. 
• For those really cold days, hot packs (www.littlehottieswarmers.com, sold at Costco, Marks Work Warehouse, Canadian Tire, and many other places!) in gloves and boots are a great way to stay warm

Horseback riding is a year-round sport, but we do live in Canada so please remember to dress appropriately so you can enjoy riding throughout the winter! 

See you in the barn!

Nikki