Happy New Year Raynham Riders!

Hey Raynham Riders! We hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year!  Our apologies if you tried to get in touch with us over the past week, we were crazy busy with Jillian (Lindsay & Caryn's daughter, Nikki's sister)'s wedding!  We are working through the backlog of emails now and Nikki is working to finish the schedule for the winter session ASAP.  It will be posted on the blog, as usual. Below are a few reminders and upcoming events, please take a look! We look forward to seeing everyone back at the barn soon, Nikki, Lindsay & Caryn The reason for our radio silence the past week -  a huge congrats to Jillian and Colton on their marriage!  In-House Clinics - Thurs. Jan 2nd & Fri. Jan 3rd There are still a few spaces remaining for our awesome in house clinics!   We will be doing dressage on Thursday and stadium on Friday.  Lunch is included and riders are welcome (and encouraged!) to stay for the day and watch each other's lessons.  You can view the full details here.  Please email Nikki by to register! Inclement Weather Cancellations All cancellations for inclement weather will be posted on our blog and on Facebook.  We will NOT send out individual emails, but on the top left corner of the blog page, you can subscribe by email and it will email you any posts.  You can view our full inclement weather policy here. Winter Schooling Show Date Change As the tack up area is not quite complete, we have decided to postpone the winter schooling show until it's ready.  We will post the official date once the work is closer to completion, but most likely Sat. January 18th or 25th.  Riders can enter online here.  This means that classes will be running as usual on Sat. January 4th. Please let us know if you have any questions. Other Upcoming Events (Dates TBA)! Dressage Clinic with Meredith Risk School Horse Spa Day & Saddle Fitting Tuesday Fun Nights!  We are going to be running fun nights on Tuesdays throughout the session - pony games, stadium round/dressage test practices, stable management lessons, and more!  Watch the blog for details! Equestrian Canada Rider Level Testing

Make-up Lesson Option this Saturday!

Hey Raynham Riders,

Have a make-up lesson from last night or another time this session?  We are offering some additional times for make-up lessons this weekend!  Below are the group classes we are offering on Saturday.  It's supposed to be a balmy +1c on Saturday too! 

• Saturday, Dec. 21 @ 10:30am - Novice/Intermediate
• Saturday, Dec. 21 @ 11:30am - Adv Beginner/Novice 
• Saturday, Dec. 21 @ 12:30pm - Beginner/Adv Beginner 

Please enter the booking code SNOWGROUP into the online scheduler: http://www.raynhamstables.com/online-lesson-scheduling.html so the scheduler knows it's a make-up class.  Please sign up today - if by tomorrow afternoon, there are insufficient #'s to warrant running a class, we will combine some of the groups.  If you missed a private lesson with me last night, I am still trying to sort out my schedule for this weekend, and will post some availability shortly :) 

Please let me know if you have any questions,

Nikki

LESSONS CANCELLED - Wednesday, December 18th

Hey Raynham Riders!

To keep riders (and instructors) from getting too chilly, we classes if the temperature is going to be below -12c before the windchill.   Tonight it's supposed to be -15c by 6pm, so classes are cancelled for this evening.  Since it's the last week of the session,  we are happy to offer some make-up classes this weekend.  Please email us TODAY to let us know if you would be available this weekend so we know if there is enough interest to warrant running some classes.

We want to remind everyone that during the winter session, there are no make-ups required for inclement weather cancellations!  If the weather conditions are fine here and we do not cancel, but the driving is unsafe in your area, you can still cancel and either book a make-up or deduct from the next session - so there's no reason not to continue over the winter!

Dressing for success is critical for winter riding! Here are my best tips:

• Wear LOTS of layers, but remember to remove layers before you sweat and put them back on as soon your done riding to trap in your post-ride warmth!
• Thermals under your tops/breeches are awesome!  You can even add sweatpants/snow pants on top on really chilly days.
• Winter riding boots and wool/thermal socks make a huge difference.  If you don't own a pair, you can see my recommendations here:  https://raynhamstables.blogspot.com/2019/11/winter-riding-tips.html.  If your regular winter boots have a small heel and aren't too wide, you may be able to ride in them!  Ask your instructor to check!
•  Cold fingers are no fun - winter riding gloves are great but on those really chilly days, wear mittens and add hot packs for extra warmth!

I hate the cold more than anyone else I know, but if I can dress to stay warm to ride throughout the winter, anyone can!

Nikki

IMPORTANT - Schooling Show Date Change!

Hey Raynham Riders,

The tack up area is progressing well but since we had a delay with replacing the posts initially and now the upcoming holidays, it may not be 100% finished for January 4th. Since running schooling shows is challenging already, we've decided to hold off on the show until we know we can use the tack-up area. We will announce an official date once work is close to completion, but it will likely be January 18th! This means there WILL be lessons on Saturday, January 4th. Hopefully, this means even more riders will be able to participate as some people were going to be away still for holidays.

Thanks so much for understanding!   We'll keep everyone posted on the progress of the tack up area :)

Nikki

Winter Session: Saturday, January 4th - Friday, March 13th

Hey Raynham Riders!

There has been an unprecedented number of requested changes to the schedule for the next session so unfortunately, it looks like I need to redo the schedule from scratch.  If all riders could please submit this form by the end of the day WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18th, it would be greatly appreciated. - http://www.raynhamstables.com/winter-2020-availability.html.  My goal is to post the revised schedule by this Friday, before the winter break.

We also wanted to remind everyone about our winter cancellation policy!  During the winter session, students do NOT need to book a make-up for inclement weather cancellations, so there’s no reason not to continue riding over the winter!   We cancel classes if the temperature is below -12c (before the wind-chill) or during unsafe driving conditions (such as heavy snow or icy rain).  The winter session is 10 weeks but we only bill for 9 classes so if we have to cancel once, we are square.  If we have to cancel any additional time(s), riders will have the option to schedule a make-up or deduct the class off of the spring session fees if you prefer.  Please remember to check the blog or our Facebook page to ensure classes are running.  Any cancellations will be posted by 7:30 am on weekends, 1:00 pm on weeknights.  

Also, our tack-up area renovation is well underway!  It will make a HUGE difference to have a warm area to tack-up/untack.  It should be done by the first week of January! I hope everyone is as excited as I am!

If you are unable to continue with classes next session and have not yet emailed the office, please so do ASAP.  We'll miss you!  Please be aware that we cannot hold spots for riders that discontinue classes and it's hard to take three months off riding. If you wish to start back in the spring, please contact us mid-February and we can let you know what spaces are available. 

Finally, there seemed to have been a bit of a mix up with different dates being posted for the final day of classes. Just a reminder that the LAST day of this session is Friday, December 20th.

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

Nikki & the Raynham Team

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 done up correctly


Snaps should be clipped with the opening towards the horse


Belly straps should be done up diagonally,
and ensure that they are not twisted.

TACK UP AREA CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN!

IT'S HAPPENING!!! Demo on the tack up area is complete, and rebuilding is about to begin We are looking forward to having somewhere enclosed and warm for our riders and horses to get tack-up very soon!

During the construction process, horses will be tacked up in their own stalls or in the cross ties in either the boarder barn or drive shed - check the lesson board when you arrive as it will indicate where you should tack up. Please be courteous and sweep up before and after your ride - as always! Also, please be sure to return all equipment (tack, brushes, etc.) to the riding school tackroom, which will remain accessible throughout the renovation.

We will keep you posted on the progress throughout the renovation!

Thank you again to everyone who participated in our fundraisers to help make this possible!

Sunday, December 1st - Lessons are running today

Hey Raynham Riders!

They are calling for a mix of winter weather today! If the driving is bad in your area, you can cancel and reschedule.  We will post details of how to reschedule shortly.

Stay safe today!

Nikki