Jessica Costello Dressage Clinic: Friday, January 13th

Jessica is Nikki's dressage coach and has also help Lindsay with his horses in the past.  She is a terrific instructor with the ability to help riders develop the "feel" for dressage with her clear and logical coaching style.

Clinician Bio:
Jessica Costello is a EC Level 3 Dressage Coach. She began her riding career in England where students were allowed to ride until you can tack up and get on yourself.  Although she didn’t get to ride until the third lesson, she was instantly hooked!  Jessica is an FEI dressage rider who has represented Canada on the international stage on numerous occasions.  She and "Rosemunde", her current mount, were Provincial Champions in 2016!

Jessica specializes in coaching Adult Amateurs ranging from Training level to PSG and is currently based out of the beautiful Pine Ridge Farms in Nobleton, ON.  

Clinic Details:

• Lesson Format: 30 min. private lessons (riders should warm up prior to their time) 
• Day & Time: Friday, January 13th, 12pm - 8pm  (back-up date of Fri. Feb 3rd if the weather is uncooperative!) 
• Cost: $80.00 per lesson.  $20.00 additional to use a school horse.
• Extras: There will be snacks and warm drinks in the camp trailer!  Auditors welcome.

Please email Nikki if you are interested in participating!  We can do Christmas certificates as well.

Holiday Schooling Show & Team Try-outs - Thursday, December 29th

Hey Raynham Riders,

We are having our Holiday Schooling show in the evening of Thursday, December 27th this year as the weekends are full with Christmas and New Years!  As always, schooling shows are open to ALL Raynham Stables students.  Our schooling shows are low-stress, a great learning opportunity as well as a ton of fun! 

For those hoping to compete in 2017, please indicate "Show Team" in the "Questions?" box on the entry form.  Please also fill out a show team application and submit by December 18th!

In case the weather is chilly, we are going to run on our winter format again this year.  Riders will complete an equitation flat class then an equitation over fences round.  This way, all the classes will last approx. 1 hour so riders don't have to wait around all day in the cold!

Division Descriptions

Grasshopper Division - $60.00

·       Flat Class - Walk, posting trot, 2 point at the walk, reverse in the walk

·       Over Fences - Trot pole course, 4 -6 sets of trot poles

Smurf Division - $60.00

·       Flat Class - Walk, posting trot, 2-point in trot, individual canter

·       Over Fences - Cross rail course, 6 fences, max. 2'

Pre-Entry Division - $70.00

·       Flat Class - Walk, trot, canter, 2-point in all gaits, sitting trot

·       Over Fences - 2'4" max course (verticals & oxers), related distances (3+ strides),

Entry Division - $70.00

·       Flat Class - All of pre-entry plus: sitting trot w/o stirrups & walk to canter transition

·       Over Fences - 2'8" max course, required trot fence, combination (1 or 2 strides)

Pre-Training Division - $70.00

·       Flat Class - All of entry plus: canter w/o stirrups, canter to walk transition, leg yielding

·       Over Fences - 3' max course, trot fence w/o stirrups, skinny fence, roll back turn & 1 stride combination.

Approximate Time Schedule:

Horse assignments and confirmed times will be posted on the blog by Tuesday, December 27th.

Ring One (Big Arena)

5:30pm - Pre-Training/Training Division

6:30pm - Entry Division

7:30pm - Pre-Entry Division

Ring Two (Small Arena)

5:30pm - Smurf Division
6:30pm - Grasshopper Division

ENTER ONLINE

Raynham's 1st Annual Holiday Fun Day! - Tuesday, December 20th!

Hey Raynham Riders,

I am SO excited to announce that we are going to have our first annual Holiday Fun Day!!   Many of the riders have already begun to plan their routines and come up with costume ideas.  Here are the details:

Who: All of our Raynham riders and their friends and families are invited!
What: An awesome holiday show to holiday music with a pot-luck dinner and pony games too!
Where: Raynham Stables of course :)
When: Tuesday, December 20th, 6:00 - 8:00pm.  It will be an open-house style, riders & their guests do not have to stay for the entire duration.
Why?:  To have a ton of FUN and to celebrate a wonderful year with wonderful people!

Here's the plan!:
- Any rider that wishes to do so can come up with a routine with their coach (and lesson buddies if they ride in a group lesson) to present to their friends and family
- If you ride in a private lesson or the rest of your group isn't able to attend, we can group up riders from different lessons.
- We will start rehearsing in our lessons this week (if you haven't already started).
- Riders are welcome to wear costumes and dress up their ponies if they wish!
- If you do not wish to do a routine, you are still welcome to participate in the pony games :)
- There is no cost to participate, just a fun day for all!

There will be a sign-up sheet in the riding school tack-up area for both the riding portion and the pot luck.  We can't wait to see what everyone come up with for their routines!

Nikki

North-Country Meat Order!

Hey Raynham Riders! 

Due to popular demand, we are doing a last-minute order for North-Country Meats!  If you haven't had their products before, they are absolutely fantastic!  Fan favourites include the Breaded Chicken Fingers, Slow Cooked Beef Pot Roast and all the steaks are amazing! 

If you are interested in placing an order, orders are DUE Friday, December 2nd and PICK-UP will be at the barn anytime after 4:00pm on Thursday, December 8th. 

To place an order:

1. Fill out the order form (located in the riding school tack room) and leave a cheque (payable to Raynham Show Team) by Friday, Dec 9th. 

2. You can view the products offered (photos below) and email your order to info@raynhamstables.com by Friday, Dec 9th.  Payment by cheque (made payable to Raynham Show Team) MUST be dropped off at the barn by Monday, December 5th before we submit the order.

Winter Riding Tips!

Hey Raynham Riders,

I don't think anyone was was prepared for the blast of cold weather last week after it had been 18c the week before! Here are a few tips for staying comfortable and warm in the colder weather:

WINTER RIDING TIPS

• 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 is also 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 specific riding boots (options: 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) 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 :)

8th Annual Raynham Awards Banquet is Tonight!

Hey Raynham Riders! 

Our 8th Annual Raynham Holiday & Awards Banquet is tonight. The reception will begin at 6pm with dinner being served at 7pm. We have a fun-filled evening planned with an awesome silent auction, awards presentations, dancing and slide show.

This years' banquet will be held at Nobleton Lakes Golf Club. The address is 125 Nobleton Lakes Dr, Schomberg, ON L0G 1T0. Can't wait to see you all there!

http://www.nobletonlakesgolf.com/