Autumn – 2010
Build a Bond Beyond Belief
This newsletter contains:
- Multi day riding
- Over the Top Ride
- Holiday programmes
- Guiding Position available
- Livery
- Discounted riding
- Natural Horsemanship Presentations
- Becoming a Confident Horsey Parent Course
- Handy to know Horse riding hint
Hello Everyone
Welcome to the Autumn Newsletter. Autumn hales the end of Summer, and it brings with it our most settled riding weather with still days, and a calm that promises the last of the warm weather before Winter. We have the Easter break and the end of first term holidays, so lots of riding still to do.
Read on!
Multi Day riding – Mt Lyford
Wow, what a season for these rides to and from Hanmer Springs. We have had six trips over or back to Hanmer Springs this Summer, and what a lot of fun we have had. Riders from 11 years to 71 years, experienced and beginners, from NZ and overseas have come on this trip, and everyone has has got a lot out of it.
If you think you may have missed out, we have several spaces for our last fabulous Rustic adventure ride going from Mt Lyford to Hanmer Springs and return between 3rd April and 10th April. Remember you can go over or back or over and back with a break in the middle to sit in the hot pools and watch the scenery in the Hanmer basin. Of course I am talking about the mountains!
I also have my first booking for next season during the secondt week of November, 8th to 15th. There are 7 spaces on that ride, again over or back or both. Some photos for you. This could be you.
This is what some riders have said about the rustic adventure:
"The best part for me was galloping, the huts, the rivers, blackberries, scenery, Everything"
This is what riders said about the Huts Ride:
The best part was "Great confidence booster-about the right length for me, galloping the air strip and views"
I have been building in a warm up half day the day before as it sets us all up so well making the ride safer and giving riders more independence and capability with their horses. Cost for warm up half day $100.00pp. This can be done at Otahuna.
You may bring your own horses on these multi day rides. Fee is the same.
Upgrades for linen and alcohol are available from Sherwood Lodge.
Fees include all food, accommodation, horse gear and guiding, transfers of overnight gear, digital photo service and half day warm up session.
Mt Lyford to Hanmer Springs – Rustic Adventure 4 to 7 days
November 8th to 11th Mt Lyford to Hanmer Sprimngs
November 12th Warm up session or rest day
November 13th to 15th Hanmer Springs to Mt Lyford
Sherwood Huts – Mt Lyford
Mt Lyford to Sherwood Huts and return via different trails. 5 to 6 hours riding a day. Karen has cut a fantastic new track through the native forest taking us down into the lottery River! I have ridden it since I wrote the last newsletter and Karen is right it is a beauty!
This ride has its last one for the season on 10th and 11th April, two spaces left
Cost $445.00pp
Plan your own dates everyone
The Over the Top Ride at Otahuna
Spaces available on this ride for this weekend, 27th and 28th March and April 21st and 22nd . Come if you can.
This ride has a remote and spectacular feel while right on your back door!! (if you live in Christchurch that is.) And with birdsong and horse’s rythm all the way. This ride runs all year round, except during Spring lambing. We have our next Over the top ride going on 27, 28th March Join us!
Cost $320.00pp Min two riders Accommodation in Governors Bay and food extra. We supply lunches, Gear transfer, horses and guiding, digital photo service.
It is quite possible to do the ride and drive back to your home for the night to save the accommodation part.
Comments from our riders from last week’s Over the top Ride:
"Fantastic ride Even though the weather was terrible on day two it didnt ruin the trip one bit."
Most satisfying part: " The views were breath taking and bonding with Ginger Bear"
Riding Weekends
These riding weekends are fabulous confidence boosters with our horse or yours.
We have Adult, womens and family Riding Weekends at Mt Lyford all year round. These riding weekends are excellent for confidence building and getting you ready for the multi day rides. Let me know your dates and we can add others to your weekend or you can fill your own two days with 6 riders. Cost $320.00 includes riding, accommodation, spas at Mt Lyford Lodge, lunches and photos ie everything except breakfast and Sat night dinner
Lead rides, half day and all day rides can be enjoyed by everyone at any time.
A note our fees will be going up for next Season.
Saddle Club and Holiday Programmes for Everyone
With the next school holidays round the corner we have comprehensive riding programmes suitable for adults and young riders. These are being run at both Mt Lyford and Otahuna Horse Riding.
The next saddle club starts on the week beginning 26th April 2010.
These are some words from a parent whose daughter, Zoe, just bought a horse, Basil, from us, and is leaving saddle club after some years.
"This will mean the end of saddleclubs for Zoë and I would just like to say to you how much she has enjoyed this and how she benefited from it, not only in her horsewoman's skills, but in her overall development. I'm a teacher and I am always searching for a key which fits that special door to unlock all sort of potentials the child has inside and for Zoë, lovely as she was before, it was definitely the saddleclub that made her sparkle. So a huge thank you to you and Abi and all the helpers who made this possible."
Otahuna:
Welcome to the holiday programmes we have on offer at Otahuna Horse Riding over the next Holidays. We aim to make all these activities fun, enjoyable and rewarding for those who take part. Family members are welcome to join in. All dates to be decided Give us a call on 3290160
Two Day Holiday Programme
Open to all young riders and their families
You may join the first day only. Cost $120.00pp per day: 8th and 9th April
Saddle Club Holiday Programmes
Open to saddle club members and their families
One Day saddle Club Programme Trekking: 5th April
Overnight Camps –
Cost $150.00pp : 17th and 18th April
Challenge Days –
Cost $100.00pp per day: April 15th
Mt Lyford:
Holiday programmes are run on demand at Mt Lyford. Phone 3290160
New Guide Position
I am looking for someone to fill Lisa’s position at Mt Lyford. This is a full time postion split between work at Mt Lyford Lodge and the Mt Lyford Horse Treks. It has worked well for Lisa and us and Lisa at Mt Lyford Lodge, so I want to have someone to carry on in this position when Lisa leaves in June. Anyone interested call Kate 3290160.
There are affordable accommodation options either at Mt Lyford Lodge, or with Cathy or in our log house.
Livery
We offer full livery for those of you who have your own horse, or wish to purchase one, and haven’t the lifestyle to be out tending to your horse each day.
At both Mt Lyford and Otahuna Horse Riding we have spaces for 5 more livery horses. We offer daily checks, hay, natural hoof care, worming, exercising if you wish, cover care, and annual dentistry all for $80.00 per week. Daily hard feeding $20.00 extra. Owners pay for vet bills.
Your horse is kept with the main herd in a free range environment with creeks, native forest, grassy open areas and hillside.
You have the opportunity to join our treks and activities, taking advantage of our support and instruction, knowledge and equipment and using our trails where we are able to offer unguided riding. Both our operations are off road, sheltered and have access to rides right from the base. There is room to park a horse float and store gear in a locked container.
We can help you find the right horse for you as well.
Call us on 3290160 if you or someone you know of is interested in this offer.
Discounted Horse riding
The Ride to the Maxxx card enables you and anyone you invite to a $20.00 discount on all half day rides and Natural horsemanship Clubs.
Look out for our specials and discounted rides
Natural Horsemanship Presentations
Some of you have approached me to run a Natural Horsemanship presentation (or a Come Riding Presentation) at schools, at home with firiends and other interested riding buddies, which is really great. The host for these presentations is eligible to receive 10% of the money from rides I sell at the presentation. And rides are discounted by 10% if they are purchased at the presentation. It is a great incentive and a good way to raise funds for yourself to ride or your group.
A Natural Horsemanship Presentation is a presentation that I give with a stunning slide show that teaches the audience about the horse human interaction using natural horsemanship and how it effects us as people in many aspects of our lives. I talk from one to one half hours about the definition of NH, how it effects horses and people, what we do in our business to enhance this connection between people and horses, the effects on some of our riders and what we offer to those interested in riding with us. The purpose of the session is both for interest about this subject and promotion of our horse riding business, Kate Tapley Horse Treks Ltd. The presentation is free, no one is obliged to buy rides. And actually I can be persuaded to talk about anything to do with horses and people.
How:
Call Kate on 3290160 or email kate@katetapley.co.nz I require a DVD player and TV in a warm room that is all. I come free! So see what you can all do to make a Natural horsemanship Presentation happen, and I look forward to sharing with you the magic of horses.
Becoming a Confident Horsey Parent
Now is a good time to be looking at a parent’s course to be ready for the Summer. Babs takes these groups and with two horse crazy girls of her own she knows all the stories. These courses are simple, short, and enable parents to equip themselves to be involved in their children’s dream to be a horse rider! There is a special emphasis on safe handling. Take a look at the flyer on the Otahuna website. Cost $145.00pp
Handy to know horse riding hint
I have been very interested in the role of vulnerability and fear around horses. I have always been told dont show the horse you are afraid. Sound familiar?
Well I have modified this following my reading of Linda Kohonov and the increasing need I have for sensitivity towards my horse. I now say dont communicate your fear to your horse, but I have come to understand how fear is a very important ingredient in horsemanship. Fear acts as a gateway to increased sensitivty with our horse. With fear we are alerted to our own safety, we become enabled to make an account of our feelings, and become open to ourselves and our needs. From here we can make an assessment of the emotional and mental state of our horse and can understand more about how to make them move or understand why they are not moving! So we ask why have I become frightened? My horse has tensed up, I have come to some tricky terrain, I am doing something for the first time. Whatever it is we must marshall ourselves into horse and human safety action, relax that lower jaw, breath, bend our horse, focus, give to rythm, talk to our guide, or instructor, become braver in ourselves, think confidently to our horse" Your good mate, you can do this" These actions require sensitivity to our needs first through listening to our fear then to our horses needs. It is always important not to become infected by the horses fear, and this is easier when we are in touch with our own fear and can make an informed plan to offer confidence to our horses and ourselves.
Curiously the most dangerous riders that we take out are those out of touch with their fear, or over riding their fear deliberately. I find it much easier and more successful to add resources to a rider’s fear and build them from that sensitive place than try to encourage someone to let go, and feel their fear. So you see "I am too afraid of horses to ride them" is no longer an excuse is it. In fact it is a strength.
From the team at Kate Tapley Horse Treks
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