Newsletter
Winter – 2010
Build a Bond Beyond Belief
This newsletter contains:
- New Akaroa Horse Riding
- Multi day riding
- Holiday programmes
- Natural Horsemanship Club
- Livery
- Discounted riding
- Handy to know Horse riding hint
Hello Everyone
Welcome to the Winter Newsletter. And what a Winter it has been. I have been so busy feeding and tending to horses standing in pouring rain on sodden ground I haven’t got to the Winter newsletter! Now nearly the first day of Spring and with it lots of new and exciting ventures for you all.
Read on!
New Akaroa Horse Riding
I have some exciting things to tell you about Akaroa Horse Riding. The story of Akaroa Horse Riding began when Penny Sparrow (Operator and owner of Orton Bradley Horse Treks) Abi and myself meandered over to Akaroa to check things out with Darin Rainbird of Akaroa Adventure Center. Darin said he wanted to have horse treks start up at his place on Purple Peak, right above Akaroa. I was really too tired after our long and busy Summer to get excited about much at that time in May. But with Penny wanting to make some changes and me just wanting to move somewhere progressive we teamed up and went to explore this option of Darin’s to see if we could make something happen together. We were in control, we had no expectations, and Penny and I were calm.
The trip back to Christchurch four hours later was very different. Everything seemed to fall right into place. All our questions were answered our problems seemed solved before they began, and it was a “No brainer”. We decided to go ahead and set up Akaroa Horse Riding. We were very excited. We plan to open on 23rd October at the new base on Purple Peak.
Penny is leasing her fabulous experienced herd of horses and gear for Akaroa Horse Riding and I will run the operation along the same lines as Mt Lyford Horse Riding and Otahuna Horse Riding. Girl Power!!
We held an interest evening at Akaroa on 8th August, which was fruitful, and Michael De Hamel wrote a lovely article about us in the Akaroa Mail. Some of you may have seen this.
We will offer lead rides during the middle part of the day, two and three hour riding sessions including twilight rides, exclusive rides for those wanting their own guide, and all day rides once we figure out where to take you for a day.
The views from Purple Peak are stunning and we are excited to be based on this superb site right next to the famous Hinewai Reserve with all our rides, long and short taking full advantage of the impressive outlook.
There is the opportunity to work at Akaroa as a work for rider, to offer horses to lease or sell to us and we are looking for a Wintering over home for the horses preferably in one herd in a large area on the Peninsula down low.
Penny and myself along with our staff are planning to ride the horses from Orton Bradley Park to Akaroa over two days on September 25th and 26th staying over at Pigeon Bay. If anyone can offer a vehicle escort, transporting of gear, sponsorship, photos and videos of the trip or just cheer us on Penny and I would very much appreciate that. We are hoping for a lot of media coverage on this trip and celebrities are most welcome to join us!!
Contact Kate on 3290160 or Penny on 0272105150.
Note: Walter is setting up the Website – but don’t look yet, its just a mock-up www.akaroariding.co.nz
Special Offer to launch Akaroa Horse Riding
We are offering rides at Akaroa Horse Riding at 50% discount if rides are bought before opening day on 23rd October. These can be gift vouchers or any of our rides on offer. These rides will be able to be booked outside our busy period and can’t be used between 20th December and the end of January. The vouchers will be valid for one year from purchase date.
All fees are normally the same as the other operations.
See below for updated fees.
http://www.katetapley.co.nz/fees.pdf
Lead rides, half day and all day rides can be enjoyed by everyone at any time at any of our three operations, Mt Lyford, Otahuna and Akaroa as of 23rd October
Multi Day Rides Mt Lyford
I have new season spaces for the Rustic adventure, and Sherwood huts rides. See below
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 3rd to 6th Mt Lyford to Hanmer Springs 6 riders – full unless you are desperate
November 7th Warm up session for return trip or rest day at Hanmer Springs
November 8th to 10th Hanmer Springs to Mt Lyford -one rider, 5 spaces available!
December 10th to 13th Mt Lyford to Hanmer Springs-one rider, 5 spaces available
December 14th Warm up session for return trip and rest day
December 15th to 18th Hanmer Springs to Mt Lyford -no riders yet!! 6 spaces available
Cost $1295.00 for 3 days, $2495.00 for 6 days
Sherwood Huts – Mt Lyford
Mt Lyford to Sherwood Huts and return via different trails. 5 to 6 hours riding a day.Our huts are on the Lottery river, very tranqual and sheltered with our horses near by.
December 29th and 30th , three or five spaces left
Cost $445.00pp
Plan your own dates everyone and I will make it happen for you!
The Over the Top Ride at Otahuna
Spaces available on this ride for the 7th and 8th January. 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.
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 year’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”
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.
We are running a saddle club during the September school holidays as we didn’t run a Winter term time saddle club. Too much rain!
Two Day Holiday Programme-30th September and 1st October Cost $240.00pp
One Day Holiday Programme-2nd October Cost $120.00
Holiday Saddle Club -7th, 8th, 9th October 5 hours per day Cost $300.00
Overnight Camp- 9th 10th October Cost $150.00
Natural Horsemanship Club
This is a regular riding group with small numnbers of like minded riders wanting to do their own thing in their own time. It offers opportunities for riders with a passion for horses to extend their horse knowledge and meet new friends interested in the same thing. There is also the opportunity to be officially acknowledged for the time and effort you put into your horse by being assessed for (Natural Horsemanship) certificates as well as special events for members including video nights, overnight camps, overnight treks, discounts for your friends and family who ride with you and more.
Abi has revised this programme and put together blocks of three hour sessions . Groups are now run on a weekly basis in four week blocks both during the week and on the weekend.
These sessions are at the maxxx card rate of $80.00 instead of $110.00 and as a maxxx card holder you may invite others to join your session.
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 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 $30.00 discount on all half day rides and Natural horsemanship Clubs.
Akaroa Launch Special: Half price offer on all rides booked or vouchers purchased rides until Akaroa Horse Riding opening day on October 23rd. The doscount is not available from 20 December to end January
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.
Take a look at this superb dvd that Bryan McVicar has got available. No pulling here!!! Elegance at all times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97tf6EIKbg4
Handy to know horse riding hint
I have been thinking about the word “pull” lately. I remember a clinic we did with Ken Faulkner years ago where all I heard was “don’t pull!!!” It is really amazing how strong our tendency to pull is. It is a natural imprinted defense in us. At the slightest hint of trouble or fear we just want to pull, hang on, tighten. There are in fact two situations where we can “hold” if our horse pulls on us and offer a “steady feel” when asking our horse to walk up to us. Note though the word “pull” is still not actually used. Why not pull? As soon as we pull we lose our connection, our communication with our horse. I remember being in a clinic in Brisbane and I actually rode Ken’s horse, Casper who would do anything if you asked him the right way. Well we went and did this cool game where someone chases you and you have to do a turn around on your horse in front of them and still not let them catch up. So in my haste to not get caught by my chaser I pulled and Casper resisted me and said “can’t hear that”, so I got caught up and Ken said “you pulled” and I did. I have seen that horse turn around and fly away like a bird, but can’t be done from a pull. Less haste is more speed with a horse. Remember, focus, breath, energy, rhythm, feel and quit and embrace.
And last weekend I looked back on a session I did with a young horse and I thought “I pulled and forgot to use rhythm” Hmmmm. After all this time. No one tell Ken!
What a lot of trust and undoing of our defences we need to maintain to get a deeper and deeper connection with our horse. The good news is that is exactly what the horse is doing with us also, so we are not alone after all!
Enjoy the rhythm with your horse and notice how often you “pull”
From the team at Kate Tapley Horse Treks
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