Winter 2011
Build a Bond Beyond Belief
This newsletter contains:
- Tackshed for sale
- Equine Assisted Recovery-Ride to Recovery
- Akaroa Horse Riding
- Multi day riding
- Saddle Club
- Natural Horsemanship Club
- Livery
- Discounted riding
- Handy to know Horse riding hint
Hello Everyone
Welcome to the Winter Newsletter. You will notice I have missed the Autumn newsletter completely, mainly because of a strange, pervasive sense of imobilisation that I lived with for a while following February 22nd. Ring a bell for others? I live in the CBD, as many of you know, and now every building around us is to be demolished. Our townhouse one of a stoical set of four have thankfully weathered well. How are you all doing in the aftermath, which I know is long and still carrying unknowns with it for many?
Paula Partington and myself are soldiering on with our Ride to Resilience (note name change) programme for equine assisted earthquake recovery. See below.
I have been really thrilled with the response to the kidsfest we have run over the holidays. I have extended the programme into the weekends during term as we had so much interest and I didn’t want anyone missing out. I watched with joy and hope as our horses and ponies were able to lift spirits and regain confidence for many children and adults too I think.
I would like to acknowledge Abi who has worked tirelessly at Otahuna Horse Riding for some seven years. She is developing her own thing with horses and is becoming more and more unavailable now as that picks up. I am sure many of you join me in wishing her well.
I have increased riding fees for most riding, except saddle club. I so wish I could do all this without worrying about money but to be useful I owe it to you all to stay viable.
Tack Shed for Sale
I have won a mobile tackshed that I don’t really need. They are $1930.00 new and I have mine on Trade Me to buy now for $1800.00. It is from NZ Sheds in Templeton and has a stable door and enough room for gear for one to four horses. Very practical as it is on skids and is very nicely built. If you are interested, make me an offer.
Equine Assisted Recovery-Ride to Resilience Update
Paula who is a psychotherapist and equine therapist and myself have been refining and putting together two different programmes to help towards the earthquake recovery effort. One is therapeutic horsemanship with groups that I am running, which is very similar to our usual rides with partnering up sessions, and the other is one on one sessions with a horse and Paula. These sessions are modelled on equine assisted therapy that has emerged throughout the World as an effective and simple way to move through grief, regain trust, be in your body and regain confidence. Both Paula and myself have had links with various different equine therapy groups overseas and there is one other center called Herdwise Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Services in Kumeu, near Auckland. The sessions are similar to what we do currently with teaching body energy, rhythm, focus, feel and stillness to communicate with your horse. Paula’s sessions are about gaining congruence, and getting in touch with yourself which is helped by being with the horse. Experience is not required for either of these sessions.
We have a trust fund which anyone can donate to and we have applications in for funding from various sectors. Your donations to date has enabled two riders to benefit from the programme. Both these riders would not have been able to ride if it wasn’t for the trust fund and they have got a lot out of it.
If you wish to take part in either of these sessions and use the trust funds then just call the usual number 3290160 and I have a simple referral form that helps us to identify what you are looking to overcome in the session. Or if you wish to donate to the Ride to Resilience trust fund then please do so by calling also. Another way to support this venture is to E mail or write to me an endorsement of the positive things you have experienced in your own riding with us in the past or have watched in a family member, and why you think Ride to Resilience should be funded for others to benefit. It all helps. We have a small but potent array of endorsements already.
As Walter and Paula and myself talk about Ride to Resilience it develops and becomes something very synigistic with the ethos of our business, wholeness from Building a Bond Beyond Belief.
Akaroa Horse Riding
If it isn’t earthquakes it is fire. With the persistent North West winds a month ago a large fire, started by lightening, began burning towards Purple Peak and Lisa and Cathy had to evacuate the horses to safety in a paddock in Akaroa in the dark. They stayed down for the snowfall which followed and are now heading up towards their base at Purple Peak again, and once again open for business.
The riding at Akaroa is very impressive and with a lot of stunning scenery unique to Banks Peninsula. It is pleasing to see many riders chosing to ride at Akaroa.
Multi Day Rides Mt Lyford
All our multi day rides are due to begin again at the beginning of November and let me tell you about our new one!
Arne, the guide at Mt Lyford, has cooked up a new ride that makes for three days overnight riding and is pitched between the Rustic Adventure and the Two Day Sherwood Huts Ride in difficulty and price. It is ideal for families or groups who wish to have an adventure on their horses in the high country that isn’t too extreme, where you return to some semblance of comfort and civilisation at the Sherwood huts on the Lottery River. Minimum age ten years and medium riding experience required. You still need to be able to lead your horse downhill and have an afternoon warm up session yhe afternoon beforehand.
It is called the Three Day Sherwood Huts Ride and it has its first day riding, 5 to 6 hours, Mt Lyford to the Sherwood huts over straight forward but high trails , second day riding, 5 hours, to the Little Lottery river for lunch and return to the huts. The third day riding, 5 to 6 hours, takes us back to Mt Lyford over different trails.
Fee $875.00pp
There are no bookings for this one as yet, flyers are on the website and so you have any date you choose to plan this little beauty!!
Our usual overnight trip to Sherwood huts is still at a special rate of $475.00pp
Our first date for the rustic adventure to Hanmer Springs is booked for March 26 to 28th 2011. We have 4 spaces on this.
Three day rustic adventure to Hanmer Springs is $1395.00pp
Seven day return trip is $2895.00
So get in early and book your rides for this coming season. Remember 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, and half day warm up
session.
Plan your own dates everyone and I will make it happen for you!
The Over the Top Ride at Otahuna
This is still one of my favorites. Open all year round it is ideal for teenagers and family groups and so handy to Chch. It has the combination of an adventure close to a city with views to die for. The Old Vicarage is becoming a regular overnight stay these days and we even have a paddock for the horses out the back. So we ride along the foreshore and over the main road to the Olde Vicarage now, which is a lot of fun.
Staying at the Olde Vicarage Cost $360.00pp with food bought to share.Min two riders
Accommodation in Governors Bay other than the Old Vicarage 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
We have a new saddle club team of instructors to lead our young riders in saddle club. Debbie Ellens is the main guide stepping up for this. Many of you will know Debbie who has been with us for many years also. Debbie is a youth worker, life guard and paramedic. She works at OSCAR and loves to share her knowledge of horses.
Our first saddle club for next term kicks off on August 13th and we are running them in the weekends at times that suit parents and riders.
Remember the holiday programmes for saddle clubbers are still in place and we had 7 riders doing day programmes last holidays.
I have been speaking to parents who can’t afford the $300.00 per term for saddle club to join up for the work for riding programme and earn the hours to cover the cost for saddle club that way. I always need helpers for cleaning gear, and keeping our area tidy. I am always desperate for Fathers who can wield a hammer and fix things.
Holiday programmes for young riders and their families.
Two Day Holiday Programme- Cost $260.00pp
One Day Holiday Programme- Cost $130.00
Holiday Saddle Club – 5 hours per day Cost $300.00
Overnight Camp- Cost $180.00
Natural Horsemanship Club
This is a regular riding group with small numbers 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.
These sessions are at the maxxx card rate of $90.00 instead of
$130.00 and as a maxxx card holder you may invite others to join your
session.
We have a Wednesday morning group going at present and a lot of new interest following the kidsfest programme. Don’t put this off. It is wonderful for all you keen mothers and grannies to get out on that horse as you have always wanted to do!
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 Akaroa, 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. All 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 $40.00 discount on all half day rides and Natural horsemanship Clubs.
Bryan McVicar
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 a lot about how the horses are healing us from the ongoing effects of the earthquakes. I see it over and over again and what is it exactly that is happening in front of my eyes? I am seeing children light up, parents becoming relieved, horses with job satisfaction, a very full sense of “rightness” in myself. Can I actually put my finger on it though? What am I actually setting up in a partnering up session or kidsfest programme? Or Ride to Resilience and how can this essence be transferred to others with horses.
Hmmmm. I have heard Linda Kohonov, auther of “Riding between the Worlds” describe horses as sentient beings, which I understand to mean feeling beings, something akin to the “medial aspect” that Clarissa Estees, author of Women who Run with the Wolves, talks about in her books describing the dreamworld and other languages of the psyche that link us to the “other worlds” of telepathy, Spirituality, and the “mysterys”, so often allured to in our cultural histories. Is the horse actually A conduit to God?
I know this is sounding all very mysterious and out of worldly, but something beyond our cognition is occurring, something primal, beyond defenses and innate is connecting within as we join the horse in their world of the moment, of energy, comfort, rhythm, focus and feel. I can feel a thesis coming on.
The essence I think is the wholeness that occurrs in each animal when a prey animal and a predator form a partnership. Back to simple again. I think I have taken a spititual breathe. Interesting that the word for psyche means breathe. Now I can hear the music to X files coming on!
Actually I don’t even need to know the mechanism do I? Just enjoy the results and keep doing it.
May the Horse Be With Us All
From the team at Kate Tapley Horse Treks
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