Oakwood Natural Horsemanship

Newsletter July 2004

Hello everyone,

Firstly I must apologise for such a long gap between newsletters. It’s been a great first half of the year and I have been so busy I just haven’t managed to get to it. However, I’ve just had a lovely and much needed week off in Brittany and my batteries are now fully recharged, so here it is…

Among the most enjoyable things I’ve been up to has been playing with several young horses from 3 year olds to foals. I had my greatest lessons in horsemanship this summer sitting in my field watching an experienced mare teaching her newborn foal. The ways she moved that baby around were exactly the moves we replicate in natural horsemanship, which is why its natural !

My mare Esteem and I have made some public appearances again this summer and as always I am proud of the way she handles herself in challenging situations, from a liberty display at a country fair with everything including steam engines, to a farm park where we squeezed past kids jumping on trampolines, and through a barn thronging with every conceivable squeaking, braying and mooing baby animal… She just takes it all in her stride and really is proof that natural training does make your horse calmer, smarter and braver.

Future demonstrations dates include Bocketts Park Farm, Nr Guildford on Friday 23rd July. This will be at 1pm and the only cost is the admission price to the farm, which is £4.75 per adult. Bocketts Farm is situated on the A246 between Guildford and Leatherhead and is marked on road maps. Give me a call if you need any more information.

We will also be holding a special Horsemanship Evening at Lavant House Stables, Nr Chichester on Sunday 29th August 04 starting at 7pm. This will feature several horses (and handlers) at various ages and stages of training and clearly show how communication and groundskills lead to, lightness and balance in the ridden horse. Cost is £5 per head for adults, children under 12 free. Please contact me for further details or look on the website -www.lavanthousestables.co.uk

Well Cottage, Chapel Lane, Oakwood, Chichester, Sussex, PO18 9AW Tel: 01243 574 377 or 07802 785 271 Email: [email protected] Oakwood Natural Horsemanship

The next training days are on Sunday 8th August, Sunday 12th September and Sunday 10th October from 11am. I will be on hand to give you some pointers and ideas, but it is really a chance for you to practice things you’ve covered in your lessons in a different environment, with different obstacles and challenges and its a good way to meet like minded people having fun with their horses. It costs £35 and you can stay as long as you like. Please let me know in advance if you intend to come along.

I am happy to say that Barehoof trimmer Dan Guerrera is now resident here in the UK and we will be working together more closely. If you are keen to know more about his work, check out his website on www.barehoof.com

I’d like to say a big thank you for the on going support from so many regular clients. Your dedication to natural methods with your horses is really paying off and it makes my job very satisfying !

Many thanks to Lucy Thomson at Lavant House Stables, for her faith in me and for the opportunity to teach horsemanship skills to groups of young people. To the best of our knowledge this is the only BHS training centre in the country to offer this. One of the great things about it is that they don’t have to have their own horse in order to have lessons in basic skills and safety. If you are interested in this please get in touch with me or look at the LHS website (overleaf).

In addition to this we are looking at offering training in Working Equitation so if you are interested in this fascinating new discipline do get in touch and if there is sufficient demand we will work something out.

Information on the course in September is attached below. Many of you have expressed an interest and forms and deposits need to be in by the end of July. Places are going fast so please don’t delay if you plan to come along.

If you have questions about any of the above, or horsemanship issues or would like to arrange something, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Well Cottage, Chapel Lane, Oakwood, Chichester, Sussex, PO18 9AW Tel: 01243 574 377 or 07802 785 271 Email: [email protected] Oakwood Natural Horsemanship Take care,

Rio Lawson Baker

HORSEMANSHIP COURSE - September 2004

Sue Gardner and Rio Lawson Baker will be running a mixed level course at Oakwood Natural Horsemanship on Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th September with an option to stay on for Monday 6th which is a bank holiday.

The course will be aimed at deepening the relationship between horse and human, and will teach the importance of ground and ridden skills incorporating the need for softness, flexion, balance and correct bend both on line and in the saddle.

Sue and Rio believe that to develop your horsemanship you need to be aware of the following skills that are integral to correct training. Learning and developing these are built into all their courses.

Patience, Focus, Feel, Intention, Body Language, Phases, Leadership Feet

Without these fundamentals in place we cannot be trustworthy leaders for our horses.

Riders - £95 per day including refreshments and lunch. Auditors - £30 including refreshments. Please bring lunch, chair and notepad!

The closing date for this course is 31st July but there are very few places left so if you would like to join us please send your booking form and Well Cottage, Chapel Lane, Oakwood, Chichester, Sussex, PO18 9AW Tel: 01243 574 377 or 07802 785 271 Email: [email protected] Oakwood Natural Horsemanship deposit as places can no longer be held without !! ------Booking form

Name………………………………………………………………………………..

Address…………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………. Contact numbers/email………………………………………………………….. Please reserve my place on the above course. I enclose my deposit of £50, and understand this is non refundable unless a replacement is found or the course is cancelled. Signed______Date ______

Further information on times, map, where to stay and what to bring will be sent upon receipt of deposit. Cheques made payable to Rio Lawson-Baker to the address below please.

Well Cottage, Chapel Lane, Oakwood, Chichester, Sussex, PO18 9AW Tel: 01243 574 377 or 07802 785 271 Email: [email protected]