It may have been chilly on Sunday but the sun was out and the light was clear and sharp. Orla was confined to two legs at the show and had time to operate her camera for everybody’s benefit.
Pictured below: Club rivals Liz and Hazel battle it out for the Primary class. More pictures in the Gallery.
Here are the bare bones of Sunday’s third leg of the North West League. Well done everybody. Things are getting tense and the Advanced Intermediate class, in particular, is proving intriguing.
Last Friday evening’s expedition to Glenswilly to visit Mary Devine’s facilities proved most enjoyable and educational. Mary’s facilities are unparalleled in the region and her expertise as a qualified practitioner of Equine Touch, a highly regarded method of physical therapy, is very sought after. Her new solarium will shortly be commissioned and will add a significant new dimension to her work.
It’s much nicer to be at a yard like Mary’s as an observer than in the company of an injured or ailing horse. We all know that the care Mary offers her own horses and others is second to none. On Friday evening she demonstrated that she’s equally meticulous in her care of 2-legged visitors. She generously provided a wonderful table of refreshments to round off a very enjoyable armchair evening. We’re very grateful to her for her time and hospitality.
Gary Marshall’s coaching has proved very popular over the two sessions of show jumping lessons organised by Rachael McCrossan last year. Demand for Gary’s tuition hasn’t diminished and Rachael has now announced that a further set of lessons will begin on Monday 12 March, at either Templemore or Lenamore.
The lessons cost €25 and, as non-AIRC events, are open to non-riding club members. To book, please contact Rachael straight away on 087 212 8031.
This week sees the arrival of another new club member. Pauric McCrory is a good friend of Ann Chambers who left his home turf in Porthall for the love of a Ballybofey woman. He has a lovely black cob called Blackie and really enjoys hunting him with the Donegal Harriers during the season. He’s also been a regular competitor at leagues at Greenacres and at Richard Smyth’s shows. Pauric has even been known to attempt a puissance wall and is looking forward to the Flowerhill experience.
You’re very welcome to the club, Pauric, and we hope you get great enjoyment from our activities.
With the North West League back on the agenda on Sunday next, we’re having non-mounted activity this Friday evening. Members are invited to visit Mary Devine’s equine health and rehab facilities in Glenswilly.
Beginning at 8pm, we’ll have the chance to see her horse solarium, her equissage equipment and her Equine Touch skills. She’ll present one detailed case study which promises to be fascinating and she’ll share her vast knowledge of equine physical therapies.
If you’re interested in coming along, please let Marina know in good time on 086 821 6335.
Anybody who has experienced Patricia Warren’s instruction won’t lightly miss one of her classes and there are several members (one in particular) who regret not being able to get to Lenamore for Friday evening’s lesson. Cormac, Liz, Hazel, Ruth and Rachael McCrossan were the clever ones who made it their business to be there when it mattered.
Patricia was as generous as ever with her time and each pupil received ample tuition on a beautiful evening in a well-prepared arena. Comparative novices Liz and Hazel had their confidence boosted and happily tackled a course of obstacles they might previously have considered well beyond their means. Even a seasoned pro like Cormac finished the lesson with the feeling that he had learned something new.
This was a once-off lesson but hopefully we’ll have the opportunity in the near future to benefit again from Patricia’s knowledge and expertise.
Great news from Nadine and Damien. They have a brand new baby girl, born on Friday morning. Congratulations!
This Friday sees a return to mounted activity since the North West League takes a break for the weekend. Patricia Warren will give us a lesson in polework, a variation on flatwork which relates very well to our current jumping activity.
The lessons will take place at Lenamore. For those of you who don’t have a horse or who don’t feel like travelling your horse, mounts are available to hire from Geraldine Graham.
Please book asap with Orla on 087 643 2458.
Friday last saw a very sociable gathering of members for a fascinating talk on bits and bridles by Mary Finneran. Armed with her travelling skull, she revealed all the hidden points of the horse’s head and opened up our minds about exactly how a bridle really works with — and at times against — the horse.
Her crate of bits was like a toybox for enthusiasts and she explained the essential uses of each bit group: snaffles, curb bits and gags. From there she moved on to nosebands and ran through the use of simple cavessons, drops, flashes and grackles. That left just the bitless bridle to round off an intriguing subject.
Although the classic bridle has existed for centuries, horsemen constantly search for improvements. Many of us have seen the Micklem bridle on other people’s horses and ponies. Mary, who knows its designer William Micklem very well, introduced us to the revolutionary piece of tack through the Horseware video on Youtube. For anyone who wasn’t there on the evening, you can learn a huge amount about the subject by watching this too.
A huge thanks to Mary for presenting the topic in such depth. Libby’s baking expertise didn’t quite match Mary’s expertise on bits and bridles but she’s working on it for next time.
Letterkenny Riding Club