Just wanted to say a big 'Thank you' to everyone involved in the Somerford Park Camp 2010. Pride and I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt so much ( and ate too much!!) Great company, lovely surroundings and fabulous weather. We only wish it was on twice a year, I will be booking for next year without hesitation! Tracy & Pride.           14/6/10

can we have a forum for members to go on?
or a camp photo page that members can add their pics to (hosted from photobucket)? Rachel Tarbuck   25/5/10

Wanted to say thanks to my fellow team members (Sarah W, Jacqui & not least Tania) at the Area 20 Hunter Trials on 4th October. It was a great day and we enjoyed a great team spirit; cheering eachother on (and enjoying an odd laugh along the way!). Also a big thanks to the helpers Tori, Sarah OB & Jan who gave there own time to let the team compete without having to provide our own helpers! A special thanks to Tori for taking the mickey out of me when I was showjumping; I'm blaming you for me & Leo having that fence down! LOL! A great day, just a shame there was only 4 club members competing; so will all you other members please come and help represent (and have a great time in the process) our club at next seasons area 20 comps!! Your club needs you!! Brent & Leo (Oh and Sam - nearly forgot my groom!)         Brent Sansom 7/10/09

Just to say a huge thank you to all at Somerford park camp especially Mandy and Pat for all their hard work and the rest of you (you know who you are)for support and encouragement you gave particularly before, during and after the XC when I was scared witless having never really done any.  I had a great time and learnt alot about me and my horse. Will put my name down for next year!                 Jill Barrell  28/5/09

Just to say thanks for the dressage on 1st March and not just beacause I managed to scrape a rosette!. Had a really enjoyable day and much appreciated the help when Rodders decided not to load( when he always loads).  Jill Barrell   2/3/09

What a great riding club we have! I might be on a high after just finding out our novice team have just qualified for the Area Championships at Offchurch Bury, but the last two years that Sam and I have been members, we have had nothing but support, encouragement and the opportunities to continually improve in all areas; and boy how I feel we've improved. A big thanks to all involved with the club. Brent, Sam & Leo.     3/7/08

Just wanted to thank Pat, Mandy, Tori and all involved in this years Somerford Park Camp. It was our first time at camp and Sam, Leo and I all had a great time with lots of fun and laughs!! Brent Sansom.           26/5/08

I am now Flintshire Bridleways and Access voluntary officer for the BHS and would like to help join up some of our good bridleways to make them more usable. To start with I am trying to draw up a map of where the ridden horses are, livery yards and private owners' horses, to see where off road riding is most needed. I should be very glad to hear of off road riding experiences, where the riding is good and where needing some clearance and would like to know if anyone is interested in setting up a bridleways group for Flintshire. Many thanks, Vera Darby.    28/5/08

Well done Rob Barber for completing the London Marathon from all here at ECRC!. Hope you reached your target for such a worthy cause.                   Message from Tanya:-"Just a quick thankyou to those who kindly sponsored Rob for his London Marathon. We went, we got soaked and he conquered.He did superbly, finishing in 4hrs 16mins. He has hopefully reached his target of £1500 for Spinal Injuries and you have helped enormously towards this so thankyou very much."   Tanya Barber   You can still donate by using www.justgiving.com/robertbarber   

Hi everyone, a friend of mine is doing a masters at Cambridge and "joined a team of engineers to develop a fitness/heatlh meter for horses measuring blood flow velocity and heart rate,... In order to validate the size of the market and whether anyone would actually be up for it, we designed a little market survey. Could I please ask you fill it in and send it off to other people as well - especially if you know anyone in racing or vets? That would be immensly helpful and if we get enough responses, we might send a few trial samples to participants." Here is the link (please copy into browser..): I thought it might be interesting for some of you. The survey takes about 3 mintues to fill out. Feel free to pass onto anyone else who might be interested.
Many thanks.http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QL7u46g3_2bYDJYXFXaJsSxw_3d_3d

I like the new SJ comp format, but found that there were too many jumps in the indoor arena, and many of us were having to stop/trot to get round. It would be better to have fewer jumps and a more flowing course, and then do more of them twice or in other directions in the jump-off.       Nicola Ricketts    17/3/08

STOP THE MARCH OF THE TURBINES
In connection with my anti-turbines activities I am researching the impact on equines and other livestock. I am not scientific and if there is anyone out there who can point me in the right direction of useful websites, or better still to whom I can sub out the research (an equine or veterinary student looking for a thesis subject perhaps?) please get in touch asap. I am interested in all impact aspects: health and safety for riders, physical and psychological effects, negative impact on breeding stock. Just about anything really. I am also doing some work in relation to the effect the turbines could have on the water table - again I am out of my depth (excuse the pun). Help from any Structural engineers / Geologists etc or those aspiring to be would be very welcome. Thank you, Helen

BHS Access and Bridleways Officer for Cheshire - that's me. If you have anything you would like to raise in connection with access please email me. Helen Connolly on the website below.   

STOP THE MARCH OF THE TURBINES
Horses and Wind Turbines don't mix! In Cheshire there is a proliferation of planning applications at various stages for Wind Turbines Sites. If anyone is affected by this please get in touch with me. Please view website www.stopbickertonwindturbines.co.uk

I was thrilled to see your great website, with its record of varied activities and obviously keen members. You see, I was a founder member, as Mari Mitchell, all those years ago, so keep it up!                               Marian Parsons   21/2/08

Wishing everybody at East Clwyd Riding Club a very merry (but not too merry!) Christmas and a safe and successful 2008. Best wishes, Tanya & Thorn and little Ollie

I just wanted to say thank you and well done to everybody who competed at the area ht at Smallwood. The two Sarah's gave exceptional support to us all and everybody joined in the team spirit. I gained a cricket score during my round but had a fabulous time. The cheer Brent and Sam gave me once I'd got over fence 3 was tremendous! Thanks again! Tanya & Thorn   15/10/07

I've just found some clinics with Bill Levett (Australian Event rider) at Kelsall Hill in August. 4th Aug is x-country and 18th is SJ. Here's the link for more details:
http://www.eventingworldwide.com/articles/clinics-bill.php
Also, if anyone is interested in x-country schooling and wants another horse to go with, please let me know, I have a 5 year-old who I want to show everything to! Thanks,  Nicky.       25/6/07

Just a quick line to say a BIG thank you for a fantastic Somerford Park camp 2007 - what a great weekend! We are very lucky to have such willing committee members who give up their spare time to organise the camp, and make it such an enjoyable learning experience. Fab food (Thanks Pat!), valuable positive teaching (particularly my first ever xc lesson), excellent facilities and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Thank you E.C.R.C!           Steph                                                           14/6/07

Just to thank you all for the beautiful flowers you sent me when I had Harry. Thank you  Becky Arden                                                                                       14/6/07

Thanks to everyone who helped during my fall at camp. Luckily no permanent injuries, just a few bruises. Thanks again.         Lesley Sutherland       28/5/07

I see from your rules for Beginners Dressage that "It is only fair to other competitors that, once you have won this class 3 times, you must not compete again in the class as the same combination." Why then do you not apply these same rules to the other levels? I have just moved to prelim with another club and have competed prelim at East Clwyd, but do not stand any sort of chance because of your policy of allowing people who are not prelim level using that class as a warm up for the novice classes. It is grossly unfair and I now no longer enter your competitions. If these people want to use the prelim as a warmup, then they should do it HC - in fact why don't you make a ruling that competitors can only enter one class competitively so everyone gets a chance?  Patricia Williams         17/5/07     

Reply from ECRC: Hi Patricia,
First of all, thank you for your email and I must apologise for the length of time in replying to you as I have been on holiday and also I was awaiting a reply from our committee with regard to your comments as I thought it is only fair to involve them in all member's feedback.

"We are sorry you are disappointed in the way we run our dressage competitions. We use the 'beginners' prelim as a class to encourage non-dressagy riders to take up the discipline, or as a starter class for young horses just starting out, when it is generally quieter in the day and less traumatic than working in with 10-12 other horses.
We do not include this class in our league tables as it is a 'novice'(in the true meaning) class.
In response to your comments, we have checked and you have entered 2 competitions as a member, both of these were in the competitive prelim classes. If you feel you would like to do the beginners prelim and get a few wins under your belt then we would be happy for you to do so. Our competition year runs from October to September and in our experience, members who have been placed highly in the league have moved up to the next class. Also checking our results, only one rider has won the 2nd prelim 3 times. It is not fair for them to forfeit the chance of winning that particular league if they have been fortunate enough to win a few times. They will be encouraged to move up at the end of the league year. As to the question of one class being HC, we feel our competition should be open to all who wish to take part and not to make them choose which class they think they will do best in."

I hope this satiates your obvious unhappiness with regard to our club rules and again I am sorry you felt it necessary to compete with another club.

Regards,

Janet
On behalf of ECRC  12/6/07

Two things:
 1. The dressage on Sunday was a bit strange, as I got 54% for my first test and 65% for my second! I thought I rode them about the same - the judge judging the first Novice was very negative - any chance you could avoid booking her in the future?                             2. I would like to go to the National Dressage Convention on 24/25 November 2007 with Hubertus Schmidt, and I wondered if anyone else would like to go? If you put it on the website I am happy to co-ordinate any members so that we could go together. It's at Addington Manor and would involve an overnight stay.                                               PS. No worries about Janet's senior moment with the test sheets - we all have them!                                                                                 Helen Lakin     15/5/07

I was competeing at dressage on 13.5.07 at northop and during my test there were young children playing in the viewing area doing cartwheels and jumping about which upset my horse during his test and he lost points because of it. Could a notice be put on website, this is the first time its happened to me and I don't normally like to moan but my horse was going nicely up to that point.  Thanks,     Ray Hill                        14/5/07

To Whom it may concern, I just wanted to drop you a note to say thanks and well done to everyone involved with the organisation of the combined training on 31 march.   I really enjoyed the morning and felt it ran very well.  With thanks.     Lisa Morris           2/4/07

Really enjoyed the clear round showjumping & found it very useful for schooling without the stress of competition!  Would like something like this again if there is enough support from others.
And thanks, helpers on the day.                          Angela Howes        18/3/07

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the clear round SJ at the weekend. It's a great start to the season, especially as there haven't been a lot of other events on recently due to bad weather. I would definitely come again.
Thanks.                                                             Nicola Ricketts      14/3/07

"Hi folks! Being a fair weather rider, I am sitting in the warm, nosing around rc web-sites, + just want to say how superior ECRC's is (well done, Jan), and how much more is on offer (well done, all)! Also - I think the new rule that points are only allocated for placings, and not attendance is great. Hope to see you all soon."                      Barbara  22/1/07

"Just to say, what a fab idea for the flatwork rally - having the test evening, I will definately be booking on and would do others if they were scheduled"        Sharon

From AGM: Feedback re Mini novice re-naming - I feel that 'mini novice' is exactly what it is therefore is perfectly fine.                 Angela Howes

• "I agree"     -  Pat cowx
• "it could become the 'small novice'  but happy with it as it is"  -  Janet Freeman
• "I think the name mini novice is fine. 2'3" is traditionally called minimus jumping so not really worth changing trophies for. Also I have absolutely no interest in being included in an attendance league, I think Jan does enough already" -                                                                                                        Lesley

" Hi to all at ECRC. As brand new members of the club, we just thought we'd like to say hello and a **huge** thank you to everyone who's made us so welcome so far - that's organisers and competitors at both showjumping and dressage competitions. The atmosphere at both events has been really friendly and relaxed, while still being very well organised - a credit to all involved.

Thanks ***VERY*** much!  "                     Jan and Katie Jones

     " I don't know if other members might be interested in this, but I just found out recently that when the Forestry Commission sell forests to private owners, they are obliged to include a condition of continued access for walkers, but there is no obligation on them to insert a clause to include access for horse riders, even if horse riding has been going on in that woodland for ever. So, people may buy a horse in the happy understanding that they will be able to use their local forest for off road riding, and then if the Forestry Commission needs finance and decides to sell that forest, their access is suddenly stopped without any warning or even notice of impending loss of amenity. I imagine this is especially awful for livery yards or trekking centres. In my opinion, horse riders have for safety reasons more need of off road access than even walkers, so I decided to try to do something about it by writing to a few people. Forestry Commission woodlands and Welsh Office woodlands are public land and I think that if they are going to sell them they should protect the access of all who already have access whether on foot or on horseback. Members might like to know that Mark Tami MP has written to the Forestry Commission on our behalf, Carl Sergeant AM has questioned the Forestry Commission in Wales and the Welsh Office minister responsible. Brynle Williams AM is also lobbying the Minister on our behalf, and is tabling oral questions in the Welsh Assembly. The Forestry Commission sells forests all the time, which means that if something isn't done, a lot of access for horses could be lost. Has anyone else had experience of this? "                                           Vera Darby

      "Just a quick thankyou to whoever had the marvellous idea of putting a section regarding flu vaccinations in the recent newsletter. Having got married and being on honeymoon the beginning of April, my horse's Flu vaccination was the last thing on my mind and was rather cross with myself when I got back to find I had lapsed with the yearly booster. So, I have had to start again and have had the 1st and 2nd primary jabs done and was told by my vet to come back within 6mths to have his 3rd, then carry on as normal with the yearly boosters. Having read the newsletter regarding the dates of when the flu jabs should be done, I was rather horrified that what my vet had told me was completely wrong and I would have ended up having Kebe done 3 weeks early which of course..had I turned up at an Area event thinking my certificate was all fine and dandy, I would have been sent home in disgrace! Moral of the story...Please ensure you know when the jabs need to be done even if your vet doesn't!!  "               Tanya Barber

      "Geoff Billington clinic was brilliant, thanks to those who organised it. Great  XC schooling session at Smallwood, are any more planned?"                     Lesley

      "Just thanking the committee, especially Becky, for the brilliant Debbie Jones clinics. I realise she is probably hard to get but can we please have some more as she is so good? Also Dianne Breeze - elusive but brilliant. Thanks to all. "       Vera.