Centaur Calendar

CENTAUR NEWSLETTER

October 2010 CENTAUR NEWSLETTER

SUNDAY'S AT Centaur _ is starting up again...

• November 7 Jumping with Stef (yes! Stefanie Roffey is coming back for the odd Sunday)
• November 14 The Horse Exhibit Treasure Hunt (limited to 10 participants) -to be held at the Museum
• November 28 Practice Ride - sign up to ride your favourite horse in a non-lesson situation
• December 5 Jumping with Stef
• December 12 The Horse Exhibit Treasure Hunt (limited to 10 participants) -to be held at the Museum

For all information see the sign-up sheets in tack room.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN COMPETITION IN 2011...

Many parents have asked me what they can do for their kids in terms of helping them get better. There is only one answer to this question: Ride more!! Take advantage of all the extra opportunities being offered,or speak with Shirley about booking a regular second lesson per week.... And that is the best advice that I can give you.

EXTRA RIDING

Centaur students may sign up for additional classes on a "per week' basis for the following times:

• Monday - Class 4; 7:00 - Coach: Shirley
• Tuesday - Private 30 minute; 8:30 - Coach: Valerie

The 30 minute private spot with Valerie is highly recommend to all beginner students for longe lessons to work on your position,or any other area you need extra help with. See the sign-up sheet in the tack room.

PROPOSED THEORY LECTURE SERIES

I (Shirley) will be teaching a series of theory lectures either based on the book The Principles of Riding,or the book How Your Horse Moves. Principles of Riding is the book we recommend to all our riders. This would be a good way to go through the book together,along with appropriate photos,videos,etc. The second choice,How Your Horse Moves,is the book which all the participants at the 2011 Dressage 4-Kids will be tested on. - SOooo,if you are interested,I am asking for feedback:

• 1) which lecture series would you prefer?
• 2) when would be a good time? (choose between week evenings,or Sat / Sunday afternoons)

There will be a sheet in tack room for your comments & choices.

PARKING

Cars can park either along the jumping ring,or on the dirt facing Frank Kenny along the grass (where that white fence used to be,although new riders wont know what fence I am talking about). But please keep the cars off the grass.

WEDNESDAY INSTRUCTOR

Rachel Smit is our new Wednesday evening instructor. Rachel is an EC Level 1 Coach. She is a successful competitor in the world of eventing,and is a very enthusiastic coach. Watch for a short bio on Rachel coming up in next newsletter.

DRESSAGE 4-KIDS 2011 - MEETING NOVEMBER 26

I would like to get a team of 4 riders together to participate at next year's Dressage 4-Kids. Go 'Team Centaur' Go!! Meanwhile check out the website: http://www.youthdressagefestival.com. If you are interested please come to the meeting on Friday eve Nov 26,6:30 in the Centaur Lounge.

REMEMBER 'THE HORSE EXHIBIT' AT MUSEUM OF CIVILIZATION until JAN 2...

PIZZA PARTY FOR SHOW VOLUNTEERS

This will take place on Friday,November 12 at Castello's in Navan at 7:00.

CENTAUR CALENDAR

The calendar is attached to this newsletter. It has all the important dates: horse shows,quiet days,workshops - there are always changes,so check it out_

THANK YOU!

A big thank you to Susan Kulas for looking after the gardens this year.

BOOTS ***** IMPORTANT ***** (repeated from previous newsletters for the benefit of new students)

I really hate to tell you this,but just because a boot is sold as a riding boot does NOT mean it is safe for riding. In "the old days" boots were all made pretty-much the same: smooth sole,no laces,normal thickness of sole,high top. These days,some companies are making unsafe riding boots. It is the law in Ontario that riding facilities make sure that helmets and footwear are safe. In view of that law,we will not be allowing the thick "riding" boot wearers to use their stirrups at Centaur

In their quest for keeping riders warm in winter,some companies are making thick soled,extra-wide soles with deep treads out of rubber for better traction: imitating ski-doo boots. Some are adding laces,which protrude and get caught on the stirrup irons. They are making a running shoe which they sell for riding: this shoe has all the bad features imaginable. Some companies are even adding an extra feature on the sole for the stirrup to lie in. All these modifications mean only one thing: a trap for the foot to stay stuck in the stirrup in case of a fall.

The purpose of a correctly constructed riding boot is to protect the rider in normal riding activities,yet allow the foot to slip clear of stirrup in an instant. Smooth sole: all leather,or if a rubber/vinyl boot - a smooth sole. This allows the foot to quickly slide out of stirrup in case of a fall Tall boot: to protect inner calf of rider from pinching (half-chaps are ok) Laces: either no laces,or small laces that are placed higher and inset (as in a field boot),or small thin laces which fit very flat against the boot (as in a paddock boot) Thickness of sole: normal thickness (leaving lots of room in iron top to bottom) Width of foot: normal shoe width (leaving lots of room in iron side to side) Vamp: both paddock boots and tall boots have a vamp. This stops the foot from sliding right through the iron. No vamp (like in a shoe) means there is a possibility the foot will slide through the stirrup and get stuck.

I have contacted some of these boot companies,and they know that their boots are too big and chunky for normal stirrup irons!!!!!!!!!!!!! But they put a disclaimer in the boot boxes (anyone ever notice?) stating that the boots are extra big,so it is up to the rider to ensure that the stirrup iron is also extra big to accommodate this.

If you have already purchased a pair of this footwear,please try to return them to the store. Hopefully the stores will send them back to the companies,and they will get the message. There have already been serious accidents caused by this type of footwear,and lawsuits in Europe .

For winter warmth: buy a bigger (regular-type) boot,and fit in extra socks & an in-sole. This works out great for growing kids - the over-sized winter boots become next summer's just-the-right-size boots. For adults,this means 2 pairs of boots. You can fit a pair of toe-rubbers on the boots to protect them from wet and salt.

FOR THE FUTURE: for anyone coming to class with unsafe footwear,this will mean riding without stirrups. And,if you really want these oversized boots,please buy your own stirrup irons to use with the saddle you will be riding in. (This information will be included in every newsletter to ensure new riders are informed.)

JOB OPPORTUNITES AT CENTAUR

SATURDAY WORKING STUDENTS

If you are 12 years or older and wish to really learn about horses and working in a barn,we are looking for working students for Saturdays,7:00 to 4:45. You can earn high school credits and horse leases. The working student is given a mini-report card at the completion of each day,and through this report card the student will earn credits applicable to horse leases. This system is the first step to training our future Daycamp helpers/coaches.