News
Oakley Endurance has got off to a cracking start! We have
- 24 members, or 1/3rd of the branch interested in having a go at an Endurance event
- 12 members who have taken part in an event
- 3 teams
- run our first Endurance event
- started a series of training booklets, Quick Guides to Endurance, and published 3 Guides
- written 2 newsletters
- designed a team kit
- got a website presence…see http://endurancediary.wordpress.com
Welcome…
… to Eleanor Betts who is joining the branch this month and came straight into the Endurance mini team
Well done…
Emily Dunning
Oliver Barrett
Eleanor Betts
who completed the Robin ride at Marston showing fantastic progress. Well done also to their ‘running mates’ who have had to push up the pace considerably to keep up. And well done to
Antonia Lawrence
Imogen Lawrence
Thomas Barrett
Olivia Hern
Lucy Northall
Felicity Aldridge-Newman
who passed their Kestrel ride at Marston, all 6 with qualifying speeds and heart rates. They are now well on their way to qualifying for the National Championship rides in September.
Quotes….
“I did loads more cantering this time and Magic is a great pony on Endurance rides” Tom Barrett
“It was really exciting and I really enjoyed my first endurance ride” Eleanor Betts
Diary Dates
- 20 June Un-mounted training and social – Sloshing / crewing practice
- 24 June 2009 Un-mounted training – Map reading for Endurance
- 28 June Stevington Rides Oakley Hunt (West) Qualifier for 2009
- 17 July Aspley Guise Woods “Fish ‘n Chips” ride and social
- 28 July Training ride venue TBC
- TBC August Un-mounted training – Training schedules
- 30 August Milton Keynes Whaddon Chase/Cromwell rides
- 13 September Lions Tail Pony Club Team Challenge (major EGB ride)
- 20 September Keysoe PC National Championships
Coming up …
September to December
Dates to be finalised
- Un-mounted talk – Introduction to Natural Horsemanship
- Un-mounted training – Clipping for hunting or Endurance
- Stevington ride 2010 qualifier
- Winter fun ride
- Christmas social and Endurance Secret Santa
Training tip of the month
Do not be late for your final vetting! You have to get to the vetting no later than half an hour of completing the ride. No-one will remind you to do this. If you miss your time you will not pass the ride!
Interested in finding out more or having a go? I am here to help! avbarrett@yahoo.com
Vicki Barrett – Oakley West Branch Endurance Rep
Ride write up
Marston Vale Forest Centre 13 June, Kestrel and Robin rides
Written by Lucy Northall
My Endurance Ride
On the, 13th June, I competed in an endurance ride at the Forest Centre, Marston Vale. The ride was sixteen kilometres and our target speed was ten km per hour so our expected time was one hour thirty six minutes.
The weather was very hot so we were all extremely cautious that our ponies were not dehydrated. At first, we started at a very fast trot, then we eased into canter but soon found that this was too fast, so had to slow down. After that, we realised that it was definitely not a race and we had to focus much more on the heart rate of our ponies and not the speed we were going or the fastest time we achieved.
We had crew on horse-cooling duty (sponging the ponies down after each circuit). We also had plenty of supporters and stewards making sure that the ponies and their riders were safe and also to ensure that they got round the circuits okay.
To achieve the sixteen km, the ponies had to be extremely fit and healthy and also willing to contribute as a stubborn pony would find it hard to complete.
My pony and I completed the ride just over the optimal time and a low heart rate. We were within the qualifying limits for the Pony Club Endurance Championships.
And we had great fun!
