Archive for September 2007

Equine College Courses

Talygarn Equestrian Centre is an outreach centre for Yale College, Wrexham. This means we can enrol students to train for BHS Stages, NVQ, Horse Owners and a variety of other qualifications within the industry on our own yard. Myself, Marina Evans and Laura Jones-Griffiths are qualified NVQ assessors, we deliver the training for the courses and continual assessments for the NVQ. During the year we receive a number of visits from our liason officer Pam Jones who comes to our yard in the role of internal verifier in order to see that standards are maintained, also yearly we receive a visit from an external verifier. The Qualifications are gained here on a hands on basis, in smaller more personnal groups than a large college and many students prefer this to a classroom based course. We run full time & part time BHS stages and NVQ and evening horse owners courses.

Courses start week beginning Monday 10th Sept and all current and new students need to turn up on that day to enrol or re enrol from 4pm

Hunter Trials

Two of our Pony Club Centre members Kai Reakes and Chloe Reakes one student Leigh and my daughter Amelia took 4 riding school horses to the Llangeinor Hunter Trials at Laleston Bridgend, Kai rode Pheobe in the pairs with Chloe on Buffy and Leigh rode Fred with Amelia on Thor. All were a little sticky to start as they dont often leave the riding school, Kai and Chloe completed the course with a few stops mainly at the coffin, Leigh took the lead with Fred, Thor and Amelia followed as Thor is young and not very confident away from home. Fred has been out more often but show jumping not hunter trials, Fred was a bit reluctant to start but got better and Thor followed and jumped well, both also had some problems at the coffin but completed the course. Everyone then entered the next class as individuals by which time the dry weather had turned to rain. Kai and Pheobe rode a very good round clearing all the fences with just a little reluctance to go down the steps. Chloe and Buffy had a few problems over the first three fences but then completed the course well. Thor went very well for Amelia completing the course with just a couple of stops at the coffin. Leigh jumped a clear on Fred but unfortunately missed a fence out. Still at least Leigh has now completed his first cross country without falling off, and that was a remarkable achievement in view of the hangover. Sarah Carys Jodie and Hannah came as grooms and did a wonderful job helping to look after the horses.

Talygarn Yard Helpers

During the summer holidays lots of youngsters spend quite a bit of time on the yard helping out. As long as they are willing to help and they all get on I dont have a problem with them being here and I know they like to spend their time with their friends and around the horses. I don’t tend to teach these the kids much now, so its the kids who help out I get to know better. Over the years kids have formed their groups grown up and moved on with next bunch coming up behind. We’ve been lucky to have some really nice groups of kids and I enjoy to see them involved and progressing. Every now and then its nice to feel that they appreciate the opportunities they have and today was one of those days, so I’d like to say a BIG thank you to Carys Jodie Sarah Hannah Jessica and Emily for the big bunch of flowers they bought me today for letting them come here all through the summer holidays and I also want you to know that we are happy for you to be here and and appreciate the work you have done for us.

Scarecrows

Just been speaking to Freya, apparently its scarecrow weekend in Gosfield Village, Essex where Freya lives. Everyone makes a scarecrow and the best one wins, there are about 400 entered. Freya’s entered a crow bar ( a bar with crows on it) can’t wait to see the photos. This picture is from last year. Strange what people get up too!!!!!!!