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SPRING 2018

Grip Fast Equestrian News

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Castle Leslie Equestrian Centre newsletter. It’s packed with all the latest news from Equestrian Centre Business Manager, Jenny Richardson and her team.

The Leslie family motto ‘Grip Fast’ originates from a famous

horse journey by Bartholomew Leslie in the 11th century. His

passion for horses was passed down through the ages and

now you too can discover the thrill of riding across one of

Ireland’s great estates. Castle Leslie Estate offers memorable

horse riding holiday experiences for riding enthusiasts of all

levels. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider,

Castle Leslie Estate is the place for you. The Estate offers an

idyllic setting for outdoor activity and adventure and we are

conveniently located in County Monaghan, only 80 minutes

from Dublin airport and 60 minutes from Belfast airport.

It is the perfect place to discover the thrill of exploring

the beautiful Irish countryside on horseback. We welcome

riders of all ability and offer expert tuition in hacking, show

jumping, dressage and side saddle along with gentle hacks

and exhilarating cross country rides together with a range

of certified training programmes and clubs for children.

The Equestrian Centre combines the authentic charm of a

country estate with all the amenities you’d expect from one of

Ireland’s best horse-riding locations:

• 1,000 acres of private estate

• 300 cross country jumps

• 21 miles of meandering bridleways

• Mile-long all-weather gallop

• 56 stables

• Horse simulator - Mechanical horse for beginners

• 50×30 metre indoor arena with indoor cross-country

fences

• Tiered seating for 200 plus private dining/viewing room

• Lounge and showering facilities

• 20 × 50 Dressage Arena

• 30 × 20 Outdoor Ménage

• Sand Gallops

• SJI approved show jumps

• Horse walker

• Lorry & trailer parking

• BHS, SJI & AIRE Approved

Upcoming EventsH o r s e D r aw n Ca r r i ag e R i d e s

A horse drawn carriage ride is a wonderful way to

experience the beauty of Castle Leslie Estate.

Journey back in time on an enchanting carriage ride

through the tree-lined avenues and bridleways, sit back and

be charmed by what awaits you on your personal tour of the

most beautifully areas of the Estate. Our Stately horse and

experienced driver make this jaunt a perfect way to enhance

a visit to the Estate. Carriage rides may be booked through

reception or directly with the Equestrian Centre. Subject to

availability and advance booking is essential.

Price: €90 per Carriage Ride The carriage seats 4 adults, or 2 adults and up to 2 children and has a 1 hour durationEnhance your experience with: Bottle of Bubbly @ €40.00; Delicious Homemade Lemonade and Biscuits @ €5.00 per person; Flask of Hot Chocolate and Homemade Shortbread @ €5.00 per person

O w n a P o n y f o r a We e k

Get the opportunity to ‘Own a Pony for a Week’.

Children will get the opportunity to muck out, groom, tack

out and ride.

Mon 2nd April – Fri 6th April (Advanced children) Mon 2nd July – Fri 6th July (Advanced children) Mon 9th July – Fri 13th July (Beginner children) Mon 13th Aug – Fri 17th Aug (Advanced children) From 10am – 3pm Price: €225 per child *Must bring their own lunch

Jenny and her team have been very busy over the past few

months with Jenny having visited Olympia in London

meeting lots of new clients!

We were thrilled to welcome Greg Broderick, Irish

International Show Jumper to the Equestrian Centre on

12th January. Greg conducted a master showjumping

demonstration to a packed out audience with VIP’s

snipping on glasses of bubbly from the prime viewing

gallery. Brendan McArdle, from The Irish Field hosted

as MC and numerous prizes were given out on the night

including a hat worth over €300 from the main sponsor

Charles Owen.

s o l a r i u m

This is a custom made solarium used by all the horses

and ponies at Castle Leslie Estate Equestrian Centre. It

provides huge benefits to our horses, for example:

— Improves muscle suppleness before exercise reducing

warm up time

— Reduces the risk of colds in the horse

— Improves blood circulation

— Improves the general health of all the horses and

ponies at Castle Leslie

— Helps dry off the horses and ponies after a bath or a

workout

— Heat also assists with the recovery to injury

We are delighted to welcome Patricia Spargo to the Equestrian Centre Team as our new Yard Manager. Patricia has worked in the equestrian industry for over 25

years and ran her own riding school in the South of France

for many years. Patricia is originally from the South West

of England and is a fully qualified BHSAI instructor.

Patricia is married with one son and is living currently in

Armagh.

What’s New

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Fast & Furious!t r a i n e r j e n n y r i c h a r d s o n b h s a i s h a r e s h e r t i p s o n s p e e d i n g u p yo u r s h owj u m p i n g r o u n d .

It seems that as we climb the showjumping ranks, e.g. by

jumping higher fences or progressing from unaffiliated to

affiliated shows, there’s more at stake. The class numbers

get higher, as do our expectations. Initially, we entered

for the experience - then we were hoping for a clear-

round, and maybe a placing - and now we’re perhaps

wanting a first place!

Accuracy is key, but time will of course play an important

part in our success. The time allowed in any class should

be viewed as a reminder not to go too slowly; not as the

ultimate goal! The jumps themselves are the test in hand.

It is easy to make mistakes if you feel under the pressure

of a tight time limit, and it is a common error to ride the

first half of the course a little slowly, and then realise you

might be running out of time, and then take unnecessary

risks to catch up.

– To p t i p s –

1 Choose your short cuts at the course walk stage

The course walk is vital. Find the course plan and study

it well, noting the speed at which it is set, and the time

allowed. When walking the SJ course, there will usually

be a few options for the route, eg. going around wings

or cutting inside. Pick one or two obstacles that are

favourable to you and your horse to shorten your route,

without having to increase your pace.

2 Plan your pace

It is important to plan your route and pace early on.

If you do need to make up more time, note the most

achievable places to do so - e.g. a straight area where you

can slightly open out your canter, regaining collection a

few strides before your next fence.

3 Note the line between the fences

See if you can find out the line between the fences

that the course builder used to ascertain the time and

distances; as this is the optimal route. Watch the course

builder early on if you can, to see where he places his

wheel; or see if the course plan shows the measurement

route drawn between the jumps - or just ask the course

builder for some tips, if he or she is available!

4 Practise your strengths

In your preparation and training at home, work out your

‘short cut’ strengths, based on your horse’s expertise and

size, e.g going outside or inside fences. Practice this at

home, e.g. cantering through a small gap representing

two jump wings.

Jenny Richardson is Equestrian Centre Business Manager at Castle Leslie Equestrian Centre and former head instructor at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Equestrian Club.

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If you require any further information, please contact the Equestrian Centre on 047 88 535 or email stables@castleleslie.com

Castle Leslie Estate, Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, Irelandwww.castleleslie.comtel: +353 47 88 100 email: info@castleleslie.com

wellington is used for dressage and side

saddle. Wellington is 17 years old and comes

with a wealth of experience. He is 16.2hh and

one of the best dressage horses at Castle Leslie

Equestrian Centre.

One of the younger members of the team,

Blueberry is used for the advanced riders.

Blueberry is an Irish Draught and is 16.2hh.

charlie is a little cheeky and enjoys lots

of treats. Charlie is 15.2hh and is 7 years old.

Charlie is mainly used for jumping and he is a

flying armchair out on cross country.

One of everyone’s favourites at Castle Leslie

Equestrian Centre, Two Tone enjoys life and

hacking around the Estate. Two Tone is a very

kind horse and excels at everything, Two Tone is

17hh and is used for beginners to advanced riders.

Our horses welfare is of paramount importance to us at Castle Leslie Estate

Equestrian Centre. Our aim is to provide an extremely high level of care to

our horses and we work with a number of key suppliers including an equine

chiropractor: Ted McLaughlin, equine dentist: Carol Perkins, farrier: Shane

Cullen and vet: Donncha Houlihan MVB MRCVS. We now have 27 horses

in our equestrian centre and in each of these quarterly newsletters, we will

be featuring some of them. In this edition, we’d like to introduce you to

‘Wellington’, ‘Charlie’, ‘BlueBerry’ and ‘Two Tone’..

Meet the Horses