Newsletter Spring / Summer 2010

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Welcome to the new riding year, which, with the continued hard economic times is putting a strain on our Horse Riding costs.  We will not be increasing our prices in 2010-11, but we are going to get even more active in checking Tags in the coming year. Anyone not wearing a current Tag will be expelled from the Scheme immediately. Several riders were caught without tags in 2009 and it is not fair on those that pay for the privilege.  If you know of anyone using the tracks who are not members, please let us know.  These are probably the ones abusing the tracks, causing us to lose them.  We do not wish to lose them, do we!!!   Names would be useful.

Now that spring is on its way, we hope you enjoy your Riding but please be careful as it has been wet. We must remind you all again to ride responsibly and avoid riding when the routes are very wet, and we have had serious complaints from Landowners that Riders just ‘ Could not care less’

Fenn Barn Route to RE-OPEN !

The owner of Fenn Barn, Hall Road , Mount Bures was so incensed by the abuse by Riders that he had closed his route. He reports failure of riders to wear Tags, and also riding in Wet Weather had made a mess of his Tracks. Riders this was entirely the fault of some mindless members, or trespassers.
We have now been able to negotiate the reopening of this route from 1st April 2010 so please will you pass the message around and please respect our Routes or they will be lost.

NEW LICENCE TAGS – From April 1st these are Now Fluorescent  VIOLET. 

Due to new POSTAL WEIGHTS & SIZES we have decided not to send you this year’s Leather Straps and would ask you to use your Existing ones, if you need a new one please call the office and Jane will mail you one separately.

The new license tags we introduced seem to have been very popular with members, these replace the old Arm Bands. They should be attached to your Saddle or Bridle, and like the armbands must be worn on your horse at all times whilst you are on EAFR Tracks. Anyone found on an EAFR Route without one of these new Tags will be turned off.

Please would you return your 2009/10 Tags to the Office. Do not send back your Leather straps please keep these for your new tags, as you will be charged extra to post them back. (Or we will get a £1.30 Demand from the Post Office for under-stamped mail ).

NEW ROUTES at FORDHAM HALL, Fordham, Colchester.

The Woodland Trust have been doing a lot of fencing and improvements at Fordham Hall, and this has now enabled them to open even more Routes to our members. Some members in the area were getting worried that some routes had been blocked but this was only as new Culvers were built to coincide with the new tracks. The riding tracks at Fordham Hall must now be at least double the length that we had previously. One new route of particular use to riders from the Garrison Saddle Club will be a route that now starts right next to the Saddle Club entrance. A new Map of Fordham Hall routes can be viewed on the Maps page.

GRANGE FARM ROUTE( Next to Whitehouse Farm) Grange Rd, Wickham Bishops.
Please remember this route now has a COMBINATION LOCKED Bridle Gate, the number of which you can get from the Office. The Combination Number will be given only to members, and the number must never be given to any NON MEMBER, particularly no member of the Public (or dog walkers). If anyone other than East Anglian Farm Ride Members is ever caught using this Route and Gate, the owners will immediately CLOSE THE ROUTE FOR EVER. 

NEW ROUTE AT LITTLE TEY/KELVEDON
A new section of ride has been opened so that riders can now link our routes at Great & Little Tey across the A120, and back towards Kelvedon and Coggeshall.

D’ARCY.  Despite several meetings, we have been unable to persuade the farmer concerned to allow us to use his private tracks under the EAFR banner.  Sorry

LONG DISTANCE PLEASURE RIDE.
 

We may try to arrange another Ride in the autumn if there is support for this.

HAZARDS. We would like to ask riders, particularly when you are riding with Friends, to try to remove any fallen Branches or any other debris from the toll ride tracks. With the high winds and snow we have had this past winter there has been a lot of branches which have fallen on to the Tracks. If you can’t manage to move any debris from the tracks please call the Office, and we will try to get this moved.

Rabbit Holes etc. Please be aware that we cannot control where rabbits burrow, and there is always the chance of Rabbit holes etc. along the tracks so please keep your eyes open for such hazards. You are riding in the Country, which is hopefully only a pleasurable experience, but you must keep your eyes open and be aware.

UNLICENSED RIDERS
As you see above this is still causing some problems, and we really would ask all riders to phone the Office and tell us if you see any Riders without the new VIOLET Tags.

Robert and Nigel do spend time policing the Routes, but its quite impossible for us to be everywhere all the time, and we rely on YOU to report problems. YOU ARE OUR EYES.

Enjoy your Riding….

Nigel, Robert and Jane.