News​


Proficiency Test revision sheets

National RDA have produced some fun and colourful revision sheets for the theory elements of the Grades 1, 2 and 3 Proficiency tests.


They are available here:

 https://www.myrda.org.uk/assets/RDA-Grade-1-2-3-Worksheets-Riding-Horse-Care.pdf


If any of our riders would like to have a go at these 'Mock' tests, then please feel free to send your answers into us here at [email protected] and one of our qualified Coaches will check your answers for you and let you know how you have done!

Jessie

Here she is!

Queen of the herd. 

So pretty, so special  

We know that many of you will be missing our ponies during this period of Corona Virus outbr​eak.

We would like to reassure you that they are still being very well cared for, and all our key pony-care personnel remain well and healthy.

The ponies are thoroughly enjoying a relaxing time together out in their field.

They have even been seen lying down, and snoozing in the recent warm sunshine.

Jessie is with them here also - just not in these photos.

I guess she is practicing social distancing!


Dementia Coffee Mornings with-a-pony 

Yesterday we had our induction meeting for our planned coffee mornings and are now  officially 'Dementia Friends'

As such, we have joined the UK's biggest ever initiative to change the way people think, act and talk about dementia.

We are also convinced of the joy, and the therapeutic benefits that connection with a pony will bring - not to mention the happy chatter and the cake!


If you would like to be involved with our initiative, or know someone who could benefit, then please contact Kathy Mottershead on 07979 853907

Welcome to the newest member of our team!

We are now the very proud owners of a shiny new Red Tractor! Well, it is a second-hand, reburbished one, but we love it just the same, and will rely on it for so many jobs here at Watershed RDA.

 Our previous tractor was struggling with its health and fitness and has had to leave us for pastures new...

We have had to replace a lot of the fencing posts around the padocks at the stables, as they were badly rotten, and beginning to fall down. We enlisted the help of contractors with this mega 'boys toys' machine to sink them into the ground. 

Despite the rain and water-logged ground, they didn't make too..oo much mess.

Here is our stalwart Ian battling the mud and rain to replace the electric fencing rope around the perimeters. Thank you Ian!

Country Living magazine article and film

You may remember that last summer, to mark the 50th anniversary of RDA in the UK, we were visited by a film crew and journalists from Country Living magazine. They produced a wonderful article about us at Watershed RDA and also a very moving 5 minute film.  The day they came was gloriously sunny , and they accompanied us on a hack out into the countryside, and through the bluebell woods.  

To see the article and film again,  click this link: 

https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wellbeing/a28095734/therapy-horses-riding-disabled-association-watershed/

New Dementia Group

We are planning to begin Dementia mornings in our Mess room on Mondays from Easter.

In the beginning this is most likely to happen once a month with a view to increasing to biweekly. It would be about an hour of refreshments and cake, interaction with the ponies, as well as the chance to walk around our sensory garden. We are following advice from National RDA and have arranged for a Dementia ‘Champion’ to come speak to us, and inspect our site to help us make it dementia friendly. 

This Champion is coming on the 9th March at 10:00 am. 

Please could you let Kathy Mottershead know ( 07979 853907)  if you would like to attend this meeting, are interested in helping but can’t make the date or even if you know someone who would benefit.

Thank You!

A huge thank you to the George Equine Clinic for their generous donation of £525.10.

On Monday 27th January 2020, a representative form The George Veterinary Group visited our stables to present this generous amount of money.  It will be put to very good use.


We were proud to welcome the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Charles Berkeley and his wife Daisy to Watershed RDA on Monday 3rd February 2020.


They spent the afternoon with us, and were very interested to watch some rider lessons, and to meet and chat to some of our riders. Some rosettes were presented to the younger riders, which gave much delight! 

They were also very interested to meet the ponies in our stable yard. Daisy has a particular interest in the ponies since she is a renowned horse woman herself.

Our Mess room was also much appreciated as a warm and comfortable place to enjoy tea and cake, and for one our riders, Penny, to present them with some flowers as a thank you for coming.

It certainly seemed that they much enjoyed their visit, and went away inspired and impressed by everything we do at Watershed RDA!

We had a wonderful, festive Christmas lunch in Coates village Hall again this year. As always, it was a very popular event with our riders, friends and volunteers, and the hall was almost full to capacity. The food was superbly delicious, and all the Christmas decorations, crackers and party hats put everyone in the festive mood!

Annual Christmas street collection in Cirencester

We were lucky with the weather for the street collection day this year, and as usual it proved an interesting day with lots of contact with the public and useful conversations. Ben, our little RDA pony was, of course, the star of the show and extremely well behaved.

We raised a magnificent total of £986.28p and 7 euros

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us with the planning, and on the day!

New sensory garden

We are now proud to have two new sensory garden toughs planted up and positioned at the edge of our lawned area near the Mess room.

We were grateful to have received a donation from Tesco, which enabled us to purchase the planting troughs and also some gardening tools. One of our volunteers, Pavlína Budaiová, together with help from gardener Vicky Hurkett May did a wonderful job with preparing the troughs and with the planting up.

 We are grateful also, for donations of plants from other volunteers and Friends of RDA. and also to Dobbies Garden Centre, Miserden Nursey and Stancombe Beech Farm shop.

The plants used all have particular textures, colours and fragrances which will bring great enjoyment and sensory stimulation.

Watershed Mugs

These beautiful bone china mugs have been sponsored by The Rural Planning Practice.


They will be for sale at our 2020 events for £7.99.

If you would like to pre- order some, please contact Kate on

 07876 533322


A big THANK YOU to The RPP for their support and The Watershed RDA hope that you will all be drinking lots of tea from them!

/