Essex Bridleways Association Update Autumn 2019

Essex Bridleways Association

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Update Autumn 2019

Inside this issue...

• Hat safety what to look for • It’s Party Time November • Historic maps online

Published by Essex Bridleways Association Charity number: 801530

www.essexbridleways.co.uk

Contents

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ON THE COVER

EBA Safety News Officers’ Reports AGM Safety talk, November 2018 Dates for your diary Ride Reviews Children’s page Who’s on our Front Cover?

Contact us

Turn to page 22 to find out who’s who...

EBA is a member of: • Affiliate member of BHS • Open Spaces Society • Hundred Parishes Society • National Federation of Bridleway Associations

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EBA also has regular contact with Hatfield Forest Riders Association and Epping Forest Riders Association.

SOME THOUGHTS FROM OUR PATRON

By Katie Jerram-Hunnable, EBA Patron

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s winter approaches, shorter daylight hours are now limiting the time we can hack out on our horses. However, this shouldn’t mean we curtail our riding time or confine ourselves to the school. At my yard, we recognise that our horses’ mental welfare is as important as their physical well-being and time in the stable is balanced with hacking out for all the horses in work. We know they appreciate the change of scene and benefit from the stimulus as well as the exercise.

These days, off-road riding often means getting to bridleways on busy roads.

I see it as our responsibility to make sure motorists see us first - see and be seen! and this edition of Update reflects those concerns.

This year, the Association’s forty years of existence is drawing to a close, with much achieved to improve riders’ access across the county. It is an honour to be Patron of an organisation I hold in very high esteem for all the work that has been done over the past four decades.

With your continued support and encouragement, long may it continue.

Katie

The Chair A note from

By Julia Wilson, EBA Chair

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any of you reading this will associate the EBA with its pleasure rides across the county that you enjoy taking part in. We are pleased that you do, but it is the money raised from these rides that fund EBA's real aims and objectives.

I was recently trawling through some archive material and came across the original application for charity status applied by Deirdre Graham dated 3rd November, 1988. The application stated we would work - 'To protect, preserve, retain, improve and develop the network of equestrian rights of way for the benefit of the horse riding public so that their conditions of life may be improved.'

These aims have remained a constant throughout the decades and our objectives have never changed. The pledge made in our Constitution is the driver for all the work we carry out.

I wonder if, when Deirdre applied for charitable status all that time ago, she could imagine just how far the EBA would grow. Over the past 40 years our membership and income has increased considerably and that gives us the means to fund our

campaigning and projects.

We now have three officers whose energy and professionalism has helped us to grow as an organisation and gain recognition from the British Horse Society last year (See page 5 of the 2018 Spring edition of Update for a full report).

The Officers’ recent triumphs are outlined on pages 6-9 of this issue.

The EBA has much to thank Deirdre for and I know she is proud of the continued success of the organisation she founded in 1979.

However none of it would be possible without the commitment from all our volunteers and there have certainly been many hundreds over the last 4 decades. We will be forever grateful to them.

Sadly Carol Allison, Trustee and Update Editor, stood down earlier this year. Carol has done so much for EBA over the years starting out as Braintree Rep, moving to publicity and finally taking up position as our Editor for Update in 2014. I would like to say a huge thank you to Carol for her commitment and support. This Update has been produced by our new editor, Jane Skinner. Jane has been a member and

supporter of EBA for several years and I was delighted when she offered to take up the role, as I am confident she will do a great job.

This year marks our 40th birthday and we are planning a big party at our AGM in November. We will have lots to interest both new and old members with plenty of time to chat and enjoy the buffet with a drink or two! Please come along to help us celebrate EBA’s achievements both past and present and to catch up on all the hard work carried out by our volunteers.

Perhaps you will be inspired to join us on our fight to improve access for Essex riders!

Julia

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EBA Safety News

Look after your head – and your hat Equestrian Trade Association (BETA).

which adds extra dispersion in rotational falls.

Riding hats work by a combination of deflection, absorption and interaction.

There is a bewildering number of standard symbols, but the rule of thumb is – ensure the hat as either the BSI Kitemark or the SEI symbol as your starting point. A hat with these and several other standards listed will protect in a wider range of situations.

The outside of the hat is usually fibreglass or microshell plastic, which spreads the energy over the hat’s surface and thus deflects impact. The next layer is extended polystyrene, made up of millions of tiny bubbles, like bubble-wrap. As the force goes through the liner, the bubbles burst and absorb the energy.

That is why it is important to replace your hat after a serious blow, because the bubbles will have burst and will no longer offer a level of protection.

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The last defence is interaction with your skull, which is why correct fitting and position is vital.

If the hat moves, it exposes part of your head. A hat should fit snugly around the head and must not move.

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lthough the number of head injuries for riders has decreased in recent years (down from 44% in 2011 to 14% this year)* our heads remain the area we are keenest to protect.

“Modern helmets – like modern cars, are built to self-destruct, and as they do so, they absorb the energy of an impact, to ensure that as little energy reaches your head and brain.” So says Claire Williams, Director of the British

A new technology adds an extra layer of protection = multidirectional Impact system (MIPS)

To note: The CE logo denotes a European badge of manufacture, but is not itself a safety standard!

Some of the reliable brands of UK manufacture are: Charles Owen, Champion, Zebra and Gatehouse.

Finally, replace your hat if: • You have hit your head whilst wearing it. The outer shell may look fine but you don’t know what damage has been done to the impact-protecting foam inside.

• You change disciplines – eg from hacking and dressage to cross-country or show-jumping. *BETA National Equestrian Survey, 2019

Safety Standards

The BSI Kitemark – (British Safety Institute)

The American equivalent – SEI (safety Equipment Institute of America)

EBA Safety News

BE SEENBE SAFE E

quisafety, the leading UK provider of high-viz clothing has kitted out some of our members with their Polite safety vests. You can see our lineup on p22 at the Ashfields ride in May – and very effective they look. The ‘Polite’ message is particularly useful at road crossings, we find.

As winter approaches, daylight hours are restricted and you may find yourself riding at times when visibility is reduced.

Many of us have bay or dark

coloured horses, who really do blend into the background. Try this test for yourself: can you see the second horse in the image?

The BHS has a poster – Don’t be a Dark Horse that you can download and print for display in your tack room at your yard – illustrating the point. Yes, there is a second horse in front of the first – almost invisible in poor light.

Type ‘BHS – Don’t be a Dark Horse poster’ into your web browser for your copy.

Horse and Hound – a well-respected weekly publication, raised the point in October last year – illustration courtesy of their magazine.

Wearing high-visibility clothing on you and your horse can make all the difference this winter and we urge you to invest in safety wear as a matter of course. See the BHS website for more advice.

In keeping with the theme of safety on the roads, we will be giving away high-viz glove covers for you to wear over your riding gloves when out riding. Ask for yours when you come to our AGM in November.

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AT LAST SOME PROGRESS…

By Sue Dobson, Bridleways Development Officer Treading water These last few months have been dominated by the discussions with Essex County Council (EEC) regarding their policies on provision for equestrians within Essex. For a number of years now ECC has pursued a policy where bridleway creations have been put on hold and no further bridleways will be created via new developments either – something which we have been challenging for some considerable time.

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Breakthrough moment

This all came to a head following the refusal to support a bridleway in Hullbridge where, in conjunction with the BHS, we threatened a legal challenge to Rochford District Council and, despite the fact that the housing development went ahead anyway, we did manage to finally secure a meeting with Cllr Kevin Bentley, the Portfolio holder for Highways at ECC. At the end of April, Jan Arthur and I It was beginning to seem that were present at a meeting with Mr Bentley and we had all our work in responding to a very positive discussion on Local Plans, attending meetings with Councillors and the need for equestrians to be considered alongside other Officers, (which keeps me very busy), appeared to be in non-motorised users. vain. Bridleway provision is Cllr Bentley’s response to us written into Local Plans (ie was exactly what we had ‘the rulebook’ for councils’ hoped for – a review of the planning) but if Essex County various policies in place so Council chose to block every that bridleway provision opportunity for discussion on would be back on the table, bridleway provision, our good which is excellent news. There efforts were all to no effect. is a substantial amount of work to be done now – ECC are willing to consider new bridleways, but evidence of ‘need’ has to be shown… their reasoning is that any

new routes should link existing routes as far as possible, and they want to ensure that they will be used.

What is expected To do this, we are working on mapping each district in turn, marking where livery yards and private horse owners are so that a good map of horse ownership is shown – which gives us good evidence to support new bridleways.

How you can play your part We have completed some districts, but we will need help from you! From time to time we may ask for some help in some areas, so please keep an eye out for any requests from us via email, and if you can help, we would be very grateful.

Remember, the Association’s prime aim is to preserve and extend our bridleway network; you riders are our eyes and ears to make this happen for the good of everyone. Thank you.

Onwards and upwards T his has been my first full year in post and it's been interesting, rewarding and frustrating in equal measure!

When I started in April 2018 I was presented with a long list of projects to tackle, some of which had been running for years, some had started but were making very little progress, and some were just good ideas! I've been working my way through the list, getting to know all the right people (including EBA reps, ECC staff, landowners and contractors), visiting sites and specifying works.

Completed Projects – clearance and resurfacing of existing bridleways Three of the projects were bridleways that needed major works to improve the surface • Rawreth, near Raleigh • Asheldham • Black Notley These have all now been completed, with the first two paid for by EBA (with some assistance from The British Horse Society through their Paths for Communities fund).

Rawreth - Parkhurst Drive, Rayleigh Jane Feather has put up the bridleway discs and will also

By Mary Pengelly, Projects & Funding

install our EBA plaque to remind users who to thank for this lovely new bridleway. Ongoing maintenance of the track will be provided by a nearby livery yard owner who cuts back vegetation for their clients’ horses. Working with the local community is how best we can progress our projects in the future, where users take ownership of what we can provide.

Ongoing Projects The former railway line bridleway at Stow Maries near South Woodham Ferrers (Bridleway No 24) has been closed for more than 18 months owing to an unsafe bridge. We commissioned an engineer’s report into the options available to fix this and we now have a solution. We can now proceed to seek funding to enable the structural works on the bridge to be carried out.

More on this in a later edition of Update.

I have also looked at options to improve the bridleway network around the Coombe Wood area in Benfleet, and a variety of issues at Great Notley Country Park, Thorndon Country Park, Epping Forest, Maldon and Great Dunmow.

Fundraising: With regard to fundraising I have successfully applied for funding for two projects from the BHS Paths for Communities Fund, found a sponsor for our Ruby

Rawreth - before and after

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Asheldham, Woody Walk near Southminster on the Dengie Peninsula.

After drainage and resurfacing, these photos clearly demonstrate the difference the EBA can make to our bridleways.

anniversary celebrations (Dengie Feeds) and have set up EBA on easyfundraising, Give as you Live, Amazon Smile and Paypal so that supporters can choose to raise funds for us.

A glimpse into the...

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y work has been limited this year by a house move, thankfully behind us now.

There is plenty to do and my quiet period will soon be over.

In the five years remaining before the 1st January 2026 deadline we will be doing our utmost to ensure little of our bridleway heritage in the county is lost forever.

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Earlier this year the January 1st 2026 cut-off date for

By Chris Tout, EBA Historic Research Officer claims based on historic evidence was suddenly very much in the news. EBA was asked to speak on local TV and radio stations about our position.

Sue Dobson and I also met Will Steel of the British Horse Society. Will is coordinating the BHS 2026 project nationally.

Around Upminster. An early Ordnance Survey Map (Mudge, 1805)

General enquiries and requests for advice and/or information have been dealt with but only one claim for a lane at Epping Upland has been submitted. At the time of writing eight claims are awaiting review along with a decision by Essex Legal Services.

Funding had been received from Sport England to assist with research in order to get claims for bridleways or restricted byways submitted to local authorities before the cut-off date. Funding from this project, along with a contribution from EBA, has been used to photograph the 1910 Finance Act Maps of Essex held at Kew – some 800 documents. Previously these maps, which are particularly relevant for our research, could only be obtained by visiting the National Archives at Kew or the Essex Records Office at Chelmsford.

Historic documents form the basis for submitting claims and examining them in detail can be fascinating work.

These will now be available online.

PAST South Essex sheet (Mudge 1805)

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Coloured land pieces

KEEPING OUR

Presentation by Julie Springett at the AGM, November 2018.

Julie is a Fire Prevention Officer with the Fire and Rescue Service in Hertfordshire and until recently Chair of BHS Herts.

Here is a digest of her instructive and very helpful talk...

FIRE – Be safe, not sorry!

Julie’s talk focussed on what we can do to minimise the risk of accidents on the road and at home, especially those involving fire.

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S

he began by talking about our vehicles. It’s quite usual for lorries and trailers to stand idle during the winter months, so it’s good practice to have a thorough check before using them again. If you own a lorry, it’s good practice to turn the engine over every fortnight or so, especially in cold weather to make sure the battery doesn’t run down.

If you own a trailer, have a good look at the tyres and brakes.

Although horse transport mileage may be low compared to your car, over time, tyres may become worn or perished. Check the tyre pressures are correct for the payload. Brakes may rust and cause excessive friction, leading to the chances of over-heating and possible fire.

Statistically the most common causes of fires in vehicles is due to electrical faults or failures and poor maintenance (photo shows a lorry fire on A14, October

2015, when several horses were evacuated onto this busy road) For those of us with horseboxes, regular servicing cannot be neglected. Keeping your vehicle’s service record up to date is not only a legal requirement, but will help when you come to sell it on.

Julie reminded us that horse boxes with sleeping quarters are another hazard. Mattresses, curtains etc are all highly combustible so gas bottles should be kept in a compartment which vents to fresh air.

Next, a handy check-list of what to carry on board in the event of a breakdown or fire.

Must-haves for your vehicle or trailer: • Fire extinguisher 2kg powder.

Have a trial run before you have to use it in earnest.

• A fire blanket to extinguish flames.

• A torch. Keep one in the glove compartment.

• A car safety travel kit includes all these things plus Hi Vis, and a foil blanket for warmth in the event of a breakdown in winter costs around £45.

• Keep a phone charger in your cab or car and make it a practice to have it topped up on your journey.

HORSES SAFE Be seen, be safe!

Safety on your Yard

You will need Hi Vis jackets for you and and hi-viz rugs for your horse. Horse hair has little or no reflective properties so it could well be too late for drivers to spot horses in the dark if they are not wearing reflective clothing.

The second part of the talk covered the risks of fire on your yard and what steps to take. Julie reminded us that in 2017, 49% of rural fires were the work of arsonists, and some of them occurred in places where we keep our horses. The BHS has some helpful advice here: bhs.org.uk/advice-andinformation/safety-advice-andinformation/common-incidents/st able-fire-safety

And don’t forget your horse’s first aid kit. We will talk more about this in a future edition of Update.

As with any vehicle, you will need breakdown cover for you and your horses. As with your car insurance, shop around for the best prices and cover. Two we can recommend are SEIB and Shearwater. Breakdown assistance is a separate policy, and these companies specialise in taking your horse to a place of safety in the event of an emergency.

Julie reminded us to think SAFE...

Julie started from the point where you are choosing a livery yard for your horse, and the fire safety hazards to look out for. Horses live in an environment surrounded by combustible materials – wooden buildings, hay and straw, rugs… all very quickly ignited. She suggested several questions we could ask ourselves as we look around our new or existing facilities.

S = Safety

Are these safe premises on Your personal safety. Am I putting which to keep your horse? myself or others in danger? This is why we exit onto the left side of the road, with our high-viz jacket already on. Why not make it a habit to drive in one?

A = Actions What steps are you going to take to position your vehicle, then place your warning triangle behind your vehicle at the right distance.

F = Fire Is your vehicle on fire? Can you tackle the fire with the equipment you have, or will you need the Emergency services?

E = Emergency Now is the time to ring 999. If there is no fire, ring your Breakdown company to assist you.

First of all, is there a fire plan on display? This should show people

the routes to take and where to lead horses in the event of a fire.

The plan must show the full address and postcode of the yard to inform Fire Control Rooms of your exact location so that Fire engines and crews can get to the site in the quickest possible time.

Are fire extinguishers in prominent places? Have people been trained to use the fire extinguishers on-site?

If the electric wiring looks old with new wiring added then beware as faulty wiring is one of the main causes of fires in rural buildings.

Are the walkways, especially in barn-type stables, kept clear so that in the case of a fire both people and horses can use them as a mean of escape.

Is there a no-smoking policy in place? Or if not, is there a clearly designated smoking area.

A tidy yard is normally a well cared-for place. Trust your instinct about whether you want to leave the most vulnerable and valued friend there, the one you care for most… your horse.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY...

8 November Thursday 14th

Essex Bridleways Association AGM

Our annual general meeting gives you the opportunity to meet the Committee, Trustees, Area Representative and our team of paid Officers to find out more about our work.

Remember, the Association’s prime purpose is to retain and improve our bridleway network, and we need your input on any Rights of Way issues, so now is your chance to discuss these with our team.

After the formalities of the meeting, it’s time to celebrate our Ruby Anniversary this year.

We have arranged special displays of our work past and present. Don’t miss the historic maps, profiles of our Trustees and Committee members and lots of interesting snippets from EBA’s past records.

Party Bag This year we are giving away a pair of high-viz glove covers to wear over your riding gloves – very handy for those right turns in traffic! Dengie, our sponsor for these celebrations, has also kindly made up goodie bags for your horse to take home.

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THE RAFFLE PRIZES COURTESY OF: • Dengie • Highviz v-bands • Essex Animal Feeds • Marriages Feeds • Ingatestone Saddlery • Mark Todd • LikIt

Sunday 6th October

Highwood

A varied routed which takes in the wide grassy tracks of Howletts Hall and Fingrith Hall, offering you plenty of opportunity for a canter or three on the field margins.

Howletts Hall Livery Yard Full, part and DIY livery / Private off-road hacking / 20 x 40 floodlit manège Schooling and working livery available / 5* bespoke livery for your horse Howletts Hall, Chelmsford Road, Blackmore, Ingatestone CM4 0QA

Tel: Lauren on 07827 737471

Kind supporters of EBA’s Highwood ride.

Saturday 30th November

Thorndon Country Park Christmas Ride

Members only. The ride is mainly on surfaced tracks around the park with optional fancy dress on the Christmas theme. Mulled wine and mince pies for every participant.

Essex Bridleways Association

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Non members welcome

You are invited to our Annual General Meeting and 40th Anniversary Celebrations on Thursday 14th November 2019 Keene Hal, Galleywood near Chelmsford Essex CM2 8PT Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start.

Arrive, get yourself a cuppa, buy a raffle ticket and grab a seat!

7.30pm - AGM Meet the Committee Apologies for absence, Approval of 2019 Minutes, Matters Arising, Chair’s Report

13 Treasurer’s Report and Appointment of Independent Examiner for the Accounts for 2020.

Appointment of Trustees (Nomination forms available from Lise@limtetimefinancial.biz or via the news page at www.essexbridleways.co.uk Other matters at the discretion of the Chair Note – only members aged 18 and over may vote at the AGM

COMPETITION TIME Can you beat this?

One of our members has submitted this lovely rosette do you have one that is older?

Write your name, contact number and the date you received it, and we will display it on our board at the AGM.

Oldest rosette wins a prize!

Middlewick Ride Sunday 31st March

Seven riders, 5 coloured cobs – very much in vogue this season. A chilly start to the EBA Ride calendar but everyone enjoyed themselves.

Epping Forest Spring Ride Saturday 27th April That Spring feeling!

All tied up; our bikers collecting the marking tape at the end of the ride.

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Hatfield Forest Ride Saturday 22nd June One of our most popular rides, based in the National Trust ancient forest, the going this year was perfect for a midsummer outing. The longer routes included parts of the woodland at Woodside Green where until recently a herd of dairy cows was grazed. The cows are no longer, and riders remarked on new tree planting on the Green to replace those which have come to the end of their lives.

On Woodside Green

Running with the herd; a Saturday morning jogger in the Forest

Little Lodge and Holkham Beach weekend 3rd-6th May

This is what Rosemary Figg thought of her first holiday experience with us in May this year.

We bought a horsebox, joined the EBA and now the East of England is our oyster! Space is at a premium locally to our yard and we share our woodland rides with a townfull of pedestrians and cyclists and, although we don’t mind sharing, being limited to one circular track in the woods isn’t particularly inspiring.

We’re also a bit of a two-man band as we keep the horses in our own field and don’t get much opportunity to socialise with other horses and riders.

Booking ourselves onto the Thetford holiday gave us a target to focus on through loading practice with our girls, who weren’t convinced of the need to travel when we first suggested it. With lots of time and careful groundwork we persuaded them that it would be in their interests to ‘climb on board the party bus’. We think they were pleasantly surprised – we certainly were! Not only did we meet friendly, welcoming, like-minded riders at Thetford, who appreciated the fantastic freedom of the forest and the spectacular sand, sea and salty air of Holkham Beach, we came home with a renewed vigour and enthusiasm for riding. Julia

Rosemary and Peter enjoying their first taste of Beach Life with their horses this year.

15 and Lesley worked hard to ensure the weekend was enjoyed by all, and it was really reassuring to have them around with their invaluable experience and knowledge of where we were riding.

Blazing Saddles: Val Chaplin and Debbie Hilliard on their horses, both called Blaze.

EBA 2020 Beach Holiday Friday 17th-19th April 2020

N fo ow r E op nt en rie s

Have you always dreamed of riding your horse on the beach? Then this is the holiday for you. Please email Lesley at lesleygggillman@hotmail.com.

Places will be allocated on a ‘first come first served basis’ and priority will be given to people who have not been on this holiday with us before.

Prices range from £105-£205 depending on type of accommodation required.

Full details are on the events page of the EBA website

run by Essex Bridleways Association from Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club Great Canfield Essex

BHS Ride Out Event

Sunday 26th May

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This was a ride organised by Essex Bridleways Association (EBA) as one of the rides put on each year to help riders to enjoy the Essex countryside.

The money raised, in this case a total of £1,373, enables us to fund a Bridleway Development Officer, Historic Researcher and more recently a Projects and Funding officer to help to further our work to improve, restore and create a

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safe riding environment for riders in Essex.

Ashfields is set in a beautiful area of Essex near Chelmsford in the Uttlesford area, with a wide variety of interesting terrain. It was a calm, warm day. Riders set out in sun and ended with a smattering of rain but the 99 riders had a ‘thoroughly enjoyable ride’.

A good number of riders asked already belonged to the

Riders’ comments...

“Fantastic ride, great location. Weather helped too!! All staff very friendly. Keep up the good work.”

“A well organised ride with varied riding surfaces over a wellmarked course. The weather was really good as well.”

“Very well mapped out, friendly volunteers. The venue was 5 star. Lovely tracks; plenty of cantering. I always enjoy these rides and never want to get off my horse. And fab rosettes too!”

BHS and a number said they would think of joining. The EBA currently has over 700 members.

With many thanks to Ashfields and local land owners for the use of their venue and tracks and to the BHS for sponsoring the beautiful rosettes.

Ramsden Heath Ride Sunday 28th July Our Rides organiser, Lesley Gillman writes: Once in a while we like to introduce a new ride to our schedule and this time it was the Ramsden Heath ride. I don't know about you but I love exploring and riding in new places and horses seem to enjoy the change of surroundings too.

I could see from the maps that there was an interesting network of bridleways in the Ramsden Heath and Stock area and with the help of a couple of local people (Louise Hammond and Jan Arthur) we put together a route.

The next issue was finding a place where we could park up to 75 lorries and trailers that was close enough to be useful for all those turning up on the day. That’s quite a big field.

This is where Jan Arthur did a brilliant job, knocking on doors and asking around until we found (or we thought we had found) a good place, lots of hard standing and situated directly on the route.

Unfortunately after we had gone

ahead and published our ride schedule for the year this location fell through and we had to quickly find another host for the ride.

This is when Mr Kleider of Barn Farm very kindly stepped in and allowed us to use his field for the start of the ride and for parking all the lorries. What a relief to know the ride could go ahead as advertised. The only drawback was the low trees and narrow entrance which meant we had to restrict the height of the lorries to 10 feet.

Despite this restriction we had a

good turn out of just over 100 riders.

As usual all our marshals did a brilliant job; those at the entrance were very organised with their walkie talkies to coordinate the mix of lorries arriving and riders starting off on the route, while our marshals on the Crays Hill road went beyond the call of duty in assisting riders safely along this busy stretch of road and had quite a work-out running up and down the road for most of the time.

The ride turned out to be a huge success and we have never had so many lovely comments on Facebook. Comments like…

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Julie: “Really pleased to explore some new bridleways in our area.”

Christine: “Thank you for organising rides in your county of Essex. We come from Kent every month as your rides are so well organised and we love the friendly people.”

”

Sue: “Thank you, EBA. So well organised, and a massive thank-you to all the helpers today! Especially the very busy man running up and down Cray’s Hill escorting everyone.

Fantastic!”

It is feedback like this that makes it all worthwhile for us. We do hope to be able to run this ride again next year.

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Little Easton Ride Sunday 18th August Our Rides Organiser, Lesley Gillman writes:

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Gosh, it’s been a year of problems with the ride schedule. Ramsden Heath almost didn’t happen when the first offer of lorry parking fell through, (see previous ride report) and then our Danbury ride which was originally scheduled for 18th August was thwarted when we discovered that Essex County Council had to close a crucial part of the route for urgent repairs. There wasn't really an alternative route so we had to look for a new venue at short notice.

After much deliberating we decided to return to Little Easton and thanks to Glen Miller (not the famous one!) of the Stag Pub we were able to reorganise and run the ride from a field behind his pub.

This ride is quite varied and

consists of a mix of ancient bridleways that run straight across arable fields, a disused railway line (now called The Flitch Way) a restricted byway through a housing estate (I remember it long before the houses were built when it too was in the middle of the countryside), some minor

roads, a couple of busy roads crossings (assisted by some very brave marshals looking very official in their Polite HiVis jackets), and two road bridges over the A120 (yes you were all very brave and pleased with yourselves for negotiating those) and finally a nice bit of stubble that Mr Kemp, a friendly farmer, allowed us to use to avoid a minor road that had a nasty bend on it.

The weather was a tad showery to begin with and although the riders didn't seem to mind, the marshals complained like anything!

Once back at the start, the pub had laid on a BBQ for everyone to enjoy.

Again we had good feedback from the 129 riders that took part. Or was it the beer and delicious hot food that made the day for them? Do let us know!

Aythorpe Roding, Ruby Ride Sunday 15th September

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up for the day. The Dengie team, who are this year’s sponsors, arrived promptly at 9.30 with their goody bags for everyone and were soon ready to give out the beautiful Ruby Anniversary Rosettes. ‘Ooh aren’t they lovely’ was the usual comment from participants. Riders were also delighted with their Dengie vouchers. .

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Fantastic! I really must join the EBA now that I have done 3 EBA rides and enjoyed them all so much.

EBA’s 40th anniversary ride, hosted by our patron Katie Jerram-Hunnable With temperatures of 22C forecast, we knew it was going to be warm, but a sparkling clear early autumn day with a light breeze heralded the day. The seventy four riders taking part could look forward to a varied and enjoyable ride on private land in a secluded corner of our county near Great Dunmow.

Unsurprisingly, Geoff Box was the first to be off on his trusty Quarter horse, Dyce, setting the tone for the EBA’s Ruby anniversary ride from Katie Jerram-Hunnable’s yard in Aythorpe Roding.

Riders came in a steady stream and were soon mounted up and ready to go; horses of all sizes, shapes and ages from heavy cobs to petite ponies.

Behind the scenes, the organisers and stewards were ably supported by Nick of Bluebell Catering, who kindly stepped in at the last minute. Nick & his son arrived early and we all had a cuppa to keep us going as we set

Despite the complication of a competitive cycle ride taking place on part of the route, everyone had a thoroughly good time, including. our own enthusiastic cyclists who were kept busy collecting up the orange EBA markers for us.

Many thanks to Katie Jerram, the EBA patron for allowing us to use her land for the ride on a special day for Essex Bridleways Association: 40 years young!

Jan Arthur, Vice Chair, EBA

19

North Weald Lead Rein Saturday 6th July

20

Weald Park Young/Novice Riders Ruby Ride was a huge success.

It was a lovely summer morning for the children and attendance was good. Around 25 young riders enjoyed the route round the beautiful Weald Park and everyone received a rosette, sweets and a carrot for the ponies! We arranged three rides according to riding experience and each ride was led by EBA Volunteers. Most of our riders were on the lead rein so with the hilly terrain a nice work out for the leaders! As ever thank you so much to all our Volunteers without which we couldn’t run our rides.

This ride has been kindly sponsored

by Dengie who provided some lovely Ruby Rosettes for our young riders.

The route was three miles of gentle riding all within the park with an optional picnic afterwards.

We had three classes, with children accompanied by riding adults. Then children off rein, accompanied by an adult on foot and finally, for our youngest riders, a lead rein ride.

“

Mary: “Loved seeing the children enjoy their own special ride”.

Equestrian and nature photographer, covering London, Essex and Surrey areas.

Equestrian event, rides and yard shoots.

Plus pets and wildlife.

Please call for prices and availability

Helen Mathias Call: 07958 962024 facebook.com/ eyecontactphoto

”

Children’s page We wanted to share this delightful photograph of Caroline Cowell’s daughter, Beatrice, enjoying the previous edition of EBA Update. It looks as though the dog basket is the cosiest place to concentrate on studying all the photographs of children on their ponies.

Do send us yours – we would love to print them in a future edition.

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Going the extra mile – and Three Furlongs...

Here are two more children – slightly older, enjoying themselves at the Ashfields Ride this year (Sunday 26th May). Here you see Ashley (11) and Alice (9) Furlong, on their ponies, accompanied by their Mum Katie Furlong who jogged the whole way round with her daughters so they could make the most of their day.

Well done everyone; we are impressed!

Young rider at Ramsden Heath Ride held on 28th July this year

Who’s on our Front Cover?

Julia Wilson (2012 to date) Chair

Julie Pryer (2000-2012) Chair

Mick Brash (1994 to date) Historic Records

22 Katy Haines (1999-2013) Bridleways consultant and Rides Organiser

Deirdre Graham (1979-to date) Founder and President

Some of our current committee member modelling their Polite hi-Viz riding vests.

If you go to the Display Boards at our AGM , all will be revealed!

These vests can be purchased from Equisafety.

Join us!

write to Alison Craigmile, EBA Membership Secretary, 40 The Chase, Romford, Essex RM1 4BE. Save our resources: Choosing to renew your membership automatically via PayPal or by standing order cuts administration and reduces EBA print and postage costs.

© Helen Mathias/EyeContact Photography

Members’ benefits:

EBA needs your support to fight for safe off-road access for horse riders.

Membership costs just £15 a year and is free for under 16s.

How to join:

by cutting down on administration and saves EBA money.

1. Online

2. By post Log on to www.essexbridleways.co.uk and on the ‘join us’ page you can find links to join online, renew your subscription or download a membership form. Joining online helps us

Ask our membership secretary to send you a membership form, download from our website or pick one up at our rides. Contact: ebamemsec@yahoo.co.uk or

• Up to £5 off EBA rides entry fees.

• Priority entry to some EBA events, including EBA holidays.

• EBA Update magazine delivered to your door twice a year.

• Email notifications of news and events.

• Access to EBA’s Ride & Share Scheme.

• Help with bridleways issues and claims.

• Up to 10% on new insurance policies from South Essex Insurance Brokers.

• 10% discount from John Griffin Trailer Training.

• 30% discount on your first BHS membership - join by phone or paper application, state that you are an EBA member and give your membership number to receive your discount. This action cannot be done via online applications.

23

Essex Bridleways Association Contacts List Chair

Julia Wilson

07795 818856

juliawilson012@hotmail.co.uk

Vice Chair/Publicity

Jan Arthur

01277 650985

j.arthur0985@btinternet.com

Treasurer

Louise Fuller

01245 421614

louiserfuller@hotmail.com

Secretary

Lisa Guy

07792 166591

lisa@lifetimefinancial.biz

Membership Secretary

Alison Craigmile

07956 318502

ebamemsec@yahoo.co.uk

Rides Organiser

Lesley Gillman

07768 103910

lesleygggillman@hotmail.com

Rides Entry Secretary

Denise Dillon

07545 213056

denisedillon77@btinternet.com

Rides Marshal Coordinator

Sandra Deeran

07958 909319

sdeeran@gmail.com

Ride and Share

Julia Wilson

07795 818856

juliawilson012@hotmail.co.uk

Historic Records Officer

Mick Brash

01621 740966

mickbrash@tiscali.co.uk

Historic Research

Christine Tout

07946 789757

chrissierose@talktalk.net

Bridleways Development

Sue Dobson

01245 227083

suedobson.eba@gmail.com

Projects & Funding

Mary Pengelly

07786 322088

ebaprojectmanager@gmail.com

EBA Update Editor

Jane Skinner

07757 916 138

janeskinner51@gmail.com

Website Administrator

Hilary Clifford

01279 792447

hilary.clifford@outlook.com

Bridleway Clearance Coordinator Brenda Hatch

01277 899541

brendahatch-eba@outlook.com

Press Secretary

Mary Balch

07759 601271

maryblodge5210@uwclub.net

Facebook/Twitter

Petra Studholme 07784 024106

petrastudholme@gmail.com

Trustee

Sally Crone

s.a.crone@btinternet.com

01992 572566

EBA Area Representatives Basildon

Jan Arthur

Braintree

Michelle Woodall 07809 439383 Mandy French 01371 850215

07813 905022

j.arthur0985@btinternet.com

Brentwood & Havering

Linda Hobbs

Castle Point

Alison Power

Chelmsford

Sue Fincham

01245 440795

Suefincham780@btinternet.com

Colchester

Cheryl Damen

07876 552662

colchester.essexbridleways association@outlook.com

Epping Forest

Heather Brady 01992 578072 Liz Hollingsworth 07855 329059

eppingforestrep@gmail.com

Harlow

Joy Thorpe

07984 410242

joy10@live.co.uk

Maldon

Caroline Cowell

07941 471508

capbailey@hotmail.com

Rochford & Southend

Geoff Box

Tendring

Pat Cooper

01255 880296

Thurrock

Jenny Mann

07909 787881

Uttlesford

Sarah Hodgson Sarah Moss

07871 169406 07966 994367

michelle.woodall@btinternet.com amandajfrench1@gmail.com

01708 229055 alisonjean6@yahoo.co.uk

geoff.box@btinternet.com pat.cooper@live.co.uk

hodgsonsmh@btinternet.com sarahmoss77@hotmail.co.uk

Essex Bridleways Association, PO Box Association 12014, Chelmsford CM1 @EssexBridleways 9UD www.essexbridleways.co.uk Essex Bridleways Twitter www.essexbridleways.co.uk Essex Bridleways Assoc Twitter @EssexBridleways