Washington Riding Centre RDA

17/02/2025

Tomorrow Maestro goes to Clevedale Vets Equine for further treatment for his Squamous cell carcinoma ( tumour on the eye )

Wish him luck 🍀 🐎

Maestro has only been part of the team for coming up two years , but has made a huge impact .

Thank you for all the donations, please keep sharing so we can raise the funds to explore every option for him.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-fund-Maestros-eye-surgery?fbclid=IwY2xjawIggMlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHafl27AzXHTpTwCRV-R78MLHk7YFTQZHNmlFnBq0oRBW-ASbVHm50D4x0Q_aem_OgqlB7Seyu7IPLUmLPJkUg

Do you want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money in aid of Tyne & Wear RD… Lorna Watson needs your support for Help fund Maestro's eye surgery

17/02/2025

RDA Pony Care Day 🐴

Join us at the centre for a fun packed day with the horses .

🌟 Learn how to care for the horses , via grooming and stable management.

🌟 Develop more confidence and knowledge about horses.

🌟 Make new friends.

🌟 Learn about equipment and tack

🌟 Classroom and yard based .

Suitable from age 7 +
Open to beginners

Thursday 27th February 10am - 3pm

Book under GROUP lessons at :

Washingtonridingcentre.co.uk

13/02/2025

📢 🐎 Weekend Pony Club 📢 🐎

LIMITED SPACES & AVAILABLE TO BOOK NOW !

New session starting Sunday 16th March with claire, running fortnightly. Earn stickers, certificates and rosettes.

🦄 1 - 3pm
🦄 £25
🦄 Suitable for children aged 6 - 16 years
🦄 Parents participation not required
🦄 Suitable for beginners - non ridden activity- although every 4 - 6 weeks riding will be included and riders must be able to walk and trot independently.
🦄 Yard and classroom based , with theory practical sessions and no pressure, just fun learning!.
🦄 RDA and AB - children must be able to be left unsupervised by parent without additional support.

🐴 What do children learn by being around horses?

Can horses be the key to helping children develop essential life skills? New research shows that being around horses is more than just a fun afternoon activity. Interaction with horses can have a wide range of positive psychological and social effects for children and adolescents.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that being around horses can have a profound impact on children's physical, mental, and social development. Horses can teach children everything from taking responsibility and being persistent to developing communication and teamwork skills. Horses can boost children's self-confidence and help them develop a wide range of skills.

🐴 Respect and boundaries.

Being around horses can teach children empathy and respect for other living beings. Horses are large animals, and in order to interact with them positively, you must be attentive to their reactions and emotions. Horses respond to our body language, tone of voice, and intentions, and children who learn to understand and respect this can also become better at understanding other people's emotions and feelings.

🐴 Responsibility and routine.

Caring for a horse requires time and dedication. Children who learn to take responsibility for a horse's daily needs, such as maintaining order in the stable or ensuring the horse has enough water and food, can learn to take responsibility for other tasks in their lives. Caring for a horse can also teach children to be persistent and stick to a task, even when it can be difficult or time-consuming. Being around horses can help children develop a sense of responsibility and perseverance. Through daily interaction with horses, children learn to take responsibility for another living creature and become more aware of their own actions and consequences. This can help develop their ability to handle responsibility and perseverance in other areas of their lives.

How to book ? > register on the website > add riders > go to the date above in booking calender > book under GROUP lessons >.

NEW CLIENTS please register on the website and add your child as a rider:

Washingtonridingcentre.co.uk

13/02/2025

Thank you so much for the support so far for Maestro's pledge . From people donating , sharing the post, doing individual fundraising and more. You are all so appreciated 💙

Maestro will be attending Clevedale Vets Equine next week .

Maestro has Squamous cell carcinoma - a common form of cancer in un-pigmented areas, such as around the eye or third eyelid. This type of cancer comes on quickly and with no symptoms.

Maestro deserves a chance to beat this and we all all rooting for him. He will need aftercare post surgery and any donation would help enormously. 🙏

Maestro is not in pain , contrary to the severity of his diagnosis. Always a silver lining ✨️

Do you want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money in aid of Tyne & Wear RD… Lorna Watson needs your support for Help fund Maestro's eye surgery

13/02/2025

Horse Care Knowledge Course. 🐎
BHS Bronze Awards .

We are running a 6 week training development course for anyone aged 16 + at a walk, trot and canter .

Running weekly on Wednesdays 9.15am - 1pm.

📅 5 / 3 / 25 - 9 / 4 / 25

The course includes :

🐴 Riding on the flat( fortnightly )

🐴 Horse husbandry, both practical and theory based.

🐴 Developing your horse care knowledge on delivering basic first aid.

🐴 Improving knowledge and skills on stable management .

🐴 Lunging equipment and preparation.

🐴 Booklets and certificates for each candidate once completed in full.

£250 per person - can be paid in installments.

Book under ACTIVITIES

12/02/2025

Lucky 🍀 🐎

The decision has been made to retire Lucky in the summer .

You've paid your dues,

Done your time,

Put in long hours, too,

And soon you're ready to retire. ❤️

12/02/2025

Maestro 🐎

We are appealing for any help towards the veterinary costs for the lovely Maestro to have surgery on his eye.

Any amount would be hugely appreciated. 🙏

He is enjoying some time off and we will keep everyone updated on his progress once he has been to the vets.

Do you want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money in aid of Tyne & Wear RD… Lorna Watson needs your support for Help fund Maestro's eye surgery

11/02/2025

Maestro , Foxy and Rosie are off work under veterinary treatment for some mild ailments . This may mean some rides over the next week will be cancelled due to limited horse availability. Bookings will be closely monitored and we will try to give as much notice as possible.

Get well soon 🐎 🐴

11/02/2025

Thank you to everyone who continues to support us through EasyFundraising. Sign up today to help raise money for our Centre.

Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.

09/02/2025

What does “experience” mean? ... 🐎

You train horses , coach riders or get lessons..
and in any given year you might ride, train or coach what, 15 to 20 horses....

and you do that for 30 years, you will have sat on alot of horses and trained alot of riders..

If you do it for 40 years, those numbers jump up ..

Experience is gained not taught..

This is one way to think of what the word “experience” means in riding terms.

Experience is everything ✨

Here is two of our Tiny Tots rider's just starting that journey with their coach ️claire . 👏

06/02/2025

🐎🐎 Horse of the month for January .....

Goes to Silver Fox , known as Foxy.

Foxy is a 17hh 16 year old hanoverian. She was bred to jump and did this successfully competitively with her previous owner .

Since coming to the centre 5 years ago , she has retired from jumping and taken the role as a school mistress and a RDA walk , trot and canter horse.

Although she is tall, this doesn't mean she can take more weight, which is a common misconception.

Bone density and conformation are important factors in determining how much weight a horse can carry safely. Foxy can carry 10 stone and due to her age, she has restricted daily workloads.

Gentle reminder, we are not taking on any new clients at 11 stone or over, due to horse availability.

We would love to see and hear about your Foxy stories . ❤️

06/02/2025

🐴 WRC Online Dressage League 🐴

We are hoping our internet and phone lines will be fixed early next week. So we are hoping the judging for Januarys dressage tests will take place next week.

Class entries are now open for February.

Open to all riding school clients and riders with their own horses.

Submit your video by 28th February 2025.

You can upload your video to YouTube or upload to We Transfer then send the link to [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST REGISTER WITH US BEFORE YOU CAN ENTER ONLINE. IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS PLEASE CALL US ON 0191 416 2745 FOR ASSISTANCE.

04/02/2025

Do you have a coach at the centre who you would like to nominate for an award ?

Nominate your 2025 winner here: 🏆 🥇

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XTY7232

Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 2nd March 2025!

RDA are overjoyed to announce the winners of the 2024 RDA Coaching Awards.

31/01/2025

We have recently received alot of interest in lessons and often get emails from clients struggling to book .

Most of our private lessons available, are reserved for regular clients and RDA riders. These lessons become available to book 48 hours prior to the lesson time if the regular client does not book due to illness, holidays etc.

⚠️ We are currently fully booked for private lessons on a weekend and evening- unless there is a cancellation.

We do however have regular spaces in our group lessons :

📅 Monday's, Wednesday's & Thursday's :

5.30 - 6.15pm - Junior walk trot and canter .
Different themes every month .

📅 Monday's & Thursday's :

6.45 - 7.30pm - Senior walk trot and canter.
Different themes every month.

📅 Pony Stars 🌟 Wednesdays 6.15 - 7.30pm
No riding .

📅 Saturday's :

Fortnightly lessons :

10 - 10.45am. Saturday RDA off lead rein .
2 - 2.30pm Junior Jockey lead rein.

10 - 10.45am. RDA children lead rein.
2.15 - 3pm. RDA teenage & adult
mixed abilities.

📅 Sunday's

Fortnightly lessons :

Tiny Tots. - FULL - but keep checking for cancellations !

10 - 10.45am. RDA children lead rein.
11 - 11.45am. RDA children lead rein.
1 - 1.45pm. RDA adult lead rein.
2.30 - 3.15pm Novice / Intermediate Juniors walk trot & canter. ( Next availability 23rd February )

How to book ?

Go to booking calendar > select date .

Washingtonridingcentre.co.uk

29/01/2025

Sadly it is that time of year again!
Rain, wind, wet, English weather ... mud!

The dreaded mud fever ...

Common signs of mud fever include:

Crusty scabs appearing on the heels or lower legs broken and/or damaged skin matted hair or patches of hair loss .
Heat, pain and swelling in the lower limb
Cellulitis and some lameness may also be seen. Infections can develop underneath the scabs, and you may see swelling of the leg . Mud fever can be painful and it develops quickly .

Rosie is out of action due to this awful winter ailment and is on antibiotics . She's still enjoying some freedom in a mud free paddock.

The horses have been getting some pampering this week via leg and tail washing and time in the stable to give their legs a rest from the mud ! 🐎

28/01/2025

⚖️ Weight limit ⚖️

The current weight limit at the centre is 12 stone ( 76kg ).

We only have two horses that can carry this weight and are mindful that they are getting older . In order to maintain a high level of animal welfare, all riders will be asked to weigh in at the centre in March. You will be asked to do so in the presence of your coach in a safe private area with your parents present if under 18. We ask for you to have your riding boots and hat on too. We understand this may be a sensitive matter , but the horses' needs come first. The weight limit will strictly be 12 stone or under.

Some riders may only ride once a week for 30 / 45 minutes and may not understand the impact it has on the horse , but our horses work 6 days a week ( excluding working livery horses ) with a variety of clients .

We are also looking into reducing our adult lessons for those who are at 11 - 12 stone by not taking on any new riders at this weight , this is something we are working on with Ecpro the online booking system we use.

Thank you .

The horses needs come first. 🐎 🐴