June 18th 2008 AGM
Friday, Driver’s Report
We have had another busy
year, with shows and competitions to attend. We organised
the first RDA driven trec event, which was great fun and a
huge success.Congratulations to Maria Conneely, Sue Stevens,
Miranda Purves and Linda Peacock who all passed the British
Driving Society Road Driving Competence Certificate. I was
pleased to pass 3 certificates under the BDS Intermediate
stage 2 and hope to complete stage 2 over the summer. We are
utilising the large 4-wheel, wheelchair carriage every week,
which enables Ben and Gemma to achieve without their usual
carers help. Ben’s hand coordination is improving and
Gemma’s progress has astounded us all. Loosing the perimeter
track due to the progress on the surrounding hospital
buildings has presented us with a challenge. We now have two
people dedicated to organising different games and
activities for our drivers each week, games designed to help
each driver progress and meet their individual goals that we
can happily do in the outdoor school and on the parish
field.
We have had to do some
careful juggling of people and ponies, as we now only have
two ponies for driving and 9 drivers. This has meant that
some of our more understanding and long term members have
had to drive every other week. We are grateful to them for
working with us on this as we continue to look out for
someone who might be willing to join us with a new pony. As
ever our grateful thanks go out to all of our dedicated
volunteers, especially those who, amidst their busy
schedules, bring their ponies for us to use every week. To
Jacquie and Paul who come all the way from New Romney and to
Sue who tows along some very narrow lanes through Selling to
get to us. It is time to let you know I will be standing
down from the position of organiser at the end of July. I am
hoping to give my own Carriage Driving business a boost and
take on more clients over the next few months. I have two
growing daughters who need more of my time and I would like
to support Emily’s village school more. I am also looking
for a part time job and need to be more flexible. To be
honest, I think I have just run out of steam and need some
time out!
It doesn’t seem possible
that I first came to Cobbes Meadow 9 years ago, bringing
with me with Chloe as a three year old in a buggy and that I
used to walk through the estate with baby Emily to help on
Fridays. Chloe is now 12 and Emily is 6, time flies and I
really have had a lot of fun. My passions now lay else where
and it is time for someone else to take over. Sue Arthurs is
going to take on the role of organiser and I hope she has as
much fun as I have.
A farewell comment?
Hmm.. Be safe, communicate, give and take, enjoy your riding
and driving and last but by no means least, listen to your
ponies.
Keeley Taylor
AB Whip and Group Organiser.
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RDA News for Riders,
Drivers, Helpers and Carers
February 2008
Summer Fun Day:
Anne Marie (the Monday instructor) has
suggested that we hold a fun day for riders in the summer,
possible date 14th June. She is willing to
organise this, but will need a small planning committee, and
lots of helpers on the day. If you would like to get
involved, please sign up.
Thursday
evening:
I can’t believe that it’s time to start
thinking about our 5 to 7pm session. We could accommodate
more riders this year, so if you know of anyone else who
would like to ride with us, please ask them to contact me.
We hope to start on April 24th. I will be
putting up a list for volunteers after half term.
Our
show is much earlier:
Our principal fund raiser, the horse show,
will take place on Monday 26th May this year. As
usual help will be required. Spectators are welcome, for a
small charge.
Dates
for helpers:
There will be a training day at Sands Farm on
10th April, mainly for instructors, on preparing
riders for a dressage test. I will forward details to
someone from each day.
I also hope to arrange a visit to Hope in the
Valley at Plumpton. Six of them visited a Monday session a
while ago. They operate on a Wednesday afternoon, and only
take children.
Well
done!
Our treasurer Colin compliments everyone on
their parsimony, and is pleased with the fund raising that
has gone on. Any donations should be sent to him, if from a
taxpayer, with a completed form from the drawer in the
Linnet Room.
Christine 01227 830043
christinesladden@btinternet.com
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South East
Region Disabled Drivers Le Trec at Upper Hardes Court
On the 17th June, on a surprisingly sunny day (most of
the time!) six turnouts braved the new Driven Trec
Event, run by Keeley Taylor and the Cobbes Meadow Group.
The event began with a check on the harness to make sure
everything was tip-top and safe. Then they were off!
Hazard 1 was a simple game of halting beside a tray of
cups (empty!), picking one up and driving to another
tray, halting and putting the cup down again, Everyone
achieved maximum points on this one. The hazards were
progressively tricky and were designed to test the skill
and confidence of our disabled whips. There was a very
tricky precision drive between two parallel lines, a
drive past a line of washing (which was billowing
furiously most of the day!) with coloured spots marking
different lanes to drive past between, a 4-gate driving
trials type obstacle and a 4-gate slalom to negotiate,
to name but a few. Then it was off for the 'drive with
challenges'. This was a 1 mile drive around the
perimeter of two fields. At various stages around the
fields there were challenges that you may come across on
a road drive; a pile of black sacks with a cordoned off
men at work-type scary corner, a right turn simulated
road junction (Which turned out to be the most commented
on hazard of the day. All of us, it seems, need to take
more care!) There was a precision paces section and a
halt and rein back. All the hazards on the drive were
optional, but you clocked up more points if you tackled
them. Everyone had a great day! All the comments we have
had back have been positive and constructive. Next year
we will host this event again, but we think we will move
it to September to avoid clashing with shows and
holidays! So, make a note in your diaries and look out
for adverts in RDA literature, the Carriage Driving
Magazine and this web site.
RESULTS: Linda 1st, Pat.H 2nd, Myrna 3rd, Ted 4th,
Steven 5th, Pat 6th.
Thank you to everyone who helped and thank you to our
wonderful competitors!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Cobbes Meadow Group Fund
training for Linda Peacock at the
Carriage Driving Sports
Group weekend held in Stow on the Wold.
21st-22nd
April 2007
Linda has been driving Sue Steven’s
Jacko, trained by Keeley Taylor, since September 06.
Linda is very keen on improving her skills at
competition driving. ‘I just love it!’ says Linda ‘I get
such a buzz from competing and I really want to do it
well!’
CDSG gives disabled people the
opportunity to train with some of Britain’s leading
trainers. Kay Hooper had travelled up from Goodwood to
instruct and Linda found her easy to understand and a
great help.
Our first two sessions enabled the
trainers to assess each turnout and suggest exercises
which would be beneficial to suit each individual’s
needs. Linda spent some time with Kay being encouraged
to use voice and hands in such a way as to improve
Jacko’s way of going. On Sunday morning we began to
think about driving cones and obstacles.

A course of 15 gates was set up in
the 100 x 80 meter driving arena and Kay gave Linda
clear and encouraging tuition on how to tackle the
course and get the best out of the pony. ‘It isn’t easy
when you are trying to remember the course and keep the
pony going forward, use just the right amount of voice
and whip and somehow keep everything together’ Linda is
pictured here with Kay as they walk the course together.

The Unicorn Trust Equestrian Centre
is stunning! The holidaying facilities for your horse
are fantastic and the food was excellent and ample for
the helpers!

After lunch on Sunday Kay took
Linda and Jacko through driving an obstacle. There were
various routes through and Linda drove brilliantly,
choosing a good flowing course. Kay was very pleased
with their progress and gave us some hints for the
future too.
‘It was lovely being able to get
involved with everything; learning how to plait a mane
and grooming, mucking out, harnessing-up and putting
–to. There is so much more to carriage driving than
just getting in the driving seat!’ and Linda’s final
word? ‘I just love Jacko!’
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COBBES MEADOW CARRIAGE DRIVING GROUP RECEIVE NEW CARRIAGE!
Back in December Cobbes Meadow received £5,000.00 from
Awards For All (part of the Big Lottery funding) towards the
purchase of a 4-wheel carriage to take wheelchairs.
Adding this to our ‘collecting bucket’ brought us to around
£7,500.00. The target was £9,600! After several generous
donations and a top-up from our own group funds we were
finally in a position to order a Fenix Ralli Car for
wheelchair users!
On the 16th March we met the maker of the carriage, Mark
Broadbent, at his workshop near Tiverton in Devon. Mark
showed us around his carriage collection and we met his team
of big black hackney-cross horses. Mark’s horses are gentle
giants, very placid and apparently easy to train.

Mark Broadbent’s carriage driving centre is set amidst
rolling hills in beautiful countryside.
He trains his own team for Driving Trials and teaches
private clients too.
We came across an ingenious ‘rein handling machine’ for
practicing holding the reins with a single and a pair. It
was a little more elaborate than our reins with horse shoes
on the end at home!
Then the climax of our visit finally arrive as Mark rolled
back the carriage house doors to reveal our brand new
carriage for wheelchair users! It was a bit emotional
actually! All this time we have been planning and funding
and suddenly here it was! We handed over that big cheque and
very carefully wheeled her up into the RDA lorry to bring
her home.

MANY THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE!!
Why not come and see us in action on Friday mornings?
Speak to Keeley on Tel 01227 709839 or email
keeley.taylor@btinternet.com
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