Ingleside Rider's Group
Facebook: www.facebook.com/inglesideridersgroup
Website: inglesideriders.weebly.com
Pittwater's love of horses stems from our historic past and is going forward through this great local group who share and celebrate the passion and love we all have for the equine creature. This week a small insight into a local group who are keeping available the love of horses and all you may learn from them and learn to do with them - apart from simply enjoying being with these wonderful animals.
Our thanks to Carla Wheeler for her work on this page and to Ursula Cutting for her great photographs.
Mission Statement Ingleside Riders Group Inc. (IRG) is a not for profit incorporated association and is run solely by volunteers. It was formed in 2003 and provides a facility known as “Ingleside Equestrian Park” which is approximately 9 acres of land between Wattle St and McLean St, Ingleside. IRG has a licence agreement with the Minister of Education to use this land. This facility is very valuable as it is the only designated area solely for equestrian use in the Pittwater District.
IRG promotes equal rights and the respect of one another and our list of rules that all members must sign reflect this. We have current insurance and we follow the Model Constitution under the Associations Act 2009.
Who is the Ingleside Rider's Group for?
The Ingleside Riders Group (IRG) is a not for profit organisation with the goals to
A) provide a safe space, which members of any age and experience can use for educational, training and recreational horse related pursuits.
B) To improve environmental aspects and the aesthetics of the land by removing rubbish From previous dumping and land uses, reducing weeds and encouraging native bush regeneration.
The 9 acres of ground at the IRG provide the following facilities in which to train and enjoy your horse:
- A wonderful 20 meter round yard which is a HUGE asset when training a horse…large enough to be safe and small enough to be manageable!
- An enclosed arena area which essentially is the size of two dressage arenas
- A small bush trail
- An open grassy area (again approximately 2 dressage arenas in size)in which to work your horse.
Round Yard at Ingleside Equestrian Park
What activities do you do?
Recently the IRG have begun offering Working Equitation training days on a monthly basis. Working Equitation is relatively new to Australia but has enjoyed tremendous popularity in Europe and America. This is an exciting discipline which appeals to all age groups and is particularly attractive to older riders who are looking for a safe and challenging discipline with which to enjoy their horse. Working Equitation is similar to Eventing in that there are 3 to 4 phases in a competition. There is an obstacle course which ,must be negotiated once for style and then another time for speed, there is a dressage element which is performed on a training dressage arena size of 20x40, and then there is a cattle working phase.
The IRG is offering WE training days monthly. Normally this will be the last Sunday of the month followed by another day the Wednesday following the the last Sunday of the month. In June, however, we are having our training day on June 25.
We would like to emphasise that this is an OPEN group! If you have a horse and have an interest in a particular discipline….get involved and get it happening. The grounds are here to be used. We would perhaps like to see an Equine Agility group get started for those who have a horse where perhaps the horse or rider is not able to do ridden work.
Is there a way people without a horse may get involved?
The IRG is always looking for volunteers not only to assist in maintaining the grounds but also to help set up the Working Equitation Course, assist with parking during special event days. We are currently also looking for anyone with a passion for bush regeneration who might help during our working bees.
Do you have ‘away’ days?
There are members who also participate in Endurance Riding in a variety of places. As our group becomes more skilled in the Working Equitation; I would anticipate that opportunities to attend competitions at other area clubs will also arise. Essentially we are a very small group with the flexibility to do whatever it is that is of interest to the group…
How much is membership and how do people join?
Membership is very reasonably priced at $120 per year for a single rider or $160 per year per family. We also have associate memberships for non-riders at only $15. If you love to be around horses but don’t yet have a mount, or just like to be around them and watch….this is a great option for you. Membership provides discounts on WE training days and clinics as well as access to use the facilities whenever they wish. As we are a small group, there is almost always an area free in which to work your horse. Memberships are pro-rated for the year so joining now does not disadvantage you. 6 monthly memberships are also available.
Join or Renew your Membership for 2017 now!
What is the best part about still having horses being active at Ingleside?
The proximity! Less time travelling means more time to ride!!!
What is the Ingleside Rider's Group favourite place in Pittwater and why?
We love all areas of Pittwater which allow horses to be ridden. Pittwater residents who enjoy watching these lovely creatures; regardless of if they are riders or not; need to be aware of any legislation which limits the freedom to access areas within our council.
In this fast moving world of technology, equine pursuits become extremely valuable as they provide a reason to be active in the outdoors. The health benefits alone of the time spent in the care and in the training of horses are tremendous; a reason to get out of doors and exercise.
Research has shown that the human heart rate variability achieves coherence when people spend time with; or THINK of spending time with a horse! In states of stress, anxiety, anger and sadness the heart rate variation tends to be disordered and chaotic. In positive emotional states such as love and gratitude, the variation tends to be ordered and rhythmic. This state of rhythmic variation is known as Heart Coherence, and is a highly efficient and healthy mode of operating. The care and the riding of horses essentially becomes a meditation; demanding that one focuses on the horse alone allowing the thinking mind some time out.
We would like to invite anyone who has any interest at all to either join via the Nominate website, or simply download the forms from our website. We would love to share our wonderful facilities and our love of horses with you!
Does the Ingleside Rider's Group have a motto it works by?
Keep Calm and Trot On!
Contact details
Ingleside Riders Group Inc.
54 Ingleside Rd
Ingleside NSW 2101
President - Carla Wheeler - 0435 434 499
Secretary - Ursula Cutting - 0410 655 491
Skewbald foals grazing at Warriewood, N.S.W.
Have you heard the wag-tails chirrup,
Felt the dawn wind creeping cold?
Till your foot was in the stirrup
And the whole world changed to gold!
THE POETS' AUSTRALIA (1953, July 15).The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), p. 15. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46455683
Mail by horseback Postie
One of the few women "posties" in NSW, 18 year old Josephine Griptock, of Bayview, delivers the mail on horseback to people living along the shores of Pittwater. Although she is neyer footsore, Josephine says she often feels shaken to pieces and utterly weary by the time she has finished her day's work. Josephine came from England nearly four years ago' with her mother, Mrs. S. L. Gristock, and her brother George. She has worked with the PMG since her arrival, first at Mona Vale post Office as a telegram girl, and now as official Post-woman at Bayview.' Housewives prefer a ters and packages, she believes. "They chat to me about their children' and their household worries and often get me to pick up messages for them from the local store," Josephine said. "A. postwoman has a chance to help them as no one else could."
Horses earn keep
Her work at the' post office keeps Josephine's two horses in good condition as well as providing the money to keep them. She takes special care to see that they are well groomed while on the mail round, and is delighted if one of the householders comments on their smooth appearance. Both horses, a white and a chestnut, have won prizes in local gymkhanas and will be entered for the Royal Easter Show this year. Before she came to Australia, Josephine lived in Kent, where she did not keep any pets. Now she has three cats, two cockatoos, a cow, two horses, ducks and fowls to look after. At Christmas Josephine received presents for the pets as well as for herself from grateful customers.
MISS JOSEPHINE GRISTOCK saddles her horse, Johnnie, ready for the morning mail delivery.
Mail by horseback 'postie' (1953, February 4). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 25 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231010324
