Cotswold RDA

Oreo’s Summer Adventures update: Another week, another adventure!

Our little adventurer has had a rather lovely week…

First up, Oreo was treated to a very well-deserved full-body equine massage from Natural Flow Equine Massage Therapy. And judging by the photos, we think it’s safe to say he LOVED it!

Looking after our ponies goes far beyond their day-to-day care. Making sure they’re comfortable, happy and feeling their best is incredibly important, particularly as they learn, exercise and build their strength. A good equine massage can be a wonderful way to support their muscles, movement and overall condition – and Oreo certainly wasn’t complaining about the extra attention!

Then it was time to get back to adventuring…

Oreo and his pal Morph headed off for a long explore around their local area. There was plenty to see, lots of people to meet and, naturally, a few things that required a good Oreo inspection along the way! 🌿👀

And when you’re out exploring on a summer’s day, there’s really only one thing to do when you come across a stream…

PADDLE!

It sounds like Oreo had an absolute blast, and we continue to be so proud of how his confidence is growing with every new experience. From arena hires and jumping to long reining, hacking, meeting new friends and now paddling – he’s certainly making the most of his summer!

We wonder what Lucy has planned for him next…

To be continued…

Thank you so much for visiting our Oreo! We know of 12 other ponies who would also like you to visit! 😊😊😊

There has been so much to smile about over the past few days at Cotswold RDA.

Our pony one-to-one sessions, pony pamper sessions and horse care activities have been full of laughter, learning and plenty of special moments with our wonderful herd.

While the hard ground has meant we’ve had to pause our ridden sessions, it certainly hasn’t stopped the fun. Our participants have been building their horse care knowledge, enjoying quality time grooming, caring for and getting to know the ponies even better, all while making the most of the beautiful summer sunshine. ☀️

It’s been fantastic to see both our participants and volunteers embracing these new activities with such enthusiasm, curiosity and smiles. Sometimes it’s the quieter moments spent with a pony that create the biggest memories, and we’ve certainly had plenty of those this week.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support us and make every session so special. Here’s to many more pony cuddles, pamper sessions and sunny adventures!

Huge congratulations to Grace and Amy!

Do you remember Grace from our post last week? Well, we’re delighted to share another fantastic update!

Yesterday, Grace and fellow participant Amy both passed their RDA Grade 1 Horse Care Award with flying colours.

With the help of our wonderful ponies, Dave and Flyer, they confidently demonstrated all the horse care knowledge they’ve been developing during our non-ridden summer activities. From grooming to understanding pony care, they’ve worked incredibly hard and should be so proud of themselves.

The exciting news doesn’t stop there… they’re already on their way to working towards their Grade 2 Horse Care Award!

Group Coaches Holly and Georgina couldn’t be prouder of everything the girls have achieved. Watching their confidence, knowledge and independence grow has been a real privilege.

Well done, Grace and Amy, keep up the amazing work! We can’t wait to share more of your journey with everyone as the summer continues.

What better way to start the week than with another update from our little adventurer?

It’s been another mega week for Oreo, and he’s been busy ticking off even more milestones on his summer learning journey.

🏇 Another arena hire, where he got to show off his jumping skills.

🌿 Plenty of countryside hacks with Morph and his field buddies.

🐴 His very first go at long reining… and he took it all in his stride!

Can we also take a moment to appreciate just how smart he looks in his all-pink matching set? We think he wears it rather well!

Oreo’s confidence is growing every single day. He still likes to have a good look around now and then (you can’t blame a curious young pony!), but that’s all part of learning. Every new experience is helping him become calmer, braver and more confident.

Lucy says she couldn’t be prouder of how he’s progressing, and we couldn’t agree more. Watching one of our youngest herd members develop into such a thoughtful, willing pony is incredibly rewarding.

Keep up the amazing work, Oreo we can’t wait to see what adventure comes next!

To be continued…

Arena Development Update!

Things are moving at a fantastic pace, and we have another exciting update to share…

The new roof panels are steadily being installed, and it’s amazing to see everything starting to come together. With each passing day, the transformation becomes more visible, and our new-look arena is really beginning to take shape!

While all the action is happening above, we also want to take a moment to recognise the incredible people making sure the magic continues on the ground… our amazing volunteers. 💙

Although our arena is temporarily out of action, our volunteers have embraced the change, helping us deliver activities out in the fields with the same enthusiasm, kindness and dedication they always do.

Thank you. Your continued support, flexibility and hard work mean the world to us. We simply couldn’t continue providing these life-changing experiences without each and every one of you.

Sometimes it’s nice to swap the saddle for a little extra pony time.

This morning, rider Becky joined us for a wonderful Tea with a Pony session with the ever-lovable Robbie, and we think these photos say it all. The love, trust and happiness they shared is simply heartwarming.

It’s moments like these that remind us just how much joy our ponies bring to everyone they meet. Whether it’s in the saddle or sharing quiet time together, the connections they create are truly special.

A huge thank you to Becky for giving Robbie so many cuddles this morning, and to our fantastic young volunteer Holly for helping make the session so special. You were both superstars!