Rosemary Riley, chair of the Calvert Stables committee, is keeping Reminder readers up-to-date with life at the Calvert Trust Riding Stables at Old Windebrowe on the outskirts of Keswick.
The stables offer people with disabilities horse experience activities such as natural horsemanship, stable management, understanding horse behaviour and working horses, as well as horse riding and carriage driving.
May update
Rosemary writes: “The Calvert Stables are trying to cover costs with the help of generous donors. Our generous supporters have raised enough funds to support the upkeep of our ten horses and ponies for the last seven weeks since we had to close.
“When the coronavirus hit, we had to close at short notice. Our ponies are very special, a few of them are elderly and need special care and treatment which all adds to our ongoing costs. With no money coming in for riding and course fees we wanted to do something positive to support our horses and ponies during this difficult period.
“So, the Calvert Stables team did what they do best and rallied round to make it happen! A fundraising page was set up with a target of £1,000 towards the costs of keeping our ten horses and ponies. The response was incredible, with a total of £1,540 raised on the fundraising page! it was both exciting and very humbling to see the donations and messages come flooding in from our friends, supporters, volunteers and riders; with a further cheque for £500 as well as donations of hay and bedding (pictured below) worth more than £250.
“Our costs of £2,305, which include grazing, fuel, vet fees, farrier costs, hay, feed, wormers and fly repellents for the past seven weeks, have been covered by our amazing supporters, and we would like to thank you all sincerely for your support, it has made a massive difference to us.
“Behind the scenes we are doing all in our power to keep everything ticking over so we can open again as soon as possible in some capacity. The safety of our staff, visitors and volunteers is critical, so we are checking all the relevant guidance and putting the necessary safety procedures and practices in place to ensure we can reopen safely as soon as possible.
“The ponies are starting some light work after their spring break, so they keep some of their fitness, and don’t get too lazy! The stables team is busy painting, tidying, and keeping our followers up to date on our Facebook page ‘Calvert Stables’ with updates on the ponies, fun videos and competitions. Our coaches are busy contacting our regular riders with fun quizzes and horsey stuff to keep them going until it is time to ride again.
“With the uncertainty of not knowing when we will re-open, it is a difficult time for us, and we really do need to keep raising money to fund our horse upkeep for several more weeks.
“From all the team at Calvert Stables: Thank you to all our supporters and riders, we miss you all and know you are missing the horses terribly. Please look after yourselves, stay at home and keep safe.”
