Giddy-Up! BCRA Monthly Newsletter - December 2022
Whinny Wonderland and Candy Corrals are here!
Things are getting chilly at the barn and that means time for all the winter fun! Our peppermint ponies are excited for all the holiday cheer.
Announcements
If you haven't updated your contacts yet, don't forget: we have a new phone number! Please use 747-263-6267 for all communications.
We use Project Broadcast for mass announcements - including this newsletter - but the phone number you see on those texts is not a BCRA-owned number. Please do not reply to Project Broadcast texts to try and reach us - use our new number above instead!
For insurance purposes, all clients must sign yearly waivers for the program - thank you to all of you who signed the yearly waiver packet during November! If you still need to do so, please reach out to your instructor or Liv and they will provide the updated information & waiver packet. Students will not be able to ride without updated forms.
The holidays brings lots of travel and special events! We will be taking Christmas Day and New Year's Day off, but running lessons the other days of the week. If you need to reschedule lessons, please text our new phone number now (747-263-6267) so Liv and the team can get you rescheduled!
It's never too early to plan your 2023 birthdays! Interested in hosting a Birthday Camp for your rider at the barn? Click here for more information.
Please remember that Barn Rats has moved from Wednesday evenings to Saturdays at 11:30 AM! Riders will meet Liv by the Hitching Post for activities such as bathing horses, setting up a new jump course for the week, cleaning tack, and getting to experience how we care for our horses after lessons.
The theme for this month is A December to Remember! Students will focus on the cumulative knowledge and skills they have gained throughout 2022, reviewing and brushing up on weak spots, answering any lingering questions, and preparing for another year of building and growth.
Upcoming December classes and opportunities for Academy students:
Events
Saturday, December 10th, 5:30 - 9 PM: Barn Owls
Treat yourself to a little Saturday night out, and drop off your equestrians for a winter-themed night at the barn for a few hours - cozy pajamas are encouraged! We will be making gingerbread barns and holiday horse treats all while watching a movie. As a holiday special, each Barn Owl registration is just $55 in December. For more information, visit www.bellcanyonequestriancenter.com/barnowls. Spaces are limited, so sign up soon!
Winter Camp Season 2022: Whinny Wonderland starts Monday, 12/16
Candyland Corrals starts 1/2/2023
Our 2022 Winter Camp Season is bigger than ever, with a new, five-day camp schedule and extended care hours available. This month, join the BCRA in a Whinny Wonderland (12/26 - 12/30) where Campers will play Deck-the-Stalls, build holiday horseshoes, practice bareback riding, put on a mini show, and more. Then, start the new year off right with Candyland Corrals (1/2 - 6), your Camper's chance to "adopt" a BCRA horse and learn the ins and outs of being a horse owner. Hunt for hidden gold, "buy" treats and tack, and show off your happy horse at the end of the week. Sign your Camper up today at www.bellcanyonequestriancenter.com/2022camps.
NEW: We now offer extended care hours; see website for more details.
Classes 4:45 - 5:30 PM
12/3
Tack + Equipment I: Saddle Up
This class covers parts of the saddle, how it’s built to fit the horse, related equipment such as girth types and different kinds of saddle pads, and when/why we use them. We will also be learning the proper way to clean and take care of the tack.
12/10
Horse Anatomy II Recommended prerequisite: Horse Anatomy I
This class focuses on specific parts of the body such as the shoulder, point of shoulder, whither hock, knee, ribs, dock, girth, stifle, poll, croup, stifle. Students will also learn some of the different muscles and tendons horses use.
Opportunities
12/3, 12/10, 12/17
Barn Rats Available to Academy Students Only*
*No non-Academy siblings or friends; non-students are instead welcome to join us during Barn Owls nights. There is no charge for Barn Rats.
Immerse yourself in all things horses every Saturday, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM.
Our "Barn Rats" will be learning about all the responsibilities of horse care and barn maintenance in a fun way! Each week, our Rats will be working on an array of barn chores like tack cleaning, washing horses, washing saddle pads, making supplement buckets, cleaning up barn aisle ways, and more. If your student is enrolled in the Bell Canyon Riding Academy, they are encouraged to join us for extra grooming, tacking, or learning opportunities. Barn Rats also have the opportunity to hang in the club house and meet other riders or help with jump crew in the arena at the end of lessons.
For classes and activities, sign up sheets will be on the board next to the Hitching Post (our clubhouse room).
Reminder: Proper Barn Attire
Your Equestrians must wear their riding attire and bring their own helmets, paddock boots, etc to lessons. Ask your instructor if you need help deciding what to get! BCEC helmets will only be offered for new students for the first few lessons.
Reminder: Tuition Payments Require Card
Please remit payment directly to the Baymare Room at the beginning of the month. If the room is closed, there is a secure drop off slot for payments. Payments are DUE by your child’s first lesson of each month, so in order to make sure there is no disruption in your child’s schedule, please make sure to remit your payment on time. If payment isn't received by the 12th of each month, the credit card on file will be charged tuition and the online convenience fee. All enrolled students must have a credit card on file. If you are paying by check, please include your child’s name on the memo line. If you would like to set up automatic Square payments for tuition, please see Liv. Thank you!
Riding Academy Curriculum
We love to see all of our Equestrians bringing their journals to their lessons and taking their instructor’s written advice! If you still need a journal or a lanyard, please make sure you talk with your instructor about the Riding Academy binders and lanyards. Liv will continue to reach out to parents for our remaining conferences. Be on the lookout for texts from her to talk about your young rider and their goals and dreams!
Winter Lessons
We continue moving to more semi-private and group lessons over the semester. Talk with your instructor if you are interested.
2022 has been a year full of big changes, growth, and amazing memory-making. Thank you for supporting the Bell Canyon Riding Academy and Equestrian Center Community throughout it all, and we can't wait to see what all of our students can accomplish in 2023! From our BCRA family to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season.
Happy riding,
The BCRA Team
747-263-6267