March 16th Meeting Minutes

1. Treetops Hospice Fundraiser (The Ripple Appeal)
The Sinners' (the band that have been singing in) gig at The Imperial Rooms, Matlock in December 2008 raised £521.80 + to bring the total amount to £5156.80. Pam’s goal has been achieved. Well done to everyone who has been involved and contributed to the fundraising.

2. Bridleways
Dobbs/Pounder Lane – Liz Stoppard has organised the restoration of this bridleway. Please see the posting below for details. Liz has a plaque from the funders - Derbyshire Aggregates Levy Grant Scheme that will be erected somewhere prominent on the path. The final gates are being fitted this week too. The feedback from riders has been very positive to date. Thank you Liz and everyone locally who has helped in this project.

The green lane by Blakemere Pit (quarry) is still being monitored by the police. Call 0845 123 33 33 and report trespassers. The Peak Park are also involved in deciding how to manage the future of the pit.

Tearsall Quarry planning has been approved, which means the bridleway will be re-routed. Jane W and Sandra will contact the company involved at Tearsall to invite them to meet with us to discuss the re-routing of the bridleway and also safety issues around horses and the haulage traffic.

The 2009 bridleway project will be decided once we have walked a number of trails that are currently impassable. More information on this will come out by email.

3. Pink High Viz Vests
We have 10 vests to sell at £10 each. They have Bonsall Riders printed on the back, flashing lights for extra visibility and pockets for your mobile phone and sweets. They come in large or small (both roomy). We are printing out and laminating safety cards with contact numbers for personal safety and these will be included with every vest purchase. Contact Jain H to buy yours.

4. Personal Safety
We heard the dramatic story of how 2 of our members were involved in a riding accident over Christmas. It was a very serious incident and the air ambulance was called to airlift both individuals to Chesterfield Hospital. Thankfully both mother and son are well again but it triggered an important discussion about personal safety. These are the main points from the discussion:

• Always carry your mobile phone and have programmed in your "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) number. Paramedics will look for this number if you are unconscious.
• Have a plan ready in case you or your horse needs rescuing. We have people with boxes that have offered to rescue horses. Tell your spouse or family who they should call if you need rescuing and put the numbers near your home phone and in your mobile phone.
• Make sure you have your Bonsall Riders laminated Safety Card with you . Making decisions when you are injured or in an emergency situation is not easy and the card should help this.

5. Blog page
Please can you email me if you are not sure how to log on to the blog page and use it. I will happily come round to your house and go through it with you. I have put new features on to the blog - one of which will automatically email you when there is something new posted on the blog. If people subscribed to this it would save me 50% of my time in administration!!!

6. Website
This still needs updating and it would be good if it was a group effort and not just left up to Liz S

7. Holidays and Day Rides

• April - Moorwood Moor 10 mile ride. Contact Jane Briggs or Caroline.
• May - Carsington ride. Contact Jane Briggs.
• June - Chatsworth ride with a hen party champagne picnic. Contact Liz S.
• July - Bonsall Carnival ride. Contact Jain H.
• August - Frierden. Contact Susie L.
• August - Bonsall Riders mini event day. Details will be posted later in the year. It will include cross country jumping on Liz S land this year.
• September - Horse holiday weekend away. Contact Liz H.

8. AOB
Eques-train have a tabletop sale on April 19th at Idridgehay. £10 per table. We thought we could group together and sell our horsey items. I have quite a lot to sell. Contact Jain H if you want to join in.

Eques-train http://www.the-eques-train.co.uk/ also have a bitting workshop on 29th March.

Springwood Horsley Riding Club http://www.freewebs.com/springwoodridingclubhorsley/ have published their 2009 events leaflet.

9. Date of next meeting will be our AGM. Date and time tba but it will be in May/June.

Please post agenda items on this blog but remember the whole world can see us!

Bridleways restoration - letter to The Mutterings, Bonsall

Work is now complete on the restoration of Dobb Lane and Pounder Lane bridlepaths. Hundreds of metres of collapsed walls on the old pack horse trail, have been taken right down and rebuilt. The junction of the two lanes by the top of Masson hill is greatly improved in access and appearance. Go visit, it is quite beautiful.
Bridlepath gates have been put in, and the soggy piece of ground on Pounder lane has new stepping stones and two tons of quarry chatter to make it easier to cross. This lane is in use now for the first time in many years, due to low branches, fallen walls and boggy ground.

The grant obtained by the Bonsall Riders group is from the Derbyshire Environmental Trust. The Bonsall Field Barn Project wallers have been commissioned to do the work. This is a good illustration of how our village's groups collaborate and work together to really get things
done. The path is now suitable for mountain biking, horse riding, dog walking and hiking. I think it is one of the most beautiful paths in England, with its fantastic views from Masson Hill, lots of wild flowers, an abundance of hawthorn tree tunnels and hidden craggy caves.

The gate at the top has a special inscription on it. It is dedicated to our lovely friend Pamela Taylor Speck, who sadly died not long after we started work on the bridlepath.

It reads "To ride a horse, is to borrow freedom". Which is an ancient Bedouin saying.

For anyone who has galloped up Masson hill, the wind in your face and the sweet smell of the Bonsall summer meadows in the air, the quote describes the feeling perfectly.

We hope the path will be enjoyed by many for years to come.

Liz Stoppard