RideBorders.com - Riding in the Scottish Borders

22nd November - FREE Equine Road Safety Awareness Evening for everyone in the Scottish Borders.

The BHS, along with vets, doctors and police invite you to join them in the Buccleuch Arms Hotel in St. Boswells at 7pm on Wednesday 22nd November for an evening designed to remind us of our responsibilities each time we ride on a public highway. Keeping up-to-date with road riding skills and new equipment is becoming more important as the volume of traffic on our Borders' roads steadily increases, so do come along and find out how we can all work together to improve road safety for our equine community.

Free refreshments sponsored by Edinburgh Headway, plus a raffle sponsored by McNab Saddlers, Kelso. Borders College horse care and management department will also be there along with various other stands.

Dominic Elsworth, stable jockey at Sue and Harvey Smith's West Yorkshire yard, rode a superb 48/1 double on Fiddlers Creek (14/1) and Ostfanni (9/4 fav) at the final meeting of Kelso's season on Wednesday 24 May. Read more(PDF).

Staying with the Berwickshire and it's the Berwickshire Hunt Point-to-Point Races on Saturday 31st March at Friarshaugh, near Kelso. Make a memorable day of it. Cram the car with friends, food and drink. Watch the terror in the jockey's eyes as they hurtle over terrifying obstacles - First race 1.30pm.

Berwickshire Hunt Cross Country Day - Duns Castle, Duns, Berwickshire Sunday 11th March 9am - Schooling Day, Monday 12th March 9.30am-1pm. Cash prizes plus the chance to qualify for the finals of the South Essex Insurance Brokers BHS Cross Country Championships 2007 as well as Inter Hunt Competitions! For full details and/or download entry form click here now.

Peelham’s Cross Country Course at Foulden in Berwickshire is the venue for this year’s Berwickshire Hunt Hunter Trial which takes place on Saturday 30th September. The event is sponsored by Border Farm Supplies Ltd. who have enticingly donated a number of Feed Vouchers as prizes. With True Nursery classes, Open Nursery, Junior Nursery, Junior Open, Novice, Open and Open Pairs, there are classes for many levels of ability and the trials are sure to attract interest from all over the Borders and further a field. If you would like to compete, click here now for full details and entry form.

Check out some exciting new horse healing courses available in the Borders. Leigh Smyth's fascinating courses are not just for horses however but for other animals too. They focus on holistic health and include elements of Reiki, magnotherapy, communication and nutrition as well as other interesting facts.

To find out more click here now.

Duke of Buccleuch's Hunt Branch of the Pony Club Pick-a-Fence is being held this Sunday at Holefield, Kelso by kind permission of Gail Walker. There are 5 classes offering a range of jumping options for riders from 8 yrs and over. The entry fee which includes paramedic cover is £16. For full details, rules and entry form go now to www.pcuk.org/dukeofbuccleuchs.

And it's your equestrian business achievement perhaps that could impress the judges of the new round of the Scottish Borders Awards 2006 - 2007. If your equestrian business can be classified as a 'rural diversification' this is your chance to win one of the prestigious awards. Winning an award means that you will most definitely generate a lot of publicity for your business. You may also benefit from a number of winning packages including leaflet design, help with print where relevant, plus membership of the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce for business.

Only a few days to go now until the 'Great Clydesdale Migration' reaches the Scottish Borders. As reported earlier on RideBorders.com this unique commercial trail ride stretching over 400 miles from Armadale Farm on Skye is now heading even closer. The Riders aim to arrive in West Linton the 10th of October and will make their way on across the Southern Uplands through Peebles, Traquair and Ettrickbridge. Catch them if you can, meanwhile, check here for up-to-the minute information when they hit the Borders.

That is the hope and certainly the intention when the Buccleuch Hunt Sponsored Charity Ride takes place on Sunday 27th of this month. It begins at Bowmont Forest from 9.30am and everyone is welcome to join in since there are options for different standards of rider.

We've an exceptionally busy equestrian weekend ahead in the Scottish Borders with The Scottish Endurance Riding Club's annual Championships taking place at Yetholm. It's a real coup for the Borders to host this prestigious event which incorporates the 'Home International and Celtic Challenge.' At Kelso's Springwood park, also on Saturday it's The Scottish Horse Show while in Peebles Haylodge Park you can enjoy Peebles Agricultural Show.

Thirlestane Castle Horse Trials are back in the realms of the elite once again this year, as they participate in British Eventing's Premier League. This prestigious venture that includes a rider's accumulator worth £5,000 to the winner, ranks Thirlestane as one of the UK's 'must do' events for both riders and of course for spectators.

There are five exciting open classes to look forward to, among them, the Davidson Chalmers Advanced Class, the most demanding cross-country track and the Bruce Stevenson Ltd. Open Intermediate Class for qualifying horses and riders. This incorporates an under 21yr old section which is a major test for young riders with international potential.

Thirlestane is a diary 'must' for spectators too of course and the 'family fun ring' makes a welcome return to ensure a fun packed day for everyone at Thirlestane. Go to Events Listings for more details. Click here for the results.

Springwood Park, Kelso is the place to be on Friday and Saturday this week where the excellent number of equine entries is sure to draw in large crowds. With high profile qualifiers for the Horse of the year Show the National Pony Society, National Pony Society Scotland, CHAPS, the Winergy Burghley Young Event Horse and DABBS - it's a horse lovers paradise.

It was free fishing, riding and clay pigeon shooting this week when around 30 youngsters took part in one of the Scottish Countryside Alliance 'Next Generation Country Days' held at Charterhall in Berwickshire. RideBorders.com witnessed a day which proved a huge success with many of the children experiencing various country sports and pursuits first hand for the first time ever. While the clay pigeon shooting proved a big hit and the gamekeepers held a rapt young audience, it was the mechanical horse who stole the show offering potential jockeys a chance to go through their paces without the spectre of a 'tumble at the water' to daunt their confidence.

Border branch of the Scottish Endurance Riding Club held a 2 day ride at Longnewton on 15/16 July. There were a variety of distances on offer ranging from a 25Km pleasure ride to a 85Km competitive ride.

Entries came from members, both north and south of the border, as well as a few local non-members. It was the hottest weekend of the year so far, with temperatures into the 30's recorded at Riddell. This made it particularly tough for the horses and riders with a few horses being lamed out due to the hard ground.

The Stark's Haughhead near Ashkirk was the venue for the recent launch of a brand new equestrian business forum for the Scottish Borders. Around 40 people attended a presentation by The Border Equine Business Association (BEBA) which has been established to boost the Borders equestrian economy, promote the Scottish Borders, provide equestrian facilities, create an information network and crucially, in so doing, to encourage the next generation into the industry.

Vets are urging everyone to keep on red alert for Strangles which is still making an appearance in the Borders. There is a recently confirmed case 'in the Lammermuirs' and another in the Hume area. This has implications for Kelso Civic week's Tuesday rideout.

Check out this unique 'Equibuddy' OPEN DAY taking place in the Scottish Borders on Sunday 9th July at 11am. Vaulting and RDA - from Grass Roots to International Levels.
Jenny Leggate, renowned international vaulting coach and senior instructor for Riding for the Disabled (RDA) is launching a mammoth appeal for funds to buy and train more horses for the use of RDA branches all over the UK.

With perfect ground and some fabulous views en route, it was a great weekend for the Border branch of the Scottish Endurance Riding Club. They held a well attended ride from Blackburn Farm, Lauder at the weekend offering three distances - 18km pleasure ride and 34Km and 52Km competitive rides.

Border rider Polly Fraser along with Cicely and Mark Thorne have judged their marathon ride to North Yorkshire a 'phenomenal success' having just raised well over £3,000 towards cancer care and the RDA. This comes after an eventful and at times extremely gruelling sponsored, 9 day riding marathon from Easter Ulston near Jedburgh to Goathland in North Yorkshire.