I've taken the following paragraphs from the Natural Horse Group website......

http://www.natural-horse-group.co.uk/

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The Natural Horse Group
Promoting the well-being of horses.

The Natural Horse Group was established in November 2001. It aims to provide information that enables people to explore ways of keeping and managing equines that enhance wellbeing and encourage a natural lifestyle.

We organise speakers, workshops and visits to places of interest. We do not adhere to any ideology or endorse any particular individual or method. When organising our events we look for well-researched ideas and select contributors on the basis of their credentials and reputation.

The Natural Horse Group is a non-profit organisation and membership is open to anyone with an interest in the welfare of horses.

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Up until now most of the (excellent!) NHG events have taken place towards the north of the country. We're in the process of setting up a new branch in the South-East.

We hope to organise events covering behaviour, complementary therapies, barefoot, natural living conditions, feed etc... Typically they will be small and informal, but still highly informative and social. Once we are up and running we hope to be able to arrange for the odd "big name" as well. As stated above, the NHG is a non-profit organisation and the small entrance fees charged will go towards location hire, speakers' charges/expenses, insurance, refreshments etc.

Events will be open to anyone, not just members of the NHG (although they will be cheaper if you are a member). If you would like to be informed about any events we hold in the South-East then please email catherine.brocksopp@tesco.net and you will be added to our mailing list. If you would like to join the NHG then details of how to do so are on the website.

We are in the process of organising our first event - it will be an informal workshop with Karan Douglas and Lucy Gray, looking at the use of essential oils with horses. Date and location are to be confirmed soon although we are looking at a January date. We are looking for small, cheap (preferably free!) venues in Kent/Surrey/Sussex - if you would like to volunteer your own yard/horses/meeting room then please contact us. Further details of this and other planned events will be posted later.


Catherine Brocksopp and Lucy Gray

Catherine and Lucy,

I am a member of the Natural Horse Group, and would love to get involved with the South East Group (work permitting)!

My yard and horses are available for use (not just mine, but I am sure some of the liveries would not mind their horses being used) - if we cannot run workshops at the yard, I can ask the local village hall how much it is.

Please count me in for the essential oils workshop!

Mariaana

Hello

Please count me in to join The Natural Horse Group for the South East. Looking forward to the workshop.

Juliet

I've just sent this email out to everyone who has asked to be on the NHG mailing list (and some of you who I know live locally and have done workshops with me - please let me know if you'd like to removed from the list!). If anyone hasn't got it and would like to be added to the list then please let me know......




Dear All

Many thanks for your interest in the South East branch of the Natural Horse Group. I'm really pleased to see so many of you wanting to participate. Thanks also to those of you who have suggested venues and/or offered yourselves as potential speakers - I will no doubt be following up your suggestions in the near future. Please continue to let people know about the group - the more people who are interested, the more successful it will be.

We're in the process of organising the first event which will be an essential oils workshop with Karan Douglas. It will take place on 22nd January at a venue in Kent (within easy access of the M25). I'm anticipating that the cost will be in the region of 5-10 pounds per person. The workshop will last about 3 hours and I suspect that there may be a gathering in a local pub afterwards to continue discussion for anyone who would like to.....

I'll send out more detailed information about the venue when we're ready to accept bookings. I can't accept any just yet as I need to set up a bank account so I can tell you who to make the cheques payable to! I'll be in touch again as soon as I have done this.

For the second event I am hoping to host a couple of behaviour workshops with Marthe Kiley-Worthington, well-known author of "Equine Behaviour" and "Equine Welfare". I have been in touch with her about a possible March/April date and I will send out further details as soon as I have them from her. A barefoot lecture is a possibility for the summer but that one's not really in the planning stages yet.

Best wishes

Catherine

PS Apologies to anyone who received a blank email from me. I may well end up resorting to using my work email address afterall if Tesco.net is going to play up....

I am bored stiff and havent been on a horsey outing for months. Does anyone know of anything going on in the herts area or close by?

thanks

Re : horsey outings : I'm going to research polo . My horse needs to feel he's got a job . There's a polo club at Ascot where they do winter arena polo . I thought I'd see if I could watch , then go home and knock a beachball about .
Best wishes , Anna .

Hi Angie

Sorry, I don't know anything about that area. But if you find there's not much going on then I guess you have two options - either come down to join us in Surrey from time to time, you'd be more than welcome. Or you could get in touch with the NHG about setting up a group in your area, advertise on the various web boards and in local tack shops and then you can have whatever events you want. That's all we're doing down here....

Anna - would be interested to know how you get on with the polo. Afraid it's not really my cup of tea but I guess the way to change the polo world is from the inside - go for it!!! I've heard some NH instructors talking about horses "needing to have a job". I'm not sure that's true for all horses although I agree that it is for some. Didn't you say you were learning Parelli? Is that not quite difficult to combine with polo (and CT!) as well????

Catherine

Hi Angie,
I know of a polo yard in Hertfordshire (Model Farm near Hitchin). Can pass on details if you're interested.
frankie_wynne@ipcmedia.com

Have just sent out this email - if you didn't get it and would like to be added to the mailing list and/or book a place then please contact me.


Dear All

Thanks to those of you who have asked to be added to the mailing list since my
last email went out. Welcome to the group.

Just to let you know, we now have a bank account and so I'm in a position to
accept bookings for the essential oils workshop on 22nd January. It will take
place in Borough Green (near Sevenoaks, Kent) and will start at 2.30pm. The
workshop will last about 3 hours and I'm sure some of us can be persuaded to
continue any discussion in a local pub afterwards for those who would so
like....

Cost will be 5 pounds for members of the Natural Horse Group and 7.50 for non-members.
If you would like to join the group then please go to the central website
http://www.natural-horse-group.co.uk/

Please note that places are limited to 15 so we would advise you to book as
soon as possible. I'm afraid we won't be able to take bookings on the day.

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To many people aromatherapy creates images of massage, perfumes, bath oils and
beauty products. However, aromatic oils and plant medicines have been used to
treat illness and disease for centuries.

Karan Douglas is studying for the Animal Aromatic Diploma with Caroline
Ingraham, who is renowned for her pioneering work and successes in supporting
animals with aromatic oils and plant medicines.

During the aromatic oils workshop, Karan will cover:

- why, when and how animals self medicate in the wild
- methods of essential oil and plant extraction
- different pathways of application - smell, oral, topical
- key essential oils and their effects
- practical demonstration of the self selection method
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Looking forward to seeing some of you there

Yours
Catherine