APRIL 2019 THE RIDER /49


Jodine Buydens heads Queen Margaret’s School’s New Educational Leadership Program


Queen Margaret’s School (QMS) Equestrian Pro-


gram Director, Jodine Buydens, is at the forefront of cre- ating a new educational leadership program that focuses on fostering self-awareness and personal growth. A lifetime spent with horses has provided Jodine


valuable insight into how humans can learn leadership skills from horses. This experience continues to evolve and this September, Jodine, along with a dedicated team of professionals, will launch classes aimed at hands-on, na- ture-based experiences to enhance QMS leadership and social emotional wellness programs. Equine facilitated leadership development is about


building resources in our own bodies to set boundaries, slow down, listen and lead with confidence. For youth learning to use their voice, these large animals, who live in the present and provide unconditional acceptance, can provide the life-altering skill of confidence. Jodine is currently pursuing her dual certification as


an Equine Professional and Equine Facilitated Learning Professional through Equine Facilitated Wellness Canada. Her industry knowledge will create a fascinating new


Educating Canada’s Future Equestrians


learning program for students attending QMS. “Horses innately understand leadership from the perspective


of safety for the whole herd, and not for personal gain. For a horse, leadership is not about being selfish, it’s about being self-less.” Jo- dine Buydens


About Queen Margaret’s School As a trailblazing university-preparatory day and boarding


school for girls and boys, Queen Margaret’s School (QMS) trans- forms how students learn through our unique programming. Expe- riential and inquiry-based learning, sustainable innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, and equine facilitated leadership provide students with hands-on skills they need for an unknown future. We develop new generations of confident leaders of character and com- passion to create a more just and connected world.


Love Spring but Hate Mud? Eco-friendly Permeable Paving To The Rescue


Club conference this year! Brambles demonstrated trailer- ing like the pro she is.


welcome new members aged six to 25 throughout the year. The Horsemaster program, open to adults aged 21 and over, is becoming increasingly popular, allowing for young adults to become involved, or for families to participate together. For more information on Pony Club, please visit centralon- tario.ponyclub.ca


centralontarioregion@ponyclub.ca. or email


review various administration topics, and welcomed Canadian Pony Club administrator Val Crowe all the way from Baldur, Manitoba. Pony Club branches in communities across the province


preparing for the show ring, first aid and what to include in a first aid kit, and helmet fit and safety vest use. Hands-on ses- sions included the always-popular dissection of the horse’s lower leg. Members learned about what’s involved in en- durance riding and received information and safety tips for trail riding. An added-value session allowed those 16 and over to gather and complete the NCCP “Making Headway” con- cussion awareness module together, and a trailering demon- stration featuring one member’s pony happened right in the hotel parking lot! Parents and adult volunteers had the chance to meet and


two-day, overnight conference for members and their families to come together from across the region. The conference was held in Lindsay, and featured several guest speakers who en- gaged members on a variety of topics. Conference attendees learned about saddle fitting,


a solid base of education for Canada’s future equestrians by offering fun opportunities for youth to learn all things “horse.” In February, Central Ontario Region Pony Club organized a


Canadian Pony Club continues its mandate of providing


Photo caption: Even a pony came to the February Pony Before


By Kelly Bowers After another long winter, the hotly an-


ticipated season of Spring arrives with far too many positive traits to list here. For many of us though, the negatives can be summed up in one word. MUD. The much needed rain that grows our vegetation, also creates slippery, craggy, filthy, treacherous, boot sucking, mud around our rural properties. And even though it makes us miserable each spring and fall, you may think there isn’t much that can be done with the mud pit filling your gateway, watering area and paddock. But help for you and your horses may be in sight. Ecoraster® is an alternative paving op-


tion that promises to rescue us seasonal mud- ders. It’s a heavy duty porous interlocking system with flexible grid-like squares that re- inforce the ground, while water passes right through. The result is naturally drained firm footing that is level, clean and mud-free. This makes it a more comfortable, healthy and safe surface for you and your horses to stand, walk, ride and park on. Plus, Ecoraster® is designed to perform in Ontario’s extreme multi-seasonal conditions. Problem areas can be mud free through the spring and fall, dust free through the dry summer months, and next winter, you won’t have a skating rink outside the barn


door. Plus, you can just plow the snow off with a bob cat or front loader. Installing Ecoraster® doesn’t require


specialized technicians and can be done as a DIY project. The area is dug down a bit and leveled with a compact base of gravel. Then, the pavers go down pretty quickly. In about an hour, you can install 1000 sq ft. The holes are filled with pea gravel or stone chips, and if you like, you can add a top layer of coarse sand. Even before filling, the structure is strong enough to walk on and when it’s done, you can ride your horse or park trucks and equipment on it. In fact, tests show it can support a weight load of up to 800 tonnes/m2. The re- sults are quick and long lasting with a product guarantee of 20 years. Although this sounds like a permanent solution to the quicksand at your back door, the pieces can be removed and relocated if you like. They can also be placed temporarily on top of the ground for short term parking or driving with no impact on the sur- face.


German designed and engineered, Eco-


raster® is now being produced in Canada. It’s manufactured by Purus NA Ecoraster in Lis- towel, Ont. and sold by LID Permeable Paving. Making their product from locally sourced 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bags reduces pollution and the use of landfills.


After


And when the time comes, the pavers can also be recycled. For nearly three decades Euro- peans, who are far ahead in sustainability and green infrastructure have loved these innova- tion pavers. LID Paving is helping North Americans follow in their mud-free footsteps, reducing plastic waste and rescuing us from Ontario’s dreaded mud seasons. You can’t get more eco-friendly than that. Ecoraster® is not an “all or nothing” so-


lution. Small sections can be installed in areas where the need is greatest, and then added to, as the budget allows. Most popular uses are high traffic areas like gates, paddocks, walk- ers, riding arenas, barn doors, and access roads, driveways and parking lots. In Europe, Ecoraster® has also successfully treated areas used by cows, chickens, pigs, llamas and sheep. Without all that mud, you, the barn, and your animals will need far less cleaning. And your boots won’t be sucked off your feet on your way to do chores. LID Paving has product in stock, so


once ordered, delivery can be made within a few


days. Contact Ellise


at info@LIDPaving.ca. She will answer ques- tions, direct you to a dealer who has samples, send product and installation information, and set you up with what you need for the best spring ever.


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