Beach riding....

[Em 1]

Sorry everyone - another 'have you been to....' thread. I have always wanted to gallop along a beach. I have galloped many times before and enjoy it when I'm in control. However, I hate the horse taking off on its own so am wary about riding on a beach on an unknown horse.

There is nowhere near here that does beach rides (that I can find) so we are thinking of doing it on holiday. Our second week is near Newcastle. Does anyone know anything good/bad etc about Kimmerston Riding Centre? Any other ideas about good places to beach ride?

[Miss MoneyPenny]

I am hooked on beach riding now! Penny and I just love it, but I was a bit apprehensive beforehand! I didn't do anymore than trot the 1st time, and 2nd time I tried canter as I wanted to test the 'brakes' It was the 3rd time that I let her loose, as I knew that she wasn't going to 'tank' off with me!

As for places to ride, I am lucky living on an Island that there are lots of beaches, and the horse friendly ones are only 20 mins away in the trailer! No help for your part of the country though, but you must do it, and LOTS of piccys for us to admire!

[lady ridealot]

Hi - I live in Essex and i cannot seem to find anywhere that does a beach ride around here either!! They look so much fun, i cannot even find a woodland ride!! Does anyone know of anywhere ??
:(

[laura jeanne]

I have always wanted to do this also. I know the places around here have horses that behave really badly and throw people off and they all know exactly how far down the beach to go before they have to turn around and go back. Then they pretty much go back to the barn as fast as they can. Scary. I have heard this from different people.

I want to go someplace where I will have a nice experience but haven't really looked for anything since I have used up all my vacation for this year taking care of my mother after a hip replacement!

[wildponies]

I went to a fantastic place in cornwall once, had a really nice gallop along the beach and in the shallow water, spray flying around everywhere it was absolutely gorgeous. Horses were impeccably behaved and didn't put a foot wrong, there were people on the beach as well and there was no spooking, napping or trying to turn and head for home it was lovely.

Never heard of the stables (sorry) but put it into google and search for 'reviews' i can usually find just about anything on anywhere when i put my mind to it, it's how i found out about the afore mentioned stables.

[casey]

Originally posted by lady ridealot
Hi - I live in Essex and i cannot seem to find anywhere that does a beach ride around here either!! They look so much fun, i cannot even find a woodland ride!! Does anyone know of anywhere ??
:(

Shoeburyness.......I go there for beach rides between Oct and April. Make sure you check with the coastguard for tidal times.

[horsemad]

Hi Em,

I rode at Kimmerston several years ago and thought it was very good. I only did a beach ride there once - at Holy Island.

I'm exactly the same as you when it comes to galloping. If I'm in control and I'm asking the horse to go faster, its great fun. But the minute the horse takes control, I completely panic and go to pieces!

The beach ride I went on with Kimmerston was very good though. We spent the first bit of the ride just walking, to get the feel of the horses, then a trot and steady canter before letting them go. So because it was all done gradually, that helped settle my nerves. I have to say when we first went into full speed gallop, I had one of my 'oh my God, I'm not in control' moments! But then I calmed down, realised the horses couldn't trip over anything, run into anything, there was nothing for them to spook at......so why the panic? Once I'd got over that, I really enjoyed it.

I have to say though I did ask for one of the steadier horses to ride at the beach. Although they all set off at the same pace, my horse did steady before some of the others up front did - that suited me fine! So if you are at all concerned, you could do the same - play down your riding experience a bit and ask for a steady horse!

So I would definitely recommend Kimmerston on the basis of my experience a few years back...but then of course it could all have changed since then!

Let us know how you get on if you decide to give it a go. :D

[Wally]

err, we have a few beaches you can ride on....bit of a trek though to get here.

[nirikina]

Hi lady ridealot. I used to live in Essex just down the road from Shoeburyness. I used to ride at http://www.shoplandhall.co.uk/ and they advertise that they do beach and woodland rides. I never did them as they seemed very expensive so can't give you a review.

[G.Gracious]

I've done a few beach rides, both in Germany and here. I know there used to be a place up on the Isle fo Bute that did beach rides, i think it's shut down now though.

If you search the net for 'beach rides' you'll probably find some places.

Have fun if you go on a beach ride, it's an amazing feeling to gallop along a beach!! :D

[katiee]

I love beach riding, although I havn't been brave enough to take Pippa on a beach ride since I've had her - all that open space would go straight to her head. Perhaps when we've conquered hacking .... :D

I think near us, there's a rule that horses can only be on beaches after 5pm

[bexj]

Originally posted by Em 1
Does anyone know anything good/bad etc about Kimmerston Riding Centre?

I rode at Kimmerston a LONG time ago (late 80's!!) - our uni riding club used to go there. It is quite a long way from the beach, so they box the horses and take them to Holy Island, then spend the day there and have a BBQ. It was superb!!! Some lovely long beach gallops, and they and the horses look after you too!

I think it is still in the same ownership, although I couldn't swear. But 15 years ago it was great!

[Em 1]

Thanks for all the info. It's really helped to here that Kimmerston is a good, safe centre - will be booking a ride to Holy Island tomorrow!

[kathyt1]

Let us know how it goes!

[QuarterHorseMac]

No..I havent ridden on the beach before, but it sounds fun

[LindaAd]

There's a place near here in Dorset that does weekend breaks and beach rides; I know the beach - I've ridden there with the pony club, but as I was escorting the nervous ones there wasn't a lot of galloping. That would be a good place for a NR meet in the south, if people didn't want to bring their own horses.

[horsehelp]

lady ridealot Hi - I live in Essex and i cannot seem to find anywhere that does a beach ride around here either!! They look so much fun, i cannot even find a woodland ride!! Does anyone know of anywhere ??

Have you tried Epping Forest ? They do gorgoeus woodland riding?

[artemis]

I used to ride on the Northumberland beaches some years ago. Some of them have quicksand, so you have to be careful. They shift too. We used to go when the tide was out, ride up the beach & gallop back following in our footprints. Safer that way, especially when you have seen a horse have to be dragged out of quicksand by a tractor!

Early morning the beaches are empty apart from a few fishemen.

[abi_pring]

Luckely my dad lives near Weston so the beaches are great for riding, maybe not for swimming though! Ive only been there once, am hoping to go there lots this summer, and i fell off!! But then got on another horse and had a good gallop- feels great!!! If you havent done it... you have to!

[Njal]

Beach - I don't know, the beach is far (from a London point of view) in Essex.

But woodland! There are loads of woodland rides! There's Hatfield forest, and many more.

cheers,

Njal

[Em 1]

Thought I would update you all - I am now a beach ride addict! We have been away for the last couple of weeks and rode with Kimmerston Riding Centre on Monday afternoon.

Someone was smiling on us - the weather was horrendous all day (pelting rain, awful visability etc) except for the two and a bit hours we rode!

I can definitely recommend Kimmerston. The horses were wonderful - forward going but with breaks. Also the leader was very, very sensible which was reassuring. He would ride ahead and we would canter/gallop to him so there was a clear stop point. We could gallop along the shore and then walk back without the horses taking off. The slightest check was enough. It was such a treat! Thanks again to all of you for your help and recommendations - I'm hooked!

(By the way, if you go soon look out for their new grey - a Lippazaner I think. I've never seen airs above the ground before nor half pass, leg yield in canter, shoulder in etc all on the beach!).

[horsemad]

Brilliant Em! Glad you enjoyed your ride! Sounds like it is still a great place to ride. What I liked about the beach ride was that it was all done quite gradually - not a case of the horses hooves hitting the sand and they are off (definitely couldn't cope with that!). And I had the same experience as you - after we had had our gallop, the horses settled down very quickly and were happy to walk along the water's edge. And of course its hard to find a nicer setting than Holy Island.....aw, its made me all nostalgic for Northumbria now!!

Bexj - did you go to the Uni of Northumbria by any chance? Thats how I came to be riding at Kimmerston - I joined the riding club when I was studing at the uni. Small world :D

[b53]

hi lady ridealot - if you can get to Suffolk - Greentrees riding stables at Knodishall does good beach hacks( they have got a web site) - you go across a golf course and onto the beach at Sizewell power station! I think they charge about £40 for 2 hours.

[sophie33]

I know you've already been - so you don't really need my tuppence worth. But I just wanted to say that myself and friends did a beach ride at Kimmerston earlier in the summer - and it was superb. The beach at Holy riding is stunning - and the horses were very forward going, but obedient.
I'm quite nervous and inexperienced (never really hacked out before) whereas two friends were experienced and my sister had never ridden before. The owner managed to cater for us all - my sister was taken off on a lead rein to walk and trot a bit. I was allowed to canter along the beach under the supervision of the owner, and my experienced friends could gallop to their hearts content - although even they were kept an eye on.
Unusually (in my experience) for people who've obviously ridden since they could walk, the owner and staff were very friendly and supportive of us, despite our riding inadaquacies.
I don't want to sound like an advert but I'd recommend it to anyone!

[Njal]

Sounds good, I will give it a try sometime!

Njal

[Shark3r]

My Daughter is currently at kimmerston on a weeks holiday, on the first day she was given a pony that was too small for her (she is 5'10"), second day she got a "frisky" horse that was rearing & turning in circles, her arms were aching trying to control this horse, 3rd day (current) she gets a decent size horse that started bucking as soon as one foot hit the stirrup, she managed to hang on for 2-3 mins, as an onlooker said it was like watching a rodeo, but was finally thrown over it's head, having not even got the other leg over. After she was thrown, her helmet came off, despite being tight & is a throwout now due to severe impact, she was shaken & bleeding, basically forced to remount & carry on. After a while with the horse still misbehaving, the guide took her horse & she took his. He was also having difficulty controlling it! :(

During this ride, the Guides horse threw a shoe, & my daughter was told to keep it on the grass verge, this was despite the verge being on a cliff edge! Needless to say she was concerned about this, but at only 16 yrs old she found it hard to complain & do otherwise.

She has been riding for some years & is jumping at intermediate level, I am seriously concerned & will make sure I have a full record in the accident books etc in case of further incidents.

I will update this post as the "holiday" continues, but paying £500 to be forced onto a horse that is uncontrollable isnt what I expect.

On a plus the food & rides are good, but hill rides are hard on the rider, so be fit! Evening entertainment is somewhat lacking & appears to be mostly watching TV or DVD's, room is shared with owners daughter & 1 other girl, guest house bathroom/shower is out of service "due to one girl passing on some kind of serious urinary infection" (why hasn't that been dealt with? maybe I will find out later)

Having spoken to the owner she claims that she cannot have uncontrollable horses, I beg to differ! :mad:

[Em 1]

I'm sorry your daughter is having such a horrible time - I hope she is okay after her fall!

I have to say it sounds as if things have changed a bit in the last couple of years which is a real pity. I did go for a beach ride that summer (2004) and had a lovely time with sane, well behaved horses. I do hope your daughter's holiday improves and she enjoys the rest of her week:)

[horse__obsessed]

Hangleton Farm in ferring is good although you cant stop until the horses at the front do!

[Cochise]

Yes, lots and lots! :) We have a great beach for it, firm packed sand, not many people, fairly tame sea, no big rocks or shingle, really long gallop run. :)

[abbiegirl]

hi em 1 just thought i-d mention that i am from wrexham too. not that confident to go galloping on the sands though :eek: very pleased that you found somewhere to go on a beach ride! arn-t the people on nr great!

[coverblown]

Oh god, now I don't know what to think.

My sister has booked a beach ride for us and our daughters at Kimmerston and I have to admit I am nervous about it. A former colleague was thrown from a horse on a beach ride before, at Holy Island,

However the brochure looks great and I was encouraged by what others have said - until I saw the post about your daughter's holiday, Shark 33.

Now we hardly ever ride out, nearly always in school safety, but have a bit of experience hacking, and my girl does xc; my sis has only ridden for 2 years and only hack, which they do lots. None of us own a horse.

This could be just the thing to get me over my nerves - or make me give up completely.....

[coverblown]

and this is a bit cross posted - sorry mods.

But I just wanted to add to this thread that the place is wonderful.

I phoned yesterday to let them know that we all needed steady horses. Then we all played down our riding experience on the forms. So we got just the right sort of horse. Ones that stood calm while all unloaded (yes, looking at vast stretches of sand...) And then were quite forward going when we asked - and came back to us when we asked for that too. Owner spotted quite quickly which of us were the more and less experienced (my daughter ended up with the jiggy pony, but loved him) and we all had a really really fantastic time. I would completely agree with the "forward going but safe" descriptions posted earlier.

Certainly recommended.

[ImaLittleBoston]

I would tell you a good beech, But you not about to fly out to canada, and ride for a few hours, then go home :P I myself cant find a decent beech to ride on because all of ours are public. But we do have to AMAZING trails down this way ^^ good luck beech hunting!
xx.k