Anyone been to Scottish Equi Complex?

[wannaBeRider]

I started riding 2 yrs ago at the age of 31. I just found this forum and love it. It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there starting later in life. It's so frustrating to watch the kids at my school progress so much faster than me. But I'm determined and I love it.

I'm going to Glasgow for business soon and have a free weekend there. I saw that the Scottish Equi Complex is near there and has weekend holidays with 4 hours of riding a day (combination of lessons and hacking out). Has anyone been there or on a holiday of this sort? Would it be a good experience for a relatively new rider like me? (Comfortable in the arena at walk. trot, canter, still a nervous jumper of very small jumps).

[Jenni]

Hi there .
I have visited it but have never actually stayed. Very clean and tidy.
I know a few people who have been for the weekend and have thouroghly enjoyed themselves. They were riders who were novice but not complete beginners. have a nice time if you decide to go.

[horsey1]

Hi
I have'nt been there, but my friend and I went for a week to www.ayrequestrian.co.uk and had a brilliant time, three hours riding each day, you can pick what you want to do, either hacking or schooling and they do weekends too :D
But I do fancy a wee shot at the equi complex as well tho :D

[Jenni]

i fancied the ayr equestrian too! But i do like the look of this scottish equi complex. Might have to drop a hint or two to hubby this xmas!!

[horsey1]

Good luck :D

[wannaBeRider]

thanks for your replies. :) I checked out the Ayr center. It looks nice too - with rides at the beach possible. Hmmm.... But it's further away from Glasgow and the Scottish Equi complex will pick me up. Hmmm....

[Wobblydeb]

Just a note - get as much riding / riding type exercise in beforehand as possible! :D I sometimes go on riding holidays and unless you've given your muscles plenty of exercise in advance, you'll be walking like John Wayne on days 3 and 4 :D You'll love it I bet - enjoy :D

[horsey1]

Just a note - get as much riding / riding type exercise in beforehand as possible! :D I sometimes go on riding holidays and unless you've given your muscles plenty of exercise in advance, you'll be walking like John Wayne on days 3 and 4 :D You'll love it I bet - enjoy :D

Thats exactly what my friend and I were like after a couple of days :D needed a crane I think to get off the horse :D

[horsey1]

thanks for your replies. :) I checked out the Ayr center. It looks nice too - with rides at the beach possible. Hmmm.... But it's further away from Glasgow and the Scottish Equi complex will pick me up. Hmmm....
I would give the equi complex a go then as its nearer :D.
Although the beach ride was fantastic at ayr but its a long hack to it

[Jenni]

scottish equi can arrange a beach ride just out at edinburgh for you.

[coverblown]

I went to Scottish Equi in June for a weekend. Just after the wrexham place closed down.

It was really good, and good value too. It depends how much you like hacking out. The hacks were pretty but just walk and trot (sorry on the first one we had a couple of very little canters).

The lessons were really really good - especially the first day - Saturday with Paul - he's a really good instructor. Second day was too wet to hack so we got a great jumping lesson - which to us is preferable to hacking out.

The horses were great - not at all ploddy, and really good to ride. I went with my daughter who is 14 but usually has to ride ponies. She was soooooo flattered to be given a "young ladies horse" - a delightful 15hh or so chestnut mare (am I mad?) called Scarlett (of course) with whom she has been in love ever since. Scarlett was for sale and Cait wishes every day that she could have been ours.

Take your own towels - we forgot...

[wannaBeRider]

Thanks for your reply. I think I'm going to book my trip :)

[vince42]

I ride there most weeks as an older new rider (does that make sense?). It's a good place for a learning holiday as the previous reply said Paul is an excellent instructor and their facilities are good.

It's a cheerful friendly place and you should have a good time. The town of Lanark is nice too, with a fair selection of places to eat and drink.

Hope you enjoy yourself.

Regards
Vince

[Jinete789]

I go to Scottish equi every couple of weeks and have also stayed there on a number of weekends.

I'm biased - but really love it for the following reasons:-

Paul and Lyndsay are both fab instructors.
All the staff are friendly and helpful.
Lots of lively horses, not your typical schoolies (although they have those too).
They were brilliant when I lost my confidence after a fall elsewhere.

On the downside the hacking is OK but not breathtaking and accommodation is basic but clean (+ v inexpensive).

Hope you enjoy it if you go!

[wannaBeRider]

Thanks for the info, Jinete. Have you ever been to the Ayr Equestrian center, and if so, how would you compare the two?

Anyone - how hard is it to get from Glasgow to the Ayr Equestrian center if you are a tourist with no car?

[horsey1]

Hi I'm sure you would be able to get a train or bus from Glasgow to Ayr, I would e-mail them and ask :D

[ponymadgal]

Heya i live in glasgow and have another house near the scottish equie complex!

[Jinete789]

Hi Wannaberider

I live in Ayrshire and used to ride at Ayr Equestrian regularly - it's nice too but I prefer Scottish Equi personally, just depends what you are looking for really. I stopped going to Ayr because it was difficult to get lessons in the indoor school at the weekend and I am not keen on hacking on roads - not that the roads are busy there, I just have a bit of a traffic/tractor phobia :eek: Having said that, everyone at Ayr is really friendly, it is very professionally run (the yard is cleaner than my house), the horses are calm, well cared for and good mannered and the beach ride is good once you get past the road work to get there. Accommodation at Ayr looks nice from the outside but I haven't stayed there. Understand it is self catering though so you would have a fair trek into Ayr to eat - hope someone who has stayed there can confirm this?

My personal preference for Scottish Equi is down to two things,
1: Both Paul and Lyndsay have an instructional style which really "clicks" with me, they are tough but fun, and Paul especially is a hoot :D
2: In general I would say I learn more from riding the horses there.

So I guess in summary I wouldn't say one was better than the other, they are both good in different ways.

On the travel front, did you know that Scottish Equi will arrange to pick you up from Glasgow or Edinburgh Airports/stations - don't know if this is useful for you? I expect Ayr would do the same at least from Ayr Station?

I hope this helps - shout if there is anything else I can help with

[wannaBeRider]

Thanks a bunch , Jinete, that really helps. I did see that the Scottish Equi complex would pick me up, which was one of the reasons I was leaning that way. I'm also very interested in good instruction with a couple of pretty hacks as well, so the instructors at the Equi complex sound great.

Thanks again for your help!

[Esther.D]

Stephen and I went for a 4 day residential course there and enjoyed it so would recommend it :)

[Jinete789]

Wannabe rider let us know how you get on - I might even be there when you go so can say hi!

I'm easy to spot- I'm usually the one face down in the arena sand next to the smirking appaloosa :D

[wannaBeRider]

I may very well join you face down in the sand. I'm fairly good at that myself :o . I'm trying to book my stay, but am having some difficulty contacting the complex by e-mail and their web-booking is not working. I guess I'll have to break down and call them. :rolleyes:

[horsey1]

When are you planning on going :D
Have a great time :D

[coverblown]

Yes, I recollect being underneath the smirking appy. Chiquita was the name, but she was lovely later on during the hack and I DID get straight back on her.

Those of you who ride regularly at Scottish Equi.... Is Scarlett still there? or already sold?

[wannaBeRider]

I'm planning on going the 1st and 2nd of October. I'm very much looking forward to my trip.

But, as mentioned above, I'm having some trouble contacting the complex. Jinete, if you happen to be in contact with them any time soon, can you ask them to check their e-mail and their online booking page? :)

[Esther.D]

Can I join you in the 'looking up at smirking appy' club? I also fell off Chiquita :D And had a painful reminder (although I also got straight back on) in the form of a broken coccyx :eek: as I landed on my bum on the road :rolleyes: I don't think Scottish Equi even realise this as it was my last day and I thought it was fine and even went jumping that afternoon..it wasn't until I couldn't get out of the car when I got home that I realised I had more than a bruised bum! A year later it finally stopped hurting :(

However Chiquita was lovely!

[Jinete789]

lol I haven't yet managed any "unplanned dismounts" from Chiquita - had quite a spectacular, rodeo style one from Dixie though! :D :eek:

Wannabe I will be at Scottish Equi on Sunday so will ask them to check their mail. They have been having problems with mail on and off for a while though.

Hope you enjoy it when you go!

Jin

[coverblown]

hi there, hate to reiterate, but a very interested daughter really really wants to know of any news on Scarlett? We guess she has been sold on.
Bet Chiquita hasn't. Fab mare.

[wannaBeRider]

My e-mail finally got through and my weekend at Scottish Equi Complex is scheduled. I'm looking forward to it :D

[coverblown]

when do you go?

[Jinete789]

AAH - sorry - just read your post about Scarlett. I thought she was sold and now a livery but that might be a lot of mince as we say here in Ayrshire. I will check when I go back in a couple of weeks but maybe Vince42 will be there before me and can update??

Wannaberider I did confirm with Maureen that their email has "gone haywire", they seem to be getting some mails and not others. If you haven't yet had a reply then it is worth remailling or giving them a bell :)

Also just to add that we were at Scottish Equi for the day yesterday and had a fab time, even though OH did go over the jumps in front of his horse - TWICE :D :D :D . I, however, gave the jumps a miss and pootled around on my "confidence giver" :cool:

Hope you manage to get through and make your booking

[cvb]

wannaBeRider

shame you're not here for longer, we could have tried for that elusive Scotland NR meet-up !

(And if you'd made it to perthshire, you could have said hi to another rider with a smirking appy mare - what IS it about those spotty horses :rolleyes: To be fair I should quickly say that I haven't hit the deck for some time now.)

More appies in Ardfern, but thats even further away :p

[coverblown]

where is Ardfern? Like in relation to Glasgow or Scottish Equi? Is it a good school?
Anne

[cvb]

its west coast between oban and lochgilphead - so a trip into the sticks...

[Jinete789]

I was at Scottish Equi yesterday where I bumped into Wannaberider and we had a good old gossip about all things equestrian and otherwise. Does this count as a meet-up? :D

CVB you are right we should so organise something for Scotland.

AAH update on Scarlett, I only got half the story right. She has been sold but is not there as a livery (apologies, I get horse-blindness between Scarlett, Troy and Firecracker, so thought I had seen her when I hadn't).

[coverblown]

Thanks Jinette, we guessed that she had been sold, she was just so so nice.
Anne

[wannaBeRider]

I enjoyed meeting Jinete on Sunday morning. As she said, we had quite a nice chat and an enjoyable hack. I'm glad I ran into her.

Riding there was a new experience for me as they consistently put me up on enormous horses. I'm used to riding 15 hand quarter crosses or morgans at my school. At Scottish Equi, they put me on 17 hand draft crosses - feels quite different. Stratus, a big grey brute, was quite a handful to ride. He didn't want to canter and would cut in sharply to evade when I asked him to. When I finally did get him to canter, he tucked his head under and went forward too much on the forehand. I'm sure he can do better, but I couldn't get it out of him. I rode a big lazy guy named Murphy on two hacks and a mare named Maribou (sp??) on the hack out with Jinete. I got along with Maribou fairly well, though she didn't much want to pick up the pace.

Though it was rainy and cold much of the time I was there, I got lucky in that every time we went out for a hack, it was sunny.

The scottish countryside was beautiful and overall, I quite enjoyed my trip.

[vince42]

Ah you met Maribou then, I often think she looks like she has to be dragged out by a tractor ;) but she's usually good for a hack and believe it or not she has a turn of pace when the mood hits her - yes I have seen it honest!
I've only ridden Stratus once and thought he was brilliant - willing and strong, but he was demanding with the aids, unless I got them exactly in the right spot he would pretty much ignore them, on the other hand, get it right and he's off.

Glad you enjoyed yourself and got lucky with the weather, sorry I missed you but I've been away from the place a couple of weeks.

[Jinete789]

Ahhh, poor Maribou - I feel I should defend her, wee (OK not so wee) soul ;) OK so she's not the keenest to get into the school, but she is pretty spook-proof (which is one of my main criteria, although I don't get to ride her 'cos I am a munchkin) :D

Mind you I can totally see wannaberider's point, sounds like most of the horses were two hands higher and 8 inches wider than at home. I went from riding a finer one (Dixie for those who know her), to a very wide if not tall one (Joseph) to get my confidence back after I had my wreck in Spain and I must say it did take some getting used to :eek:

Vince42 did you go on Paul's border ride on the September weekend? He was asking me about it but I bottled (big wuss) :o

[vince42]

No, didn't do the ride. That's one of the reasons I wasn't about as all the big horses were away :(

Anyway I'm still getting fit enough for it :o , haven't been much more than two hours at a time so far - maybe next year sigh....

[Jinete789]

From experience can confirm that the only way to get fit for a long ride is to do a long ride ouch ouch :eek: :eek: :eek: In fact I prefer to do a week's trail riding rather than a weekend as I find by the third day my muscles kind of give up protesting :rolleyes:

Seriously though, before I go for a riding holiday I always go to Scottish Equi for a day, which gives you four hours riding and a break for lunch, I find because you are schooling for part of this its actually harder work than trail riding (at least for me, as tend to slop about with reins like washing lines once out of the school ;).

[wannaBeRider]

I went for my usual midweek practice ride last night and discovered an unexpected benefit of my time riding in Scotland. I guess riding the larger horses and (somewhat) managing Stratus increased my confidence on my little Tucker back home. I've never felt so comfortable and at ease as I did on Tucker last night. It felt great and I had a wonderful ride. So I guess that's proof - challenging yourself with new experiences helps! :)

[Jinete789]

Good for you :) I find the same. The place in Wales where I rode during this summer changed your horse every few days, and at first I really hated it. (Having had a nightmare experience in Spain at Easter I was waiting for every change of horse to bring the nutbag who would tank off with me :eek: ). But by the third change I was quite cool with it all, and although you "click" more with some than with others it's true that every new horse you ride has something to teach you

Having said that, it sounds like Tucker have really bonded :)