Berkshire Riding schools - help please!

Michelleski

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Sep 24, 2004
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Reading, Berks, UK
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Hello all - havent posted here since November last year - which incidentally is when I returned to full time work, and when I stopped having riding lessons! I didnt have many but got to canter a few times which was great. I then went on a weekend holiday to the equestrian centre, improved no end and learnt to jump 2'6... Anyway, I want to go back to lessons and wondered if anyone has any experience of riding schools in Berkshire. My lessons were previously at Bearwood Riding Centre but they are booked solid and the teachers I used to have dont teach private lessons at the weekend (their group lessons were pretty advanced so I couldnt join them either!). I tried a lesson at Cullinghood nr Pangbourne, but found it difficult on the plod of a horse (great instructor though) and they didnt have an indoor school. I have heard Hall Place nr Reading is good, but having done a search hear they have concrete pillars in the indoor school to support the roof - nasty if you fall off into them! Berks Riding Centre in Winkfield is BHS approved but I cant find any info, Wellington seems as expensive as Hall Place (£50 per 1 hour private lesson).

I dont want to do competitions and stuff I just want to be able to ride competantly and go for the occassional hack on holiday etc.

Has anybody got any recommendations?

Thanks in advance
Michelle
 
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I have used Hall Place, Cullinghood and Wellington and personally prefer Cullinghood. I have only ridden in the indoor school at Hall Place once but I don't seem to remember the pillars being a problem. Why don't you try them out and see what you think? Do you have to ride in the indoor school, you could ride in the outdoor one?
 
...thanks Becca. I think I just prefer the idea of being able to ride indoors if its peeing down with rain or something (and thats only because I wear glasses and outside in the rain on the back of a horse wearing glasses is no fun!). I am considering trying them all out but hoped I could gain some feedback from here first. I'm still picking myself up off the floor re price!
 
Michelleski said:
thats only because I wear glasses and outside in the rain on the back of a horse wearing glasses is no fun!)

A fairweather rider hey......get out there girl!!!! :D I do understand as I wear glasses and it is a pain when its peeing it down.

I can't believe the prices of lessons nowadays, I used to pay about £18 per hour for a private when I learnt to ride!
 
LOL - I did my first hack in the pouring rain, and it wasnt too bad. Glasses are a total pain. By the end of a half hour lessons they are starting to steam up! So God knows what im going to do in an hour long lesson (Hall Place for example dont do shorter lessons - and i'd prefer longer anyway).

Berkshire Riding Centre in Winkfield (nr Windsor-ish) is much cheaper than the places in and around Reading. I might consider going there just to keep the cost down!
 
There's a few riding schools out near Windsor (where I am) the Spanish Bit and Hyer Park Farm. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with them - as the school where I used to ride, Blacknest Gate, is no longer a riding school and is just a livery yard.
 
Ive also ridden at Cullinghood :D Its like my second home! I used to go up there for holidays every chance I had. Its good, but I wouldnt say fantastic but I couldnt stop going once I had been there for 9yrs! The horses are lovely though :D

Jo
 
As time2groom has mentioned, the Spanish Bit is a riding school in Berks. Before I began sharing, it was my riding school for over a year and I loved it (as quite a few people on here know, I can sing it's praises for longer than you can listen! :D)

Really, I love it there. The horses are lovely, they're all well looked after and happy. They have great staff - everyone's really friendly and the instructors are great. The facilites are great too, there's an indoor school (for the adult lessons!) and an outdoor school where the kids ride. The hacking is great too.

I really would recommend it. Even though leaving was my decision (so I could share) I really miss the Spanish Bit. I'm planning to go back there for a hack sometime to see everyone and see all the horses!
 
With regards to the glasses - I fyou can't find anywhere with an indoor school, is there anyway you can just take them off for the hour you ride? Or could you get contacts? I don't ride in my glasses (I'm petrified they'll fall off and break) and for some reason, my eyesight seems better (Might be becuase I'm concentrating on the lesson, not my inability to see). Though sometimes I do have to mentally remind myself of which letters are where...
 
...I cant not ride in my glasses - I am minus 6.75 in both eyes! ...and because of whats wrong with my eyes, i'm not suitable for contact lenses either. Obviously contacts would be the answer, but my optician says no way (and he's right). It would be dangerous to ride without glasses - I cant see right in front of my face without glasses, so have no hope of seeing letters around the school! I dont go swimming because I cant see without glasses! Aarrrgggh!

Michelle.
 
Hey,
I know it may seem a bit expensive but wellington is great! I learnt how to ride there and rode there for 6yrs they have a really great range of horses and i can garauntee they'll find a horse that's really good for you and you can request it for your lessons. I rode the same horse there for about a year it was really good.
The instructors are all really nice and know what they're talking about they also never treat you like you are stupid or that your not as good of a rider than what you actually are, I was never forced to do anything there but they will really encourage you to have a go and I think that's what made me so confident.
I know you'll probably be wanting private lessons but i reccomend group lessons they give you a chance to socialise and the people in your group usually support and encourage the other riders, hacks are great too :D ! I wasn't too keen on the idea of them at first but I found it was more fun because you got to show, what became friends aswell as other riders in the group, how much you're progressing.
Oh yeh, the facilities are great too!, they have 5 outdoor school one of which is for showjumping, another for beginners, another for xc (xc jumps in it and leads to grassy bit with more jumps), another which is the international arena where they sometimes hold competetions and another normal one used for anything they're two indoor schools one which is average sized and joins onto the nosebag(restaurant thingy) where peolpe can watch you and then there's the duke's hall and is absolutely massive and great to ride in!! Oh and not forgetting the fabolous hacking all around it with xc jumps including ditches, steps, palacades etc scattered around them.

Hope I've helped,
Meegan :)
 
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Id really reccomend the spanish bit too! :D Ive been riding there for 3 weeks and already my riding has improved no end!
The horses and ponies are great, there's something to suit everyone, and i found that they placed me in the right group almost immediately!
And prices arent tooo rediculously expensive.
(And theres a nice big indoor arena!)
They do have a website www.spanishbit.co.uk i think!
 
...thanks for all of your great replys. I had discounted Wellington this time round because they were sooo expensive last year, but seeing as Hall Place and Spanish Bit are both £50 an hour for a private lesson should really find out Wellington prices this time round too.

I intend sorting something out this week, so hopefully I will be back riding again by the weekend! I will let you know where I try and how I get on.

Thanks again
Michelle.
 
There is a fantastic little riding school called Santalina in Wokingham (Doles Lane) which is not far from Bearwood. Although they don't have an indoor school they do have fantastically forward going, responsive horses who are not like the normal ploddy riding school type. They are very reasonable and if you ask for a private lesson with Debbie (the owner) you won't be dissapointed. Everyone is really friendly and as I say the horses are fantastic but they don't have an indoor school.

I would also go back to Cullinghood and ask for a more forward going horse. They take great pride in safety and have some very slow steady types for beginners but if you are more experienced or want more of a challenge they do have some more forward going ones as well. Although they don't have an indoor school, they are thinking about building one, and the outdoor school is so huge there is never a problem with space. The lessons are fairly resonable as well.

I went to an in-hand show in the indoor school at Hall Place a few weeks ago, and although there are concrete pillars in the school, they are covered with padding and shouldn't cause a problem. Personally I didn't think that the lessons there were up to much (I had one about 2 years ago) but they might have improved. It is a very friendly place though.

I looked at Wellington a while ago but just couldn't afford it, and there was am element of snobbery about the place. The horses looked good but don't get much turnout and I think that they are used quite a bit.

I looked at Bearwood, but was greated in the office by the yard manager smoking a fag and looking like she really didn't care if I booked a lesson or not, so I walked away (again a few years ago). There is another yard called Cloud Stables which is just down the road from Bearwood which is supposed to be OK but I haven't been there myself.

I also went for a lesson at a place called Checkendon Equestrain Centre (off the A4074 towards Oxford). That may be worth a look (although again no indoor school) but it was probably the smartest, cleanest riding school I have ever been to.

Overall, I would go to either Santalina or Cullinghood.
 
Michelleski said:
...I cant not ride in my glasses - I am minus 6.75 in both eyes! ...and because of whats wrong with my eyes, i'm not suitable for contact lenses either. Obviously contacts would be the answer, but my optician says no way (and he's right). It would be dangerous to ride without glasses - I cant see right in front of my face without glasses, so have no hope of seeing letters around the school! I dont go swimming because I cant see without glasses! Aarrrgggh!

Michelle.

Ok, maybe not then, sorry!

Hope you find the right place!
 
Berkshire Riding centre Ltd

Full details on Berkshire Riding Centre Ltd can be found at www.brc.uk.com - of not too late!!

BRC
Hello all - havent posted here since November last year - which incidentally is when I returned to full time work, and when I stopped having riding lessons! I didnt have many but got to canter a few times which was great. I then went on a weekend holiday to the equestrian centre, improved no end and learnt to jump 2'6... Anyway, I want to go back to lessons and wondered if anyone has any experience of riding schools in Berkshire. My lessons were previously at Bearwood Riding Centre but they are booked solid and the teachers I used to have dont teach private lessons at the weekend (their group lessons were pretty advanced so I couldnt join them either!). I tried a lesson at Cullinghood nr Pangbourne, but found it difficult on the plod of a horse (great instructor though) and they didnt have an indoor school. I have heard Hall Place nr Reading is good, but having done a search hear they have concrete pillars in the indoor school to support the roof - nasty if you fall off into them! Berks Riding Centre in Winkfield is BHS approved but I cant find any info, Wellington seems as expensive as Hall Place (£50 per 1 hour private lesson).

I dont want to do competitions and stuff I just want to be able to ride competantly and go for the occassional hack on holiday etc.

Has anybody got any recommendations?

Thanks in advance
Michelle
 
Right on the Berkshire/Hampshire border is Rycroft where I currently ride. It IS expensive and the woman who runs the place (the owner's daughter) is very conservartive when it comes to horsing riders, but I see that as a good thing (no matter how frustrating it may be). It's BHS approved and is an exam centre and has an indoor arena, an outdoor arena (lit), two cross country arenas and fabulous hacking with almost no roadwork.

I like their horses and (most of) their instructors but they do tend to favour owners.

T
 
By the end of a half hour lessons they are starting to steam up! So God knows what im going to do in an hour long lessonQUOTE]

I have a solution!
If its raining and your glasses steam up.. i don't think theirs a cure.. But if your in the indoor school and they start to steam up.. Before you go riding, put a teeny splodge of fairy liquid on them (just a tiny bit) rub it in a little, then wipe it off , my sister does it before she goes and it works a treat :)
 
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