Beginner Adult Male Rider in London Area - help.

[Zealah]

My big brother has finally been bitten by the horse bug.

Thanks in part to spending the last year helping his girlfriend out with her retired arab and also my new warmblood mare. I've been giving him lessons on her when he's come home and he's getting on great (he did ride when he was younger but never took to it.)

Only problem is he lives in London and i'm in yorkshire. He wants to have regualr lessons but finding a yard that has a horse that can carry a man is proving to be difficult. Everywhere we've spoken has a weight limit of 12.5 stone.

My bro spent most of his life playing rugby so I'm guessing he's 13 - 13.5 stone.

Does anyone know of a yard that caters for men? Or someone looking for a sharer as He would always he going to ride with his girlfirend.

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

[MontyandZoom]

Have you tried Lea Valley riding school in East London? Where abouts is he. There is a nice riding school in Hayes that has a weight carrying horse for lessons. I'm in West London so I know a few round this way.

 

[amycamycamyc]

Lea Valley has a few weight carrying cobs, and Trent Park in North London has a c18hh beast that actually isn't that heavyweight and very responsive to ride. I wouldn't pay toooo much attention to the stated weight limits as well, I suspect when a paying customer comes along, as long as they aren't MASSIVE, they'll find a way to accommodate it. And esp as he presumably won't be jumping straight away!

 

[PeterNatt]

Try the Wormood Scrubs Pony Centre behind Wormwood Scrubbs Prison. They have a massive indoor arena (built by the Ask Anika Programme!).

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

Chessington Equestrian Centre is worth a go- it is run by a husband and wife team, and they do hirelings for the Surrey Union so should have some heavy weight horses...

 

[berry]

Kingston equestrian centre would prob have something. If not Silvermere in weybridge/cobham way have a weight limit of 15 1/2 stone. Its a bit of a drive but if he wants to ride at weekends it would make a nice mornin/afternoon thing x.

 

[Kat]

Surely any riding school imposing a 12 and a half stone weight limit is going to massively loose business???

You don't have to be very overweight or very tall to exceed that. 12 stone is top end of normal for someone of 5'8", and hubby would look like a rake if he went below 12.5 stone!

We ride in a riding school and at over 13.5 stone hubby doesn't have any problems. He is now a fairly experienced rider and rides quite light enabling him to ride MW cobs, but they have two good maxi-cobs that would carry anything, a pure ID that is great for big beginners, and a collection of ISHs of various weights and various levels.

The choice of horse might be a little more limited, there are only perhaps 9 horses that he can ride comfortably, but that is plenty of choice. The choice would narrow to probably three for a novice of that weight when you take into account the standard of the horse and the weight carrying ability.

I'd call round a few schools, check out the BHS website for approved yards, tell them that whilst not overweight he is a man and do they have any HW cobs or hunter types.