Contessa/wellington/elsewhere

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chaps89

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Looking for somewhere I can have fairly regular lessons (fortnightly?) on a range of horses.
I'd like quality instruction, I'm not particularly interested in BHS training etc but want a bit more than just plodding round the school.
I live near Heathrow so Contessa and Wellington are the obvious ones springing to mind, but I can't find any recent reviews (I know the last year is probably a wipe out with covid anyway)
Don't know if anyone has any recent feedback or other suggestions, I'm happy to travel?
 
I can only comment on Contessa, which i would recommend. It is a bit far from me to go at all regularly but when I have been I really loved it, such welcoming and encouraging people with a great ethos around the training.
 
I went to contessa once, never ever again!
Ended up on a horse that was completely school sour, i’m used to sour horses but this one was so shut down i couldn’t even get a trot! Instructor told me to smack him repeatedly with the stick, im no bunny hugger but there is a limit to how much i am willing to get after a horse with a stick.
Ended up in frustrated tears, the instructor got on the horse and ended up beating him to get a trot. Was extremely uncomfortable to witness.

I learnt nothing at all from the lesson other than the fact I wouldn’t be returning
 
conniegirl said:
I went to contessa once, never ever again!
Ended up on a horse that was completely school sour, i’m used to sour horses but this one was so shut down i couldn’t even get a trot! Instructor told me to smack him repeatedly with the stick, im no bunny hugger but there is a limit to how much i am willing to get after a horse with a stick.
Ended up in frustrated tears, the instructor got on the horse and ended up beating him to get a trot. Was extremely uncomfortable to witness.

I learnt nothing at all from the lesson other than the fact I wouldn’t be returning
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Wow, I am actually shocked to read this, did you feed this back to the owner of the place? I can't believe this was something she would tolerate.
 
Wildwoods near Epsom used to be quite good with a few Stg 3 jumping horses - and a good range of proper sized Irish sports horses rather than just cobs.
 
conniegirl said:
I went to contessa once, never ever again!
Ended up on a horse that was completely school sour, i’m used to sour horses but this one was so shut down i couldn’t even get a trot! Instructor told me to smack him repeatedly with the stick, im no bunny hugger but there is a limit to how much i am willing to get after a horse with a stick.
Ended up in frustrated tears, the instructor got on the horse and ended up beating him to get a trot. Was extremely uncomfortable to witness.

I learnt nothing at all from the lesson other than the fact I wouldn’t be returning
Click to expand...
 
I went over a year ago and had instruction from Dawn who was a really good teacher I had also previously had the Spanish guy who was also good but when I called to book she’s no longer there apparently made redundant so probably won’t go back my friend rides there so more suited to novices now it’s gone downhill
 
Eliza430 said:
I went over a year ago and had instruction from Dawn who was a really good teacher I had also previously had the Spanish guy who was also good but when I called to book she’s no longer there apparently made redundant so probably won’t go back my friend rides there so more suited to novices now it’s gone downhill
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That's interesting, according to their website it's the opposite - it looks like they're focussing much more on schoolmaster lessons now since covid?
 
The young girl my friend has is a trainee who teaches some walk and trotting lessons but the other lady who is Nickie teaches at the weekends is a BHS assistant instructor but is really not experienced I’m sure as I’ve seen some dodgy videos as she has a teaching page which were really poor I have ridden at Novice level on my own horse a few years ago and really wouldn’t consider a lesson with her .
 
chaps89 said:
Looking for somewhere I can have fairly regular lessons (fortnightly?) on a range of horses.
I'd like quality instruction, I'm not particularly interested in BHS training etc but want a bit more than just plodding round the school.
I live near Heathrow so Contessa and Wellington are the obvious ones springing to mind, but I can't find any recent reviews (I know the last year is probably a wipe out with covid anyway)
Don't know if anyone has any recent feedback or other suggestions, I'm happy to travel?
Click to expand...

Contessa is only running lessons on their advanced schoolmasters, they sold off a lot of their horses at the start of last year. They were struggling (openly, was on their social media) long before Covid hit.

Wellington is fantastic in some ways but comes at the expense of others if that makes sense? Know it well, and occasionally does my head in, NOT on the coaching/horses side I will say. DM me if you'd like a current review!

Wildwoods, CRA at Goodwood, Quob would all be in traveling distance too. If you're wanting proper schoolmasters consider Talland.
 
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teapot said:
Contessa is only running lessons on their advanced schoolmasters, they sold off a lot of their horses at the start of last year. They were struggling (openly, was on their social media) long before Covid hit.

Wellington is fantastic in some ways but comes at the expense of other ways if that makes sense? Know it well, and occasionally does my head in, NOT on the coaching/horses side I will say. DM me if you'd like a current review!

Wildwoods, CRA at Goodwood, Quob would all be in traveling distance too. If you're wanting proper schoolmasters consider Talland.
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Talland is fab I’ve been several times and really felt I learnt something there advanced horses are lovely and even though I prefer Tb or Irish types like my old event horse the warmbloods were responsive and forward . I just really need somewhere nearer to North London will check out Wellington if I get a weekend away
 
Eliza430 said:
Talland is fab I’ve been several times and really felt I learnt something there advanced horses are lovely and even though I prefer Tb or Irish types like my old event horse the warmbloods were responsive and forward . I just really need somewhere nearer to North London will check out Wellington if I get a weekend away
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You'll struggle to find a Talland-eske place closer to London. Not sure what Trent Park is like these days?
 
No thanks to Trent , used to ride there years ago and seriously they don’t have the level of horses although I’ve heard they have some Spanish or Lusitanos now so maybe worth a retry. Does Dawn from contessa teach anywhere else she really had me doing great things .
 
Talland might be too far but I've only had good lessons there. Currently riding there again after losing my horse and subsequently having a fairly long break. The horse I was put on was a decent quality schoolmaster and the instructor was kind and encouraging, I'm looking forward to having some regular lessons again.
 
Eliza430 said:
No thanks to Trent , used to ride there years ago and seriously they don’t have the level of horses although I’ve heard they have some Spanish or Lusitanos now so maybe worth a retry. Does Dawn from contessa teach anywhere else she really had me doing great things .
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Check the website, or maybe ask? I've never heard a bad word re Contessa personally.
 
teapot said:
Contessa is only running lessons on their advanced schoolmasters, they sold off a lot of their horses at the start of last year. They were struggling (openly, was on their social media) long before Covid hit.

Wellington is fantastic in some ways but comes at the expense of others if that makes sense? Know it well, and occasionally does my head in, NOT on the coaching/horses side I will say. DM me if you'd like a current review!

Wildwoods, CRA at Goodwood, Quob would all be in traveling distance too. If you're wanting proper schoolmasters consider Talland.
Click to expand...

That's really helpful, thankyou.
I ride my share horse at advanced medium, but he's the only 1 I've ever ridden to that level, so my hope is to gain more experience on more horses at that sort of level.
That said, it doesn't even necessarily have to be riding the advanced movements, I'd be happy doing lunge lessons in walk if needed, so long as the horses weren't school sour and neither are the instructors!
I don't have my own horse any more so no access to my instructor sadly, so figured I may as well put some of the extra money I have now to good use and some really good quality tuition. It doesn't even really have to be classical dressage as such, just good proper horsemanship would be my absolute preference.

I'd forgotten about Talland. They're a bit far away really but certainly another option to explore.
 
I had a lesson there recently would never go back. Instructor pretty much sat on her phone the whole time - was put on a horse that was absolutely sick of schooling clearly I was just told to kick kick kick and given a crop he seemed very uncomfortable. She just sat there saying kick him
didn’t tel me if I was on the right diagonal etc learnt absolutely nothing. Complete waste of money. Shame as has such a great reputation was really excited to have my lesson I’m unsure if standards have slipped but I’ve had a few different instructors elsewhere and never had come away feeling that I learnt nothing. I also thought it was quite rude and lazy to just sit on the side on your phone every time I look up and give the odd pop him in canter now etc not what you expect for the money paid.
 
Who was the coach my problem is I went and had great coaching from Dawn but she is no longer there so now am riding my sisters event horse until I can find a place to go I’m looking at Wellington as someone previously suggested.
 
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