Cross country course in Hampshire, UK

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ponymad36

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Hi, please could you all help me?! I'm looking for a cross country course in hampshire around winchester/southampton where me and 2/3 others could ride. My 2 other friends who would come have thier own horse, but I don't. I was wondering if there were any courses that had horses you could 'borrow'? It's not urgent, but if you know any please let me know! Also, if you know of any stables that would let you take one of their horses to a different course? We could probably provide our own transport, but not a definate!! Thank you :)!
 
Pinkmead Equestrian Center is near Southampton. I think they have a XC course and they are a riding school...
 
Firewell said:
Pinkmead Equestrian Center is near Southampton. I think they have a XC course and they are a riding school...
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This - my uni riding club used to go there and I had a couple of lessons out on their xc course :)
If I understand what you're asking correctly though, I v v much doubt you'd be allowed to use one of their horses and just take it on the xc with your mates though, it would have to be part of a lesson and you may have to have a few lessons with them first so they would know you are capable. I doubt you'd find anywhere that would just hire you a horse to take xc - far too much risk involved...
 
duckling said:
This - my uni riding club used to go there and I had a couple of lessons out on their xc course :)
If I understand what you're asking correctly though, I v v much doubt you'd be allowed to use one of their horses and just take it on the xc with your mates though, it would have to be part of a lesson and you may have to have a few lessons with them first so they would know you are capable. I doubt you'd find anywhere that would just hire you a horse to take xc - far too much risk involved...
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pinkmead do have a course - but they dont hire it out as the fields are too boggy in winter and they turn horses out there in summer - the only time you can use it is on their two x-c schooling days a year last weekend and one in september and their two hunter trials next weekend and 1 in september. i dont really like this course although its great for just getting started but i have never found the ground to be good there :(

three maids is a very good schooling course lots of questions with heights for all and you can hire it pretty much all year however they dont have horses you can hire so perhaps you could borrow from a friend

another course i really rate is FairOak at Rogate petersfield, the course is always immaculate and has something for everyone the ground is brilliant 98% of the time but again they dont have horses to hire

quob in durley have a small x-c course they hire out just up the road from them and they are also a riding school but as said above i dont rekon they would lend you a horse to go x-country schooling on with your friends unless you were a regular rider with them, but dont quot me you could always ring to enquire, where are you currently riding?
 
Tenantry Farm, Rockbourne is the other side of Fordingbridge, about 25 miles from Southampton. There are some great jumps, a fab water complex and suitable for babies through to about 3'6". Plus there is the full ride, which is about 7 miles across farmland. Worth a look.
 
Okay, will check some these out! Thank you! :) might be able to use a friends' pony now anyway!! Have any of you ridden/ know someone that has ridden at Compton XC Course in West sussex? Just it looks quite good, but not sure what the ground/jumps are like?
 
LeannePip said:
pinkmead do have a course - but they dont hire it out as the fields are too boggy in winter and they turn horses out there in summer - the only time you can use it is on their two x-c schooling days a year last weekend and one in september and their two hunter trials next weekend and 1 in september. i dont really like this course although its great for just getting started but i have never found the ground to be good there :(

three maids is a very good schooling course lots of questions with heights for all and you can hire it pretty much all year however they dont have horses you can hire so perhaps you could borrow from a friend

another course i really rate is FairOak at Rogate petersfield, the course is always immaculate and has something for everyone the ground is brilliant 98% of the time but again they dont have horses to hire

quob in durley have a small x-c course they hire out just up the road from them and they are also a riding school but as said above i dont rekon they would lend you a horse to go x-country schooling on with your friends unless you were a regular rider with them, but dont quot me you could always ring to enquire, where are you currently riding?
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I currently ride at Stockbridge Riding school nr Winchester and have been riding for 8 years! :)
 
Compton used to be very good but I haven't been there in years. Isn't there another UK Chasers course just north of Winchester? That was quite good too. The other obvious one is Tweseldown which is open all year and easy to get to from Winchester. Rogate is excellent too.
 
Rowreach said:
Compton used to be very good but I haven't been there in years. Isn't there another UK Chasers course just north of Winchester? That was quite good too. The other obvious one is Tweseldown which is open all year and easy to get to from Winchester. Rogate is excellent too.
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Tweseldown looks very good actually, will suggest it to my friends- Thanks!! :)
 
Another vote for Three Maids - it's great. Big schooling field at the start with quite a range of jumps, water and ditches etc. all within the one field, and then the course itself. Really cheap too!
 
Doesn't marwell have an XC? It's a few years since I've been out riding round that way but they used to have a little RS and might be an option but I don't know if you'd be able to go just 'borrow' a horse without having ridden there a fair few times first!
Oasis, out Hedge End way, would lend out horses - I was just handed one to enter a CR SJ they were holding, hopped on and had a lovely ride but they'd never seen me ride before and quite happy to chuck me up on board (my friend was doing work exp there at the time but still...thought it very trusting!) however I dont think they have any XC facilities?
 
Rogate is my fav course

Compton is ok.... The short course only has small logs etc really, in interesting combinations. There long course is more of a hack with short combinations of a few fences every mile or so.
 
@AprilBlossom, ahh right does the oasis in hedge end place have a website?

Also, does anybody know of any photographers that would come out to one of these courses, that is quite cheap!! (Just would really like some professional shots!) it wouldn't be for the whole day, maybe an hour or so? And preferably pay on the day rather than in advance!! Thanks :D
 
I don't know Ponymad - I'd suggest google will prove a useful tool for you...

To be honest, you are asking an awful lot and I'd say it's unlikely you're going to get what you want esp wanting pro photos too. Good luck though, I hope you manage to find some sort of solution! :)
 
@squiz22, that website helps a lot- thanks!

Does any of these courses suggested have a time limit (eg 2 hours) or are they for the day? And if they are for the day, can you eat on site- I think at Compton you can, just wondering if anybody has actually asked/done it on the others :) thanks for all the suggestions!! :D
 
Have a look at UK Chasers, there are loads of cross country courses in the area you are interested in.

Dean Farm is my favourite, there are loads of jumps all different sizes and its a super course to ride around. You wont be able to hire a horse there though, but like others have said you wouldnt be able to just 'borrow' a horse from a riding school and take it cross country anyway.

Also Wellington in Hook (Hampshire) have a super course, although its not in use all year round - you would need to phone and find out when its open. They are a riding school/training centre aswell so they would be able to give you a lesson round the course on one of their horses which is a great experience.
 
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