Do any of you ride/live/keep your horses in the Forest of Dean?

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fatbird

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As title really.... We are relocating to the south west and considering the Forest of Dean/Wye valley areas. Is it as easy as it looks to reach good accessible hacking? What are the best places to be, or any to avoid? Any local advice would be appreciated, thanks. (Have also posted in south-west area but no response from there yet)
 
No idea but I'm also relocating there in august so will be interested in the replies! (Will actually be living in Gloucester as my job is the other side of the Severn but OH works in monmouth)
 
Try posting in Gloucestershire Horse Riders on facebook. I'm closer to central Glos than The Forest, I have been meaning to trailer up to the FOD for hacking as there are supposed to be good bridleways :) I think ODFRC is one of the local riding clubs and they do some competitions around Speech House
 
I'm about an hour away so only know of events in the area (quite a few nice fun rides) but Wye Valley and Forest of Dean riding clubs are very active. It might be worth having a look on their websites for contact details and asking them for any ideas?
 
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Thanks everyone, some helpful contacts there which I will definitely follow up. We are hoping to find a house with facilities to keep the horses at home and it would be a great help to be able to focus the search on some recommended areas.
 
I live in fod, and have moved my horses around a bit too. The majority of places in the forest have excellent hacking, there are some areas with restricted forest access. It's quite a large area, so my answer is little vague,as it depends which part of the forest you are looking at moving too? Iive in bream and the hacking is excellent, so are surrounding areas like yorkley, clearwell, Newland Staunton. I currently keep mine in Longhope on a lovely yard, but hacking is awful!
 
Thanks that's helpful.
We haven't found a house yet but if I know the best places for hacking, and the worst, it will help with the search. We have looked at Bream, Blakeney and Coleford/Berry Hill but it's not easy to tell where to find the best access to forest routes, and as most of my riding is hacking I want to get it right!
How easy is it to find instructors, farriers, good vets etc?
 
Very easy to find instructors, farriers etc. Vets are mostly small animal. But very good equine vets in surrounding areas just outside forest. I work for a veterinary association so can give you good advice on who to use! I don't come on here very often, so pm me if you want further advice on areas. Berry Hill is a great area for riding. Coleford it's self isn't because of all the main roads surrounding. I'm on Facebook if you want to add me - just pm me and I will send you my full name.
 
shell1978 said:
Very easy to find instructors, farriers etc. Vets are mostly small animal. But very good equine vets in surrounding areas just outside forest. I work for a veterinary association so can give you good advice on who to use! I don't come on here very often, so pm me if you want further advice on areas. Berry Hill is a great area for riding. Coleford it's self isn't because of all the main roads surrounding. I'm on Facebook if you want to add me - just pm me and I will send you my full name.
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Hello I am looking to move to FOD area but looking for DIY livery for 4 horses 2 to be stabled and 2 for grass livery anyone know where I could start looking for prices please thanks
 
Whereabouts are you looking to move to and are you on facebook? there's a Forest of Dean Equine group that would be a good starting point to ask your question, depending on where in the forest you could also try Gloucestershire Horse Riders (if out toward Newent, for example, that opens out your options quite a bit).
 
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