KentOsteo
Active Member
Hi! Anyone know of someone/somewhere who offers lessons on a schoolmaster type? My own horse has now retired and I'm unlikely to get another in the near future but have realised how much I miss 'proper' riding!
Dressage Lessons on Schoolmaster Cambridgeshire?
- Thread starter KentOsteo
- Start date
spacie1977
Well-Known Member
Whereabouts are you? Cambridgeshire is pretty big 
KentOsteo
Active Member
Anywhere! Or surrounding counties. Not something I'd be doing everyday so happy to travel
spacie1977
Well-Known Member
Haven't heard of anywhere within Cambridgeshire. I was looking myself a little while ago. You could try this
http://www.alexandradowning.co.uk/?page_id=2 but don't know if she teaches on her own horses.
There's Pinelodge in Norwich, and Contessa riding school in Hertfordshire is apparently very good.
http://www.alexandradowning.co.uk/?page_id=2 but don't know if she teaches on her own horses.
There's Pinelodge in Norwich, and Contessa riding school in Hertfordshire is apparently very good.
Steorra
Well-Known Member
I’m in Cambridge and in a similar situation *waves*. My horse retired a few years ago and I’ve had various shares/rides/lessons since. Would sharing be an option for you? I’ve found that as a basically competent and confident rider I’m in demand and have been lucky enough to ride some lovely horses.
I had lessons at Sawston Riding School on-and-off for a few years. They don’t have advanced schoolmasters, but are lovely people, and most of the horses are working liveries so have lives outside the school. The better-schooled horses will work correctly when asked and know leg-yield, shoulder-in, lengthening and shortening, walk-to-canter etc. Some enjoy jumping but nothing very big or complicated. The greener horses are all actively brought on by the instructors and more experienced riders, which can be interesting to join in with, too. While they don’t have any fancy or very sophisticated horses, they aren’t your stereotypical nose-to-tail, canter to the back of the ride type of school either.
Tessa Frost at Hall Farm in Waterbeach has an interest in classical dressage, gives good lunge lessons, and has horses capable of more complex work (direct transitions, counter canter, simple changes, leg-yield, shoulder-in, a bit of travers/ half-pass, efforts at collection and mediums). Does that count as schoolmaster level to you, ie, working at about elementary but knowing a few more advanced movements? I got quite a lot out of lunge lessons but stopped riding there after a while because Tessa has an “ask for every stride” philosophy that isn’t really me. I’m used to more generous types and felt like I was nagging. However, it does mean she has safe, calm horses who stop as soon as you aren’t telling them to go.
I’ve heard good things about Hilltop in Yelling but haven’t tried it out.
The nearest options for real schoolmaster lessons – on horses working at medium to GP – seem to be Contessa and Pine Lodge. I was rather put off Contessa after asking for opinions in the Tack Room section of the forum. Perhaps you could search for the thread. I have no direct experience though so might be being unfair. Pine Lodge in Norwich was highly recommended but is a bit too far and expensive for me to ride there often. I keep meaning to book a lesson as a treat.
One final thought! This wouldn’t be everyone’s cup-of-tea by any means, but Sylvia Loch has just moved to Suffolk and is offering lessons on her classically trained dressage stallion. I think she has a pretty long waiting list but when things have quietened down a bit I’m planning to ask if she’ll let me have a lesson. There are details on the Classical Riding Club website.
I had lessons at Sawston Riding School on-and-off for a few years. They don’t have advanced schoolmasters, but are lovely people, and most of the horses are working liveries so have lives outside the school. The better-schooled horses will work correctly when asked and know leg-yield, shoulder-in, lengthening and shortening, walk-to-canter etc. Some enjoy jumping but nothing very big or complicated. The greener horses are all actively brought on by the instructors and more experienced riders, which can be interesting to join in with, too. While they don’t have any fancy or very sophisticated horses, they aren’t your stereotypical nose-to-tail, canter to the back of the ride type of school either.
Tessa Frost at Hall Farm in Waterbeach has an interest in classical dressage, gives good lunge lessons, and has horses capable of more complex work (direct transitions, counter canter, simple changes, leg-yield, shoulder-in, a bit of travers/ half-pass, efforts at collection and mediums). Does that count as schoolmaster level to you, ie, working at about elementary but knowing a few more advanced movements? I got quite a lot out of lunge lessons but stopped riding there after a while because Tessa has an “ask for every stride” philosophy that isn’t really me. I’m used to more generous types and felt like I was nagging. However, it does mean she has safe, calm horses who stop as soon as you aren’t telling them to go
.I’ve heard good things about Hilltop in Yelling but haven’t tried it out.
The nearest options for real schoolmaster lessons – on horses working at medium to GP – seem to be Contessa and Pine Lodge. I was rather put off Contessa after asking for opinions in the Tack Room section of the forum. Perhaps you could search for the thread. I have no direct experience though so might be being unfair. Pine Lodge in Norwich was highly recommended but is a bit too far and expensive for me to ride there often. I keep meaning to book a lesson as a treat.
One final thought! This wouldn’t be everyone’s cup-of-tea by any means, but Sylvia Loch has just moved to Suffolk and is offering lessons on her classically trained dressage stallion. I think she has a pretty long waiting list but when things have quietened down a bit I’m planning to ask if she’ll let me have a lesson. There are details on the Classical Riding Club website.
Tobiano
Well-Known Member
I was just going to say about Sylvia Loch too but I also have a big vote for Pine Lodge - I am very lucky as I only live a mile away and I go there a lot - if you do make the trip to Norwich Sue will make you incredibly welcome - give her a ring and talk it through ahead of time so she knows what will work for you. PL has some customers who come from Yorkshire!