East Soley as a venue?

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dressage_diva

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Anyone competed at East Soley? Looking at going to do some BD there soon but never been to it and just wondering what it's like as a venue? Do they run multiple arenas? Do they do any refreshments?
 
I'e only been to ES once and i t was a lovely family run venue, the daughter of the owners was about 7/8 and was reading tests for people, she was a very lovely girl and there was nice cake too if i remember!

Don't think they had facilities to run more than one ring unless they have grass ones they use? when i went it was a nice outdoor warm up with tests in a big indoor.
 
They only have two arenas so will only run one competition arena. If long arena tests then warmup indoors, test outdoors, short arena will be warmup outdoors, test indoors. Be aware that indoors the judge is actually sat above you!
 
It's a lovely quiet friendly venue.
There is basic catering.
They only run one competition arena at a time, either outdoors in the 20x60 or indoors in the 20x40 (the other is used for warm up)

I only competed there when they ran the tests outdoors as I found the indoor very distracting with an open gallery above your head where the judge sat and also spectators clattering about.
 
It's my local venue. As others have said it's small and quiet. My boy finds the outdoor spookier than the indoor but nothing too extreme. If you're riding in the indoor, make sure you're accurate as the judges have a good vantage point to see all the patterns.
 
Haven't been for a few years but it was very friendly and had good surfaces. Lorry park was smallish and on a slope - don't know if this is still the case but it wasn't bad enough to put me off going again.
 
Thanks everyone, sounds like we'll go. We'd be doing long arena tests so sounds like we would warm up indoors which should be OK as horse is usually fairly sensible about strange arenas once he's had a walk round.
 
I was hoping to go there soon but I've been put off a bit now. Don't they close off the stables adjacent to the arena when there is a comp, and do people really clatter about in the viewing gallery ?
 
Notimetoride said:
I was hoping to go there soon but I've been put off a bit now. Don't they close off the stables adjacent to the arena when there is a comp, and do people really clatter about in the viewing gallery ?
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I've never noticed any noise from the stables and none of the horses from my yard (and some are very sharp!) have spooked at them. Ditto with the gallery - it's not very busy and people tend to be considerate. I think it's a great low key venue and I'm back there next weekend...as long as I remember to do my entry when I get home from work!!
 
I used to go a lot when I was on ponies - I found with young and inexperienced types the indoor was very spooky, but my event pony who was an old hand didn't mind it at all. It is only a 20x40 indoors though so when you go in you can't really go round the boards so much as circle inside them. Think they've tarted up the outdoor since I last went. If it's local to you it's definitely a handy one to go to!
 
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