Good riding schools in North west

[KEC]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can recommend any good riding schools in the North West?? I've been told there are some good schools with great instructors and mounts where I can improve my riding but have been to a few in my area and am still looking......

I'm not a novice/beginner just rusty and don't want to maintin/learn bad habits.

If you want to pm me that than 'advertise' a place please feel free.

Thanks

 

[quirky]

Where abouts in the NW?

 

[dollymix]

the North West is a pretty massive area! whereabouts are you looking?

 

[KEC]

Sorry was trying to keep it as general as poss in case they were few and far between!

I'm based in North Manchester, on the Bolton/Bury border and work in Wigan/Leigh so in those general areas but realise I may have to travel further for a good school.

 

[dollymix]

Sorry not my area... I grew up in South Manchester and Carrington and Glen Jakes were popular back then (a long time ago lol).
I'm
Now in East Lancashire near Clitheroe. I hear good things are Earnsdale Farm which is in Darwen and Chorley equestrian centre?

 

[4April]

I recommend the Village Riding school in Burtonwood

 

[xxcharlottexx]

Matchmoor
Red earth equestrian centre
Ryders farm
Westhoughton equestrian centre
Chorley equestrian centre

All within reasonable travelling distance

 

[debbielinder]

Geldings in Knowsley merseyside bhs registered and highly comended by them. Maybe a bit far. A second vote for the village riding school burtonwood.

 

[KEC]

Has anyone got any experience of the following riding schools? I'm looking for lessons to improve my riding and am at a loss in my immediate area so am expanding the search to South Manchester/Cheshire.

Ashton Hall
North Cheshire Equestrian Centre
John Shaw Equestrian

 

[Honey08]

Croft End in the Oldham area is very good.

 

[Tapir]

have a look at Birtle Riding Centre which is in between Bury & Rochdale.

 

[fatpiggy]

Has anyone got any experience of the following riding schools? I'm looking for lessons to improve my riding and am at a loss in my immediate area so am expanding the search to South Manchester/Cheshire.

Ashton Hall
North Cheshire Equestrian Centre

John Shaw Equestrian

1 and 3 absolute barge pole I'm afraid.

I think 2 is ok though

 

[KEC]

Hi thanks for replying. fatpiggy, can you say why you'd wouldn't touch with a barge pole? Was it horses, instruction, facilities etc. I've been to one of them and not had any probs. Tried contacting North Chesire and didn't even get a reply. I'm beginning to think its a personal thing.

Tapir - Birtle is the cloest one to me but seem to have childhood memories of a school around that area that was run by a matron-like woman. Am a proper adult now but still put me off. Have you had lessons there?

 

[fatpiggy]

Hi thanks for replying. fatpiggy, can you say why you'd wouldn't touch with a barge pole? Was it horses, instruction, facilities etc. I've been to one of them and not had any probs. Tried contacting North Chesire and didn't even get a reply. I'm beginning to think its a personal thing.

Tapir - Birtle is the cloest one to me but seem to have childhood memories of a school around that area that was run by a matron-like woman. Am a proper adult now but still put me off. Have you had lessons there?

Well, admittedly my experience of them goes back about 15 years but mistreatment of horses, filthy stables, ill-fitting tack, working horses with shoes so loose you could see them flip-flopping on the hooves, underfed horses, and one of them has more ragwort in its fields than a patch of wasteland. One also managed to electrocute several horses quite recently too, by having automatic waterers fitted by someone who clearly didn't know what they are doing.

 

[LovesCobs]

If you're going south manchester way OP then carrington riding centre is recommended. 4 or 5 schools, BHS and look after their horses, it has been constantly developing over the past few years.

 

[KEC]

Carrington a no-go for me - had recent bad experiences there myself and heard about the horses electrocuted at Ashton Hall too - very sad. Thanks for the information though.

 

[Smudgit]

Eccleston EC, http://www.equestrian-northwest.co.uk/
Karen is an excellent trainer, she put me through my BHS stages years ago, and found me my horse who I have had for 14 years!

 

[chrisharri]

Parbold Equestrian centre is very good

 

[alm2594]

Matchmoor are brilliant, really friendly and helpful. Would really recommend!

 

[BuzzLightyear]

I enjoyed lessons at Eccleston but had private lessons so not sure how the group sessions are. Arena surfaces are god.
Maybe also consider Mobberely Riding School - not been for a long while but seems to still have a decent reputation and a good selection of horses

 

[Tapir]

Tapir - Birtle is the cloest one to me but seem to have childhood memories of a school around that area that was run by a matron-like woman. Am a proper adult now but still put me off. Have you had lessons there?

Lol, yes it was run for years by that lady but has now changed hands. I have occasional lessons there on my pony with Sally - would definitely ask for her if you're after private lessons.

 

[KEC]

Thanks for the replies!

alm, does Matchmoor still have an instructor there called Amanda? I went there for work experience as a schoolgirl and she was the main (only?) instructor there at that time.

Tapir, thanks so much for that info!! I'm going to go down tomorrow I think and have a look around. May book a lesson and ask for Sally too!

 

[Toast]

I used to work at Matchmoor.
There aren't any instructors called Amanda now. To be fair it's gone downhill an awful lot in the last 2 years.
Go to Eccleston Equestrian Centre