Kids lessons Stroud Glos, Experiences please

C

cmarychapman

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 August 2006
Messages
120
Visit site
I have always said I'd treat my friends twin boys to a riding lesson. Now that they're 5 I think they could manage a little lead rein lesson. I'm looking at Burnt Ash Farm or Barton End. I just feel very responsible for them (Mum isn't horsey at all but keen for the boys to have a go) so want to make sure I choose the right place. So does anyone have/had kids riding at either of these places? Did they enjoy it? Were you happy?? PM me if you prefer.
 
I used to live in stroud and used to go to bownhill before it turned into livery, I haven't tried out burnt ash or barton end though from what i have heard from other people, barton end has a more professionaly atmosphere. bunt ash is a very small yard.
Personally, I tried out a lot of different places to ride in the time before i got horses and the best place BY FAR is summerhouse. i learnt loooaaads going there where as other yards they just sort of sit you there and you never progres. here i significantly got much better and it prepared me for getting my own first horse at 13 years old which turned out to be a crazy tb :P.
 
I have to be honest, I work at a riding stables in this area, but I won't say where exactly as will probably seen as advertising! But I find that the children that come to us after riding at summerhouse are actually quite poor! They are brilliant for adults from what I've seen but not so good with kids!

For example, we have some girls that come to us every holidays for the day, who ride at summerhouse twice a week. For the last 2 years I haven't noticed any progress in their riding! It may just be these girls, but I doubt it.

A friend of mine (Who is an AI but couldn't bear the thought of teaching her own kids to ride!!!) told me she was astonished to see kids barely capable of rising trot were then cantering and jumping on the lead rein later on in the lesson!

I'm not slagging summerhouse off as we have a few adults come to us after summerhouse and some are way beyond our capabilities of teaching so they are brilliant for adults and I have even contemplated going there for a lesson or two myself!!!
 
welsh_monster said:
I have to be honest, I work at a riding stables in this area, but I won't say where exactly as will probably seen as advertising! But I find that the children that come to us after riding at summerhouse are actually quite poor! They are brilliant for adults from what I've seen but not so good with kids!

For example, we have some girls that come to us every holidays for the day, who ride at summerhouse twice a week. For the last 2 years I haven't noticed any progress in their riding! It may just be these girls, but I doubt it.

A friend of mine (Who is an AI but couldn't bear the thought of teaching her own kids to ride!!!) told me she was astonished to see kids barely capable of rising trot were then cantering and jumping on the lead rein later on in the lesson!

I'm not slagging summerhouse off as we have a few adults come to us after summerhouse and some are way beyond our capabilities of teaching so they are brilliant for adults and I have even contemplated going there for a lesson or two myself!!!
Click to expand...

2bh some of the instruters are rubbish and some are really good. i had erma and she was strict but sooo good. she would yell at you when you were getting it wrong and that is when i learnt to rise on the correct leg. some experienced riders even now get it wrong and new instructers comment how i must have been trained well. I was about 9 ish when i started.
 
These boys have only ever sat on horses before they have never really ridden before. All I want is for them to have a fun and safe experience to introduce them to riding and see if they like it. They might only last 15 mins, little boys don't have very long attention spans. I just want them to have ponies that are child friendly and not liable to take a chunk out of them, to be lead by someone who knows what they are doing (no bored teenagers), properly fitting tack and hats and an instructor that can relate well to little ones. Certainly don't want anyone yelling at them; they are only 5 years old!! My sister had a few lessons at Summerhouse and I'm not very keen on it.
 
Fair enough, I really don't know about any of the instructors personally, but well done to you rowy, I wish people said that to me!!!

Anyway forgot to put the rest of what I was thinking! Barton end are quite expensive for lessons but I think they're Ok, heard a couple of things about them but don't know if they're true or not so not going to repeat!

I remember going to bownhill when I was small with my naughty pony and they were very patient with us!

Burnt ash....well it's a lovely yard, have had a couple of lessons up there when younger, ponies are all cute and well kept including the naughty little Shetland but the YO is a tad eccentric!! (ok quite a bit!!)

I don't work at any of these so is my personal opinion again (not slagging off/bogging anyone up!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top