London Riding Experience....

DMancini

DMancini

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Any recommendations/reviews/advice please?

Me and friend have decided to 'treat' ourselves to a riding experience in London, we are both experienced horse riders (& owners!).

We were thinking Hyde Park however on googling it, i have found other options, but where is best to go and is it worth the expense?

anyone done the afternoon tea & ride as advertised on www.ridinglondon.com?

thanks in advance :)
 
Think it depends on what you REALLY want from it - someone I volunteer with always had wanted to ride in Hyde Park so was quite happy to pootle around, without having a canter and just take in the sights from the back of a horse. If you're after a canter through the parks, I doubt it'll happen in Central London that's for sure, just too many people around/risk/insurance risk/etc etc. Plus any of the central yards I think always include the time it takes to get from yard to park.

The Riding Club London is a members only club, not everything's available to non members, the afternoon tea one. Have only heard positive things but depending on which ride you go for you may end up using the same yard as if you went direct. There are only a couple of yards that use Hyde Park for example.

I'd choose either Hyde Park or Windsor but for different reasons :smile3:
 
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I did the Hyde Park about 8 years ago. As we hadn't ridden with them before we were put on lead reins to get to the park - we found this hilarious, although understandable. We did trot as the excuse was the track was too dry and dusty to canter. It was an experience but expensive and probably not something I would do again.
 
My daughter and I have done the Hyde park ride.
It was an enjoyable way to see some of london, and the tracks are nice. We did only trot.
Crossing the traffic in Hyde park traffic is quite frightening!
 
DMancini said:
Thanks for reply, just really wanted the experience and see the sights from a different perspective!
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That's exactly what volunteer friend did and did it form Hyde Park Stables. They don't canter any of their rides as far as I know.
 
Give The Riding Club a call - most of the events are now available to non-members. Rides in Hyde Park are fairly sedate, but you can have a decent canter up Rotten Row provided the park isn't too busy. If you do go directly - I would highly recommend Ross Nye Stables - horses are lovely, well schooled and forward going. :)
 
I was bought a Hyde Park hack for my 30th. It was, as others have mentioned, a very sedate affair, especially as the park was very busy. For me, the best part was not the park itself but the ride through the traffic on the way to and from the park. The horses were trustworthy, though mine didn't like to wait at lights (hence the kimblewick) and the traffic was slow moving. It was just a really surreal experience.
 
It's not central London, but I've ridden several times from a yard near Windsor Great Park called Tally Ho. They box the horses to the Park and the riding is fantastic, fast and fun on fit horses. It's been a few years since I've been but I'd be surprised if they're not still in business.
 
You can also ride in Richmond Park. Stag Lodge will take rides directly into the park and you can ride with the deer. Not central London - but great views. You can definitely canter with Stag Lodge - but as with everything would have to convince them of your riding experience first. Lots of people tend to overestimate how competent they are and in an open situation that can be dangerous. Not that you would or are OP - but I can see their point!
 
Remi'sMum said:
It's not central London, but I've ridden several times from a yard near Windsor Great Park called Tally Ho. They box the horses to the Park and the riding is fantastic, fast and fun on fit horses. It's been a few years since I've been but I'd be surprised if they're not still in business.
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Second this! I haven't been for about 7 years, but the horses were lovely, the park is beautiful, and you can have a gallop if that's what you fancy.
 
The Hyde Park yards not cantering is a new one. I used to escort rides through the Park many years ago and regularly had to b*ll*ck certain yards for cantering past/ away from rides of beginners. The speed limit in the Park is (or was) a 'hand canter', unless you're in the Cav and being p'd off with - a not uncommon sight.... ;-)
 
paddy said:
The Hyde Park yards not cantering is a new one. I used to escort rides through the Park many years ago and regularly had to b*ll*ck certain yards for cantering past/ away from rides of beginners. The speed limit in the Park is (or was) a 'hand canter', unless you're in the Cav and being p'd off with - a not uncommon sight.... ;-)
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Too many cases of exagerated experience, plus health and safety, insurance, having to dodge massive amounts of people/Boris bikes I believe.

Regularly walk through the park and it's not somewhere I'd choose to have a canter in these days!
 
It was sufficiently exciting in the old days - lots count of the number of times we had 10 riders cantering up Rotten Row to find someone pushing a pram across the Row in front of us and into our path.
 
Shay said:
You can also ride in Richmond Park. Stag Lodge will take rides directly into the park and you can ride with the deer. Not central London - but great views. You can definitely canter with Stag Lodge - but as with everything would have to convince them of your riding experience first. Lots of people tend to overestimate how competent they are and in an open situation that can be dangerous. Not that you would or are OP - but I can see their point!
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I've always wanted to bring my boy to Richmond Park and ride there.
 
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