Recommend me a riding school near Glasgow?

[atropa]

Hey guys, was just wondering where everyone would recommend for some private lessons in and around Glasgow? Would prefer somewhere with a good range of different sizes/types/temperaments of riding school horses as I'm looking to increase my ability to get a tune out of any horse. Ideally I would love somewhere that hosts mini shows and offers the option to hire a school horse to compete.

Thanks!

 

[jmlima]

I've been to the Scottish Equi in Lanark ( http://www.scottishequestrianhotel.com/lessons-services/index.html ) and quite liked it. The staff are unusually friendly for a riding school, everything was very organized, some of the lessons were also quite good. They had all sort of horses, they do their own breeding. I know they organize shows, but not sure if they allow you to hire a horse for the show, I assume they must do.

As riding schools go, its certainly quite acceptable. The other good thing with them is that they have indoor / outdoor arenas, and quite nice hacking, so boredom is not an issue, nor is weather...

 

[atropa]

Thank you, I had looked at their website for holidays and BHS stages but hadn't considered lessons with them

 

[rachaelr]

I took a few very good lessons at Fordbank equicentre in Johnston. The instructor is very calm and they are keen to quickly progress your ability. I've also heard good things about Busby, but ive never been.

 

[Shutterbug]

Tannoch Stables in Cumbernauld have a wide variety of horses for lessons - they frequently use liveries horses so you are not getting riding school horses all the time and they do like to challenge their riders. Ask for a lesson with Dawn. They have 2 indoor schools, an outdoor jumping arena, a jumping field, gallops, a wide variety of jumps if you are into jumping and awesome hacking if you just fancy hiring a horse and going for a blast. They have small shows all the time in SJ dressage, XC, showing classes, pony games, they even had a little 1 day event last year. They are also happy to hire out horses for people to compete.

 

[Jingleballs]

I've ridden at a few schools in and around Glasgow - Tannoch, Ayr Equestrian, Burnbank, Roundknowe - honestly, I wouldn't recommend any of them other than Burnbank but that's closed down now

Houston Riding School near Edinburgh has some really good instructors though

 

[Jnhuk]

Does Ingliston Equestrian not have some facilities for lessons with their academy? Bet it is £££ though

What about Mugdock? Not been for years so things may have changed but used to hear good things

 

[asset2004]

I've heard good things about Boydstone Stables at Lochwinnoch/Beith.
Plenty I wouldn't recommend

 

[Star_Piper]

Wardhouse in Kilbarchan is good, huge outdoor school, they run dressage and jumping evenings (which I think you can hire school horses to join in), as well as courses during the holidays etc. They also offer hacking. Super instructors too, the yard owner is a BHSI Instructor, with the other instructors being BHSII and BHSAI qualified (I think they're all a minimum of BHSAI). Horses are all well looked after, and they've got an ok range I think (I'm not sure how many in total they have).
A few people have said good things about lessons at Busby, the advantage with there being it's near a train station if you are lacking in transport, and it has a large indoor school.

As asset2004 says, there's plenty I wouldn't recommend either!

 

[atropa]

Hi all,
Thanks so much for the replies, have had a look at Wardhouse and like the sound of their dressage evenings so might take a drive out to have a look. I actually thought Busby had closed down a few years ago but I see they still have a website so that might be worth a look too

Have tried Tannoch and really wanted to love it as the facilities look fabulous but it absolutely was not for me. Had a few lessons at Easterton in Mugdock and enjoyed them (although several people I know would disagree) but they only do private lessons at times when I'm at work.

Has anyone tried Milndavie for lessons?

 

[blood_magik]

Ingliston do lessons and I think you can hire school horses for the shows they do.