Returning to Riding - Stressfull! (LONG POST)!!

JadeyyBabeyy said:
i would have point black refused to pay for that lesson!
is there an option of sharing a horse once a week?
good luck :)
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Sharing a horse once a week could also help with your M.E. I also suffer from it and last year i found that loaning a horse gave me a real boost. I now have my own horse and ride everyday and it doesn't affect my M.E, but if i am having a bad day going to see my horse makes me feel 10x better! :D
 
Where about in mk are you, as im over near daventry my horses are tb's but your very welcome to come and ride. not sure what this ridin schools like but its in towcester.

Plum Park Farm


Contact Details

B.R. and D.M. Temple

Plum Park Farm
Watling Street
Towcester
Northamptonshire
NN12 6LQ

Telephone: 01327 811350
Facimile: 01327 811350
E-Mail: info@plumparkfarm.co.uk
 
Sorry to hear about your experiences. I also had a long break from riding, and since I own a horse that cannot be ridden I have also tried a few places for lessons & hacks, with mixed experiences.

Hacks can be quite bad as well - I went to a place in Scotland with my OH, who is a (confident) novice. We had told the school in advance that he was a novice rider. It was windy and the horses were quite edgy, OH's horse was too fresh, did not want to stand still & was spooking already before we had left the yard. I wasn't too impressed with this, but at least they agreed to lead and ride until we were off-road.

Anyway, later on when we got to a mud track, OH's horse bolted. Nothing dramatic, but not what you would expect for a horse suitable for a novice to hack. The leader who was supposed to go last also could not hold her horse, which meant that I was the only one not cantering off. (I would be perfectly happy to canter but figured that it would be easier for my OH to the regain control of his horse if we weren't all chasing it...) My pony was not happy about being overtaken and held back in walk, and started to nap. Everything was fine but I was lucky that my OH was not put off riding. I was really unimpressed when I found out that the horses had not been turned out for ages due to wet fields... my OH's horse came straight from the stable and it was quite early during the day, so I don't think he was lunged or ridden prior to our hack.
 
bmw said:
Sharing a horse once a week could also help with your M.E. I also suffer from it and last year i found that loaning a horse gave me a real boost. I now have my own horse and ride everyday and it doesn't affect my M.E, but if i am having a bad day going to see my horse makes me feel 10x better! :D
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That's interesting. Obviously there are different levels of M.E. I have been dealing with it for almost 2 years now and I am not "fit enough" to work at the moment. In July last year I had to give up my part time office job as even that was just too much for me.

I was on an M.E forum but found it all very doom and gloom so have decided to deal with it my own way.

I agree to a certain extent that seeing horses makes me feel 10 times better but at the same time, the last lesson I rode at I was floored for a good 3 weeks as it was just "too much" when I was already tired from work.

It's a very unpredictable 'illness' in my case so reliability is out of the question for me unless my M.E gets to a stable plateux.

Thanks Sorrelgray I'll add that yard to my list to check out! Towcester is not that far, it's about 15 miles.

Oh CJ that hack sounds a bit scary! Impressed that neither you or your OH lost your confidence. The last thing you need as a novice is realising that if a horse wants to go you are simply a passenger fighting to stay on. Not nice at all and the school doesn't sound great. Do you think you will go back there again?
 
Dunlin said:
Oh CJ that hack sounds a bit scary! Impressed that neither you or your OH lost your confidence. The last thing you need as a novice is realising that if a horse wants to go you are simply a passenger fighting to stay on. Not nice at all and the school doesn't sound great. Do you think you will go back there again?
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Probably won't go back - we were only visiting that area anyway. We enjoy going for occasional hacks and find it more interesting to go to new place anyway since the routes can get boring otherwise. (I have done a fair bit of mountain trekking in fairly challenging terrain in the past so tend to find many trekking routes a bit dull)

I am lucky that my OH is confident and not bothered - he thought it was 'interesting' haha
We have been to a few other lovely places which were more suitable for novice riders, so there are many good places out there.

It sounds like you have been quite unlucky with the riding schools you tried. Out of the various places we have been, only 1 place had a horse that tried to injure us (it was fine to ride but tried to kick and bite when mounted, to quite an extreme extent - this horse had recently been bought by the school and was immediately for sale as it was unsuitable for their use) and only 1 of the hacking places did not have quiet horses. The riding schools we have been to were quite happy to let my OH canter (thinking back, I think he was jumping on his 3rd ever time on a horse ...)

I hope you find somewhere suitable where you can have a great time :-)
 
Thanks for the BHS link, unfortunately there are none on there anywhere near me :(

I don't think I have been unlucky as such. When I had a horse before and was looking for a school in Sussex I also had a bit of a nightmare finding somewhere suitable. That's when I found a great livery (quite far away) and they had an excellent instructor, local hunt and a local Pony Club too, finding that place was a dream come true!

I think it's just one of those things that's a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, some get lucky first time whilst it can take others a little longer to find a good'un. I'll get there soon, patience is a virtue etc ;)
 
Sorry to hear you are having such a tough time.

I too have recently returned after an eight year break from riding, long story but I had to have my boy PTS four years ago.

It can be really hard to find a good yard and also to build a positive relationship with a trainer. I have no idea what the situation is like near Milton Keynes but in Surrey there are a number of yards and riding schools where you can either have a lesson or hack out. They obviously prefer you to have lessons first to ensure you are competent then happy to escort you out. Are there any yards in your area that offer hacking?

I am in a very fortunate situation in that most of my friends still have horses and one of my friends who has two is happy for me to hack out with her once a week. I usually find a nice plodding hack more relaxing than schooling.

Good luck with your third attempt.
 
The riding school where I keep my horse (nowhere near you I'm afraid) does coffee mornings once a week aimed at people exactly like you - ladies who have ridden in the past but now just want to have a bit of fun messing around with horses. It's very informal, they can sit around and have a cup of coffee and chat, and then when they want to ride they groom and tack up themselves (obviously staff are around to help) and then get on and do as little or as much as they want. It's not a formal lesson, so no-one's yelling instructions, you just have a pootle round on your own terms with the instructor standing by to help if you need it. It's about half the price of a proper lesson too. I don't know if it's a widespread thing or not, but you could have a look around and see if anyone's offering anything similar in your area? Short of that, the only advice I can give is to go along and watch a lesson before booking one for yourself. I hope you find somewhere soon!
 
Riding schools really can be so hit-and-miss, and the same goes for riding instructors - I've had approximately 15 over 13 or so years (no, I'm not kidding. Riding schools seem to have a habit of closing), and each one has a different approach. Admittedly, was also shocked at the prices - at school I currently pay £20 for 30minutes private (and after £20 for a private hour, I thought this was expensive!). But it's important to find an instructor that you feel as if you can get along with.

Having had ME at varying degrees for 7 years or so in my early-mid teens (95% gone now, occasionally makes a reappearance), I can understand how important it is to have an instructor who, whilst ensuring that the lesson is productive, appreciates the need for occasional rests and understands that energy levels can differ drastically on a day-to-day basis. I was incredibly lucky, in that my instructor for the first year and a half after I got back into riding after a 2/3 year break was a close family friend and, whilst being a brilliant teacher, was also incredibly sympathetic. Agree that to keep your history fairly basic when initially contacting the riding schools is a good idea, but perhaps if you begin to attend one more regularly and you feel it'd be beneficial, then you could let them know? That way, if you're not feeling up to a fast-paced lesson, they can tailor a lesson to your needs to be less demanding, whilst still constructive?
I have to agree with what someone mentioned before, however, that I often found (and still do) that riding, even if I was feeling very tired and couldn't manage anything more than a very gentle lesson or hack, often helped to lift my spirits and even give me more energy, of a sorts. With ME, it inevitably all comes down to the matter of 'pacing yourself'- but one of the things I found most instrumental in my recovery was ensuring that I got out and had fun doing something that I enjoyed. Doubtless this is all stuff you know- after all, you'll know the nature of your condition better than any of us.

Afraid I can't help on the stables front, other than to back up what everyone has said about noseying around riding schools first. Do you have any friends or know of anyone who owns horses and would let you ride? Takes off the pressure of a lesson and the need to pay, so long as you feel comfortable on the horse. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.
 
Flying in and out of your thread, just wanted to say hello and sorry to hear you had such an awful time (twice!). And did I read it right, you weren't wearing a hat?

I'm no-where near MK, though know it well having just finished a nine month contract there; I'm not close enough to offer you a ride on any of mine (not that they are really suitable).

I hope the next session goes well! Let us know :)
 
I live in the village where Bryley Springs is, it has a bit of a reputation for being like that and many in the area are aware of it. If you go to RB equestrian (it's just down the road from Bryley Springs) then i think there will be some adverts up for riding schools, or the staff will be happy to recommend you somewhere locally, there are lots they just seem to be hard to find.
Also try Bury Farm, not sure what they are like for lessons but have competed there and it seems a nice yard, well run with some lovely horses. It's about 20 minutes from MK.
Good luck.
 
No help on the Milton Keynes riding schools, but both of yours sound worse than any I've been to, which is saying quite a bit!

I think there are two ways to go about getting the riding lesson you want. The first is to go for somewhere good quality, expensive, BHS approved and with nice horses. The "professional" places tend to be a bit set in their ways, but as long as you like their ways that isnt a bad thing. If you want proper and consistent instruction, this is the way to go. (That said, the 2nd worst stables I ever rode at is approved by the BHS, so take it with a pinch of salt!)

The other option is to find a cheap place and work on it. The downside is you sometimes end up being taught by kids who wouldnt know the correct canter lead if you knocked them round the head with it (and other more dangerous deficiencies such as thinking it is correct to launch yourself over a jump to ensure you are "moving with the horse"), but the up-side is that if you already have the experience to know what you need to be doing and just want a safe horse and an arena to practice in, you tend to get a lot more say in how your lesson is going to go (what horse you are going to ride, what you are going to work on etc.) once they realise that you know more than they do.

You might also prefer to try group lessons somewhere rather than keep going for the privates. It keeps the costs down, and if you can find a group at the right level for you, with an instructor who understands that you may need to stop midway through, you would at least find that neither of the problems you have encountered so far would be repeated!
 
MrsMozart said:
Flying in and out of your thread, just wanted to say hello and sorry to hear you had such an awful time (twice!). And did I read it right, you weren't wearing a hat?
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Just to confirm, at the first school I borrowed one of their hats, circa 1940's I think it was!! Damp and mouldy and stunk... revolting. But I would never EVER ride without a hat.

At the second school the loan hats were again very old so I bought my own one, PAS-015 and BSEN1384 approved.

Hi Harriett, thanks for the info. Didn't know about RB Equestrian, I'll check it out and have a look at any posters and ask around for schools. I'll also give Bury a call as well.

Hoping to get something booked for next month and I'll post it up (if it goes well lol). Still paying off purchase of hat, boots, chaps and jods ;)
 
I'll bet good money that the second place is where I used to work. Was it very central? If so it might be worth another go. I'm not sure who is still there but some of the instructors are good, some are not soo good. All of them tend to have restrictions put on them by the owner as to what they can do in the lessons etc. PM me if you want to know anything :)
 
sorrelgray said:
Where about in mk are you, as im over near daventry my horses are tb's but your very welcome to come and ride. not sure what this ridin schools like but its in towcester.

Plum Park Farm


Contact Details

B.R. and D.M. Temple

Plum Park Farm
Watling Street
Towcester
Northamptonshire
NN12 6LQ

Telephone: 01327 811350
Facimile: 01327 811350
E-Mail: info@plumparkfarm.co.uk
Click to expand...

I am in this area too, my friend used to enjoy her lessons at Loughton and have also heard good things about plum park, but had no personal experience of either. Good luck, sure you will find something suitable.
 
I came back to riding last year after 6 years off and returned to a school i used years ago that was good. I kept being put on a pony that was just awkward, although i was showing that i could do this that and the other, and being told i'd be on a different more interested horse and never was.
I found a horse to ride through an old friend but i'm having to leave him now and dreading returning to find a riding school. I want to keep riding so i stay at it and i'd like to get back to where i was before stopping and eventually buy my own.

I'd love some recommendations for schools in the Herts/Beds/Bucks area too.
Good luck, you will find one that suits you eventually.
 
I hope to visit a couple next month. Plum Park is on my list. I WILL find a really good one and when I do I will shout it from the tree tops (and let you know Sarah) :D
 
i started riding in my 30's at a school in clapham, bedford who were superb. it's a small yard and they have a real mixture of ponies/horses. 45 minutes from mk. they really instilled confidence, and they also run a horse share scheme. they are bhs registered, i'm sure you'll b able to look them up. i kept my 1st horse at a more local yard, but soon moved to clapham as i missed their lessons so much. i now have own place and tow up when expenses allow for lessons. they come highly recommended by me.
 
i see people mentioning names - sue and neil black, tinsleys riding school, clapham, bedford. if you do mid week the average age is around 45 (the peops not the horses!)
 
Well I believe in second chances so I gave the second riding school I tried before another go today, the one that kept me in walk and trot doing basic tasks, like 30 minutes on how to get a square halt.

They know I can ride, I've already been there afterall. Therefore I was looking forward to impressing the boyfriend who was with me and getting some nice photo's of me on a horse again.

As you can see, my boyfriend was really impressed with seeing what a good rider I was!

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Look, I am SO good I don't even need reins!

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Now I am clearly amazing because I was "allowed" to have imaginary reins!

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10 minutes before the lesson ended I was allowed to trot in circles all by myself

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Careful now, L plate rider alert!

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All I did on my own was walk/trot/halt transitions for 10 minutes before the lesson ended. I asked if I could please please have a little canter or even just use the whole arena (which was empty at that point) to have at least a decent trot and I was told I wasn't "allowed" to.

:(

As you can imagine, the words from the other half were "well that was boring, I thought you knew how to ride", I actually cried :(

One more thing... I paid £27 for a private 30 minute lesson. I shared the arena with a girl exercising a horse on the lunge so I only had use of half the arena. Now going back 10 years ago when I rode regularly, a private lesson meant just me, the horse and instructor in the arena. Has that policy changed or something?

I did have words with the owner of the stables afterwards stating I was disappointed. He criticised my riding, said my stirrups were too long and that I was too far behind the movement (I personally disagree with that, but I am paying to have FUN not become an Olympic dressage rider). He then said if I had £50,000 to have a lesson with the Spanish Lippizaner team they would put me on the lunge too and that it's my fault because I am looking at being on the lunge as a backwards step when it's not. Well I'm sorry but I can pay £3 at Blackpool beach to ride a Donkey for half an hour on a rope. He offered me a free lesson with him teaching but I don't really want to go back as he made me feel like I was a bad person because I wasn't happy and even said to my boyfriend that I was impossible to please.

What do you think I should do now?

Tea and biccies for you all xx
 
Oh i'm sorry to laugh but bless you - those pics are hilarious - with commentry :D

Not professional of the YO to make you feel small infront of your boyfriend. Yes lunge lessons can of course be a positive experience but not in that instance.

Have pm'd you :)
 
Hi

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but I know a lady who was a very good 'standard' rider, i.e. she could walk trot canter and jump her own horse in all conditions, however when she decided to move into advanced classical riding, she was immediately put on the lunge so that her seat and tecnique (sp!) could be perfected. So would not necessarily put lunging down to them not thinking you can ride, maybe they just wanted to help you work on certain areas. Also I guess in the age of sueing (not saying you would) riding schools may have to be extra careful about establishing riders experience before letting you canter. Anyway hope it hasn't put you off, have you tried plum park farm? Heard good things about them :)
 
I haven't tried Plum Park because it's quite a long way for me to get to. I have M.E and after 30 minutes on a horse I am shattered and this school is only 2 miles from my house so not a great distance to get home.

I totally understand how lunging can help improve your seat, position, balance etc. When I was riding and competing I used to regularly have lunge lessons to work on my body and leg positions for dressage so I didn't look like a sack of potatoes.

The problem here is getting across to someone that I am not minted. I cannot afford to ride every week, I can't even afford it every month and the way I see riding now is that it's a treat (an expensive one) and it's fun and purely a hobby.

I do not want to compete, I do not want an excellent position, I just want to have fun and smile. Keeping me on the lunge and talking down to me "do you know what a diagonal is" is not my idea of fun and it certainly doesn't make me smile. Although putting silly comments on the photo's is quite funny :D

I also understand that anyone can just walk into a school and say "I'm frikkin awesome I am" but the point is, they have seen me ride before, they know what I can do and what I am capable of. My first lesson there I was NOT on the lunge!

The biggest problem I think, which I missed in my first post, was I was supposed to have the same instructor as last time. The previous guy riding showed up half an hour late so I had to have a different instructor, although I think she was a yard girl and not an instructor.

I do have a friend who likes riding as well, she came with me before so I am hoping she would like to start again as she has just got a better paid job. If she can then we could do semi-private lessons which would bring the cost down from £27 to £24 for 30 minutes. Every little helps as Tesco say!
 
I am pretty sure I used to go to the place you went today, if its the one right in the middle of the city.. This would have been about 8 years ago, so I imagine the instructors that I had back then will have left. However, I did on one occasion have a lesson with the owner, and it was brilliant! I learnt a huge amount without him even having to say much at all. I learnt more from that lesson than 6months with the usual instructor...
if you don't want to be stuck on a lunge, why not opt for a group lesson?
 
Yes Pixie it is the same place. I was recommended by a lady on here to get into a group lesson with the owner but when I asked I was told I would need a private lesson to be assessed first, after that first time I went I was told there were no groups suitable for me so I would have to do private lessons.

This is what makes me think I will be stuck like this forever if I keep going there as I can't keep up with a group due to my illness and lack of money to go on a regular basis!

I will take the owner up on his offer of a free lesson, I will infact pay him as well, although he'll probably forget me by the time I get back there :o

On a separate note though, how utterly gorgeous was the horse I rode!! I'm in LOVE!



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You're first post sounds like you had a just awful time :(

Good on you for getting back into riding though! I understand where your coming from with the not being able to keep up with group lessons/getting tired easily as I have crohns disease (not the same as M.E I know , but still makes me feel pretty terrible!).

From my experience , I would say it may be worth looking into a share? or part loan of a horse? Then you can ride when you want , do what you want on it etc and it works out alot less expensive than lessons AND you don't have to put up with bloody patronizing instructors! I share a brill shire X , I do 2 days a week and its fab because I can ride as little or as much as I want , can go for canters through the fields or whatever I fancy and if I feel myself getting too tired I simply hop off! And I only pay £20 a week , which works out a tenner a ride - bargain :D If this would be an option you could check out preloved , horsemart , local papers and tack shops etc for something suitable?

Keep us posted :D
 
Thanks LJ, really sorry to hear you have Chrons, a good friend of mine has that too and I know how truly awful it can be *hugs*

A share is something I can't do at the moment as I have only had M.E for 2 years so I am still trying to work out all the pacing and how much I can and can't do, I'm just not reliable enough at the moment to share, but that is where I would like to end up in the future :)

I don't half hurt like mad today from yesterdays ride though :eek: :D
 
oh dear i am so sorry for your experience. I have also just begun having riding lessons at a riding school as no longer have a horse to ride. I am lucky as i have returned to the yard i learnt to ride at and bought my horses off!! So i have just picked up where i left off and get extra long lessons for same price haha!! I hope you find somewhere soon, but i agree do just say you rode as a child and but not for X number of years. x
 
Dunlin said:
On a separate note though, how utterly gorgeous was the horse I rode!! I'm in LOVE!



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Aww! Picasso! That horse has the dubious honour of being the first horse to deck me in 9 years :D

Go back and get the free lesson off John, hes as eccentric as they come, but he is good and given all the other issues with the ME and distance etc it has to be worth a go :)
 
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