Riding Clubs - worthwhile?

[splashgirl45]

To clarify - I volunteer an awful lot at various venues, but still felt it just too much being constantly chased for volunteers. It was just one club out of the three I mentioned - they were rather full on with their demands and I just spent the 12 months I was a member, feeling rather ‘got at’ and like they thought I was slacking. I don’t belong to any clubs now and happily offer my services when I can, often travelling some distance to do so. But now it’s because I want to rather than have to. And I totally agree that if everyone volunteered even once, it would make like much easier all round. Sadly not everyone puts into the sport as much as they take out. (But that’s a topic for another day)

sorry, i wasnt having a dig at you but wanted to put the other side of the situation.. i spent 13 years on the riding club committee and hardly ever competed myself so ended up leaving the committee and just helping a couple of times a year so i could compete...as you said not everyone is prepared to put back into the sport and eventually many riding clubs will just give up which would be very sad for all...

 

[Kat]

I'd love to if I could find a decent one nearby, if anybody could recommend one near to Derby that has regular training and not just club shows I'd bite their hand off

I'm in a similar area, there are lots of good friendly clubs but not many have training and socials most just have shows and there seems to be lots of showing.

EMDG have lots on but it is too far for me really. It's a shame as it looks great fun.

Longford have a mix of showing, dressage, sj, wh and their hunter trials and ODEs. They also have schooling days, but no actual training.

 

[AFB]

I'm in a similar area, there are lots of good friendly clubs but not many have training and socials most just have shows and there seems to be lots of showing.

EMDG have lots on but it is too far for me really. It's a shame as it looks great fun.

Longford have a mix of showing, dressage, sj, wh and their hunter trials and ODEs. They also have schooling days, but no actual training.

Yes this is my problem, they're great for finding club shows, albeit I'm not interested in showing and the SJ courses leave a lot to be desired! I do go to Longford for the XC course now and again, but their SJ's are plastic poles so I avoid SJ there. I know National Forest RC are more active on the training side but they're just a real PITA for me to get to. Other than that I'm stumped