Riding in Cambridge? (Coming from ??)

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Henley497

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Hey all, I have a really cool opportunity coming up where I’ll be in the UK for all of March and April with minimal school/work commitments.

I’ll be in Cambridge while a family member teaches at the university and I’m wondering if anyone has recommendations for the best way to ride while there!

Riding wise I’m coming from somewhat of a unique situation, I have a H/J background but haven’t ridden in over a year due to my gelding’s ongoing lameness issues and having 2 other young horses that aren’t yet started. I had to put my gelding down just over a month ago and with fewer board/vet expenses I’d like to get back in the saddle and reconnect with riding.
Given that I’m out of shape and likely going to be nervous getting back in the saddle I know I’m not a candidate for exercise riding type options and am totally cool with that, just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for learning/riding opportunities while I’m in Cambridge!
I’d really like to hack around as much as I can and if I can lesson and get in shape while I’m there that would also be great. It would also be really nice to find a place where I could do handling type lessons or get some more experience handling young horses or studs, always looking to increase my knowledge base in those areas! Definitely looking for a friendly barn atmosphere with nice coaches who aren’t prone to yelling lol. I can totally take criticism but despite being an adult I will 100% cry if screamed at LOL.
I appreciate any suggestions/recommendations you may have, I’d love to be able to make my trip as horsey as possible (:
Thanks guys!
 
I can't help much sadly, but the equestrian world here is a little different, we don't have hunter/jumper at all, so lots of people won't actually know what you're talking about in terms of your riding background. Cambridge is a beautiful city and is near Newmarket of course, it's reasonably horsey, but it's not an area where you're automatically going to find good hacking. There will be pockets, as there are all over the UK, where there is good off road hacking, but many yards (we call them yards rather than barns :cool:) have only limited and often very busy roadwork for hacking.

I would search on here and Google for riding schools, there will be the odd yard that has their own horses to ride, the odd upper level trainer with a school master, but the latter would be fewer and further between. The British Horse Society and Association of British Riding Schools both have registers of approved riding schools.

What we don't have here are large barns that have a selection of lease horses that you might have been able to take on long term, we have horse owners, and riding school clients, without much between those two. Yards don't often have resident trainers either, we have a much more open system here, again, it's all much more about individual horse owners making their own choices.

Experience of handling young stock is a tricky one, most yards need help that can crack on and do things, and aren't set up for any level of education. Perhaps an outside chance someone will have a personal connection that could help out.

I would possibly advertise for a short term share (free lease), where you can help with yard work (barn chores) if you're able to really help people and not need too much guidance?

Sorry I can't be more positive - what you would definitely be able to do is see all the traditional horsey sights without so much driving as you'd have to do at home - there are open yards and a museum etc in Newmarket, you'll find there will be decent sized horse trials as well as SJ and dressage shows that you can go and see. British Eventing, British Dressage and British Showjumping all have their own websites where you should find details of larger shows to visit.
 
I'm not sure if they still do public-facing lessons, but the College of West Anglia is actually in North Cambridge itself (Milton) so very local - https://cwa.ac.uk/public/equestrian-centre - worth getting in touch to see what they may be able to offer. They also do vaulting lessons!

Barrow Hall further afield in Bury St Edmunds I think is meant to be OK (http://www.barrowhallstables.co.uk/lessons.html) and I think Withersfield Hall in Haverhill also has/had a good reputation. There aren't any major BHS training centres nearby which is shame.

Finding some local equestrian facebook groups for Cambridge/Suffolk might help you find someone who wants help exercising horses. i used to be in Newmarket and was always looking for help exercising, but nowhere near there anymore!

If you want to go and watch some early season eventing there are a few local options -

- Poplar Park (suffolk) runs up to intermediate 5/6 March
- Great Witchingham (norfolk) runs up to intermediate 25-27 March
- Burnham Market (norfolk) runs up to 4* 14-16 April
- Horseheath (v local) runs up to novice23-24 April
 
I have not been anywhere for a lesson for a while, but the one locally that have a good reputation that I know of,
http://hilltopec.co.uk/
http://www.oldtigerstables.co.uk/
http://www.witchamec.co.uk/
The most active FB group,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/175827119110183
Hacking is a problem, and it may be that you have to go further away, the roads around Cambridge cut across most of the bridleways. The fenland is flat and windswept but it has the old droves, and there is Thetford forest. If you have a contact with the University you may get privileges, and there is a riding club,
http://curiding.soc.srcf.net/riding-lessons/stables/springhill-stables/
https://www.cudh.co.uk/
I think the best way to get contacts is to volunteer for things, and it gives you a feel for what you would like to do. The closest competition venue is,
https://www.facebook.com/lordsbridgearena/
I would recommend a trip to Newmarket, things like watching them on the gallops are free, and the Racing Museum has some amazing art, and coffee. Paying once lets you in all year.https://www.nhrm.co.uk/news/
The sales in October are also worth a visit, and Newmarket nights in the summer, where you get an evenings racing and a band.
https://www.nhrm.co.uk/news/ It will be either really hot or rain, but it is a great evening out.
 
We actually seem to have a lot of riding school options that get good reviews, I’ve just not been to any of them ?
CWA don’t seem to be doing anything lesson wise for public currently RF, they def were when I first moved here.
The horsepoo Facebook group is definitely very active and will have best suggestions for hacking. There are some good bridleway networks but you do need to be in the right spot to access them. I know that south Cambridgeshire equestrian advertise that they have good access but doubt know anything more about them.

Ill add hall farm stables to the list and they do hack out but unfortunately the wrong side of the river to access the wicken fen side (which I have ridden on plenty and though flat is better hacking than I’d thought it would be ?)
 
ester said:
We actually seem to have a lot of riding school options that get good reviews, I’ve just not been to any of them ?
CWA don’t seem to be doing anything lesson wise for public currently RF, they def were when I first moved here.
The horsepoo Facebook group is definitely very active and will have best suggestions for hacking. There are some good bridleway networks but you do need to be in the right spot to access them. I know that south Cambridgeshire equestrian advertise that they have good access but doubt know anything more about them.

Ill add hall farm stables to the list and they do hack out but unfortunately the wrong side of the river to access the wicken fen side (which I have ridden on plenty and though flat is better hacking than I’d thought it would be ?)
Click to expand...

The hacking was pleasant enough where I was (Brinkley, Dullingham way) but we'd box up to Thetford to do serious hacking. That whole area around Balsham, Linton, Horseheath is very easy to get to from Cambridge and is more gently rolling arable land rather than fenland.
 
I bike east/south east of the A14 quite a bit as you get some hills then too (on and off road) and it's much quieter than this side (north of cambridge villages).

I don't think anyone does riding out near thetford or I would probably go

OP depending on your transport there are a few beach riding options on the norfolk cosast too.
 
The problem you'll have is that most riding schools have a wait list and don't have capacity to take on new clients, especially if they know they'll be short-term. Geographically, Hall Farm Stables is your best bet, as you can get a train direct from Cambridge to Waterbeach (5 minutes) and then walk the 5 minutes to the yard. If you need a contact I can put you in touch.

There's also Haggis Farm in Barton which is about five minutes outside of Cambridge. That's a big yard that does lessons and livery so you may find someone looking for help.
 
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