Riding lessons instead of school PE

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eriskaypony

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A local state primary is offering kids the option of having riding lessons at a local yard for a term instead of doing PE. The yard is only a few hundred yards from the school and is giving discounted rates.

I don't know who came up with the idea, or what the logistics / costs are, but fair play to the local education authority for being prepared to try something different. Private schools round here offer riding lessons as a matter of course so it is good to see state educated kids getting the same opportunity.
 
That's fantastic! I wish my kids school could do the same but money is so tight. I was horrified when I saw what coach companies charge for school trips.
 
My old stables backed onto my school fields and the teachers allowed us to swap regular PE for riding our own horses. The teachers often came down to see what was involved in looking after your own horse. This was only is 6th form though so PE was optional anyway.
 
That is brilliant!

Our school used to let us go off site to do PE in our fifth year but riding wasn't an option, would have loved it if it was. The year I did my GCSEs was the year the exam board decided riding wasn't a sport and knocked it off the syllabus :(
 
Gosh! Do you think anyone would notice if I tried to slip into a gymslip again (he he) and tried to pass myself off as a teenager again? OMG! Wot fun. Why didn't they do "useful" things like this when I was at school? I remember slipping a Pullein-Thompson pony novel in my schoolbag and being given detention for reading it in lessons!!! Those were the days ....
 
that's fab! esp with discounted rates too - just far too expensive for most otherwise I think. Thank goodness they haven't been scared off by the health and safety police. So much nicer to get a choice of what to do in pe, oterwise the choice can be pretty small and rather uninspiring for those who might not usually get on with the usual sports.
 
i wish they were east sussex council, we are trying to get a riding team for my school, but apparently we need a £10million insurance indemnity, they originally said £5million so we phoned them said we had it and they said they had changed it that day to £10million withought even telling us
:@
 
Excellent! :D

As to insurance premiums... If the new Government has its way, the good old Health and Safety 'nanny' state may become a thing of the past... :D :D :D

(and yup, I still think the wearing of riding hats and High Viz should be made law :D :D :D)

*wibbles off to drink a hot choccy and contemplate life, er, I mean do some work :D*
 
Yup great isn't it! Where I ride, they have a school come up on Wednesday morning. Normally there's about six of them, 3 spend half an hour learning about rugs, tack, feed and yard work. And the other three ride, then they swap! Wish I could of done it as a child :(
 
I was allowed to go down to my own yard from school (during a double PE session) and ride my horse, do the jobs etc and go home afterwards as long as my yard owner signed something to say I was there! Needless to say I loved PE. (This was 9 years ago!)
 
My daughters school let her have Wednesday afternoon of through the summer to ride instead of games. It is fantastic. She does compete in riding events for the school and they love the glory if they do well.
 
JunoXV said:
It was indeed. Northampton School for Boys (state school) was offering riding as a PE option back in 75. I was in sixth form (A levels) then and had free periods that morning so used to spend entire day at stables.
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They dont anymore! i was there at 6th form (finished last year) but i used to use my free lessons to go home and ride!!!!
 
Our livery yard used to offer NVQ 1 & 2 to high school children but this stopped as the school could no longer afford the transport - we are in rural Northumberland so distance and travel are always an issue here I am afraid!!

They did riding and horse care - I do not know whether this was an alternative to PE or another part of the curriculum.
 
I think it is a nice idea, but only if they do 'proper' (by which I mean cardio) PE the rest of the week - children are getting fatter and fatter, and frankly, a riding lesson really isn't proper-get-your-heart-rate-up exercise for most people, especially beginners. We used to get lots of options when it came to sports, but there was always at least 2 lessons a week of 'get your heart rate up' exercise, as well as whatever option you chose.
 
eriskaypony said:
A local state primary is offering kids the option of having riding lessons at a local yard for a term instead of doing PE. The yard is only a few hundred yards from the school and is giving discounted rates.

I don't know who came up with the idea, or what the logistics / costs are, but fair play to the local education authority for being prepared to try something different. Private schools round here offer riding lessons as a matter of course so it is good to see state educated kids getting the same opportunity.
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I work at a state school and run a riding club after school for students. I currently have 15 students that I take each week for lessons at a nearby RDA centre. The students love it.

I was really lucky when I was younger as I had the opportunity to ride, but some parents aren't quite so willing to give up their saturday mornings, so at least they can ride after school for 45 mins or so.
 
emma69 said:
I think it is a nice idea, but only if they do 'proper' (by which I mean cardio) PE the rest of the week - children are getting fatter and fatter, and frankly, a riding lesson really isn't proper-get-your-heart-rate-up exercise for most people, especially beginners. We used to get lots of options when it came to sports, but there was always at least 2 lessons a week of 'get your heart rate up' exercise, as well as whatever option you chose.
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Obviously not the same instructor as my daughter has. (She comes in dripping with sweat - this is depite her physio saying she has the most well developed thigh muscles she's seen on a 10 year old)
 
When I was in the 6th form a group of the horsey types organised our own riding at a local RS.

Daughter's primary school offers and after school riding and stable management club at a local RS. Also Wellington RS where my daughter rides give lessons to several local schools (mainly private schools)
 
Nearly 30 years ago (OMG!) when I was in upper school aged about 13/14 we had a double PE lesson on a Friday afternoon and could choose from different sports. horse riding wasn't on the list, but I asked the teacher and she got permission (from I don't know where) for me to go horseriding.

I remember that my mum was very pleased because I got an individual lesson every week and the school paid for it - this went on for 2 years!

No-one else in school took up riding though.
 
I teach in a primary school in Doncaster, and my our kids would love to have riding lessons! Think I will look into it now I know other schools go, what a fantastic opportunity for some children
 
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