Riding schools - how to progress?

[Gotthebugagain]

I'm in my 40's and recently returned to riding after a long break. In my teens and twenties I rode regularly and also loaned a beautiful TB for a period. I would describe myself as competent but certainly lots to learn still and very rusty.

What I really love (and want to get better at) is getting the horse working well in a nice outline and good contact. I love schooling! I really want to improve my seat and position, I enjoy hacking too (I'm not a complete bore) but riding well and correctly is really important to me.

I've tried a few riding schools and have just been a bit frustrated by a) very uninspired teaching and b) lack of responsiveness from the horses. I am not blaming the horses AT ALL, and I do believe that a good rider should be able to get most horses working well. But I'm not good (yet) and finding it so frustrating riding horses that are just totally dead to the leg and unresponsive. The riding schools seem completely geared towards children.

I live in South London - if anyone has any recommendations for stables within an hours drive that offer good tuition for adult riders I'm all ears!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It's not really near you but Contessa in Hertfordshire do lessons on more advanced horses so would be a world away from your average riding school horse, you will have an assessment lesson initially to make sure you are capable of riding a horse at that level and then they have an idea of your ability.

It's the only place I can think of at the moment hopefully someone else on here will know of somewhere else that may do similar.

 

[mariew]

Lomond near Gatwick is fab. I would recommend private lessons more then anything . And I disagree a little on you should be able to get a tune out of every horse as some simply aren't that we'll schooled. I think there used to be a wildwoods near Epsom, no idea if that is still running.

 

[teapot]

Lomond, Contessa, or The Classical Riding Academy at Goodwood (a bit further but have a look) would be my recommendations.

I really do think centres that focus on adults and don’t have that stereotypical riding school feel are getting rarer.

There’s also Wildwoods at Epsom, Wimbledon Village (no idea what it’s like these days). Not sure if Ham Stables still offers lessons?

 

[Lipglosspukka]

You wont get a proper tune out of some riding school horses. Not unless they stop putting novices on them and everyone who does ride is on the same page. It just can't be achieved that quickly.

Find yourself a private horse to ride perhaps and have a lesson on that one instead?

 

[Gotthebugagain]

Thanks everyone, haven't heard of any of those places so will take a look. Lomond might be do-able - I don't mind travelling further once in a while to 'top up'!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

@Skib you ride well schooled horses in London I believe? Under good instruction??

 

[Gotthebugagain]

I really do think centres that focus on adults and don’t have that stereotypical riding school feel are getting rarer.

I totally agree. Not got anything against children! Just would like somewhere that catered more towards an adult rider who has some experience and knows which areas etc I want to work on. In not a single one of the lessons I've had recently has the instructor (there have been various) asked me what I was hoping to achieve from the lesson. I'm pretty friendly and chatty and always try and start a bit of a dialogue but they seem singularly uninterested in finding out more about me as a rider and the areas I'm hoping to improve on.

 

[Gotthebugagain]

Find yourself a private horse to ride perhaps and have a lesson on that one instead?

I would absolutely love that and have been thinking of finding a share or a loan. But I'm a bit too rusty still, need to get better first. Also have 3 small children and work so not quite the right time. I'm desperate to just be around horses more. One of the places I've tried in particular is just so transactional - you turn up - all the horses are stabled in an enclosed area so no chance of saying hello. Straight into the area where you wait on a bench before someone brings your horse out and you get told it's name. You even have to approach it from behind to get on - I like to stand with horses for a minute or two before I get on just to say hello and give them a little scratch. It''s just polite! Not here. Felt like I was hiring a car.

 

[splashgirl45]

ive had my own horses for many years but sadly dont have one now. various friends had offered me horses to ride but as i hadnt ridden for 2 years i thought i would go for a hack on a rs horse first.. i was shocked to find that leg aids meant nothing unless we were at the spot for trotting or cantering and shouldnt have been surprised but it spoilt the riding for me. i did have time to get to know my horse before i got on him and i untacked him afterwards. the ride served a purpose but if i was going to ride somewhere again i would go to somewhere like contessa as a rs horse is not really for me.....

 

[teapot]

I totally agree. Not got anything against children! Just would like somewhere that catered more towards an adult rider who has some experience and knows which areas etc I want to work on. In not a single one of the lessons I've had recently has the instructor (there have been various) asked me what I was hoping to achieve from the lesson. I'm pretty friendly and chatty and always try and start a bit of a dialogue but they seem singularly uninterested in finding out more about me as a rider and the areas I'm hoping to improve on.

Contessa/CRA/Lomond will definitely do what you would like

I work in the industry and ride not where I work, it's something I really care about!

 

[Shilasdair]

You wont get a proper tune out of some riding school horses. Not unless they stop putting novices on them and everyone who does ride is on the same page. It just can't be achieved that quickly.

Find yourself a private horse to ride perhaps and have a lesson on that one instead?

You can get a proper tune out of all horses, if you know how to play them.
I used to work at a trekking centre where we had a Clydie who wouldn't go faster than a slow jog. Until the staff got on - walk to canter, lateral work, you name it.
She was just smarter than the clients.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

If you’re anywhere near west London then Ham House Stables would be a good bet - it’s mainly oriented towards private lessons for adults : http://www.hamhousestables.com/about-us/

Wildwoods near Epsom has some more advanced horses which they use for BHS stages

 

[coblets]

Ditto Ham House. I know someone that's ridden there a couple times, and it sounded like it'd be perfect for you.

 

[teapot]

Ham aren't taking on new clients going by latest update!

 

[Gotthebugagain]

Ham look fab but arent taking new clients. Lomond looks amazing and 'only' an hour away (I accept that living in London I'm going to have to travel!).

 

[EchoInterrupted]

@Gotthebugagain I'm looking for exactly the same thing in London and have had some unfortunate experiences in my search. I did have a super lovely lesson at Lee Valley yesterday though. Definitely much more responsive school horses than the horses at the other RS I have been riding at in London recently and I was really pleased with the tuition. There are a couple more I'm meaning to try (unfortunately Lomond and Contessa are too far for me otherwise I would be there in a heartbeat ). Feel free to send me a message and we can compare notes as we are looking for literally the exact same thing when it comes to the lessons.

 

[mariew]

The other thing is to change your mindset. I currently ride trekking horses that need help with schooling. I see it as a challenge to help them improve and you can still learn from them in a different way. I think of it as practice when I get my own again as it's likely to be an unschooled youngster. But I don't pay a fortune for it which helps.

 

[tetij]

I am also in south London, looking for exactly the same thing as you (and @EchoInterrupted) and have the same problems - feel like we should form a club! I’m hoping to get a lesson at Lomond soon though and had a really good lunge lesson at Ham House a couple of years back. It’s a shame to hear they’re not taking new clients.

It’s really frustrating and I agree that the schools near here are not adult-focused at all, or if they are, there are other issues that have made me uncomfortable enough not to go back. I have also found the lack of well-schooled/responsive horses and uninspiring teaching very difficult, which makes it easy to go away from lessons blaming yourself.

Might try and tentatively look for a private share in a few months but there doesn’t seem to be many of those, either…unless you want to pay £140 a month effectively re-schooling someone else’s nutter of a horse, which seems to be most of the adverts on FB atm.

My inbox is also open for comparing notes, so feel free to PM It’s good to know I’m not the only one!

 

[Gotthebugagain]

The other thing is to change your mindset. I currently ride trekking horses that need help with schooling. I see it as a challenge to help them improve and you can still learn from them in a different way. I think of it as practice when I get my own again as it's likely to be an unschooled youngster. But I don't pay a fortune for it which helps.

Absolutely, and I do enjoy that. My favourite horse growing up was a super nappy riding school tearaway but I loved him and took perverse pleasure getting him round a dressage course! It's just I feel so rusty myself at the minute so it's hard working on that and also working on horses, if you see what i mean.

 

[Gotthebugagain]

@EchoInterrupted and @tetij pm-ing you both!

 

[Cowpony]

If you can find someone good who teaches on a simulator that can help you improve. I found the biggest aspect of improving my riding and my horse's way of going was working on my position, using my legs more and my hands less. A simulator doesn't solve everything, but it's a good start.

 

[Zoeypxo]

How about stag lodge?

 

[Surbie]

Silvermere is pretty good, in Cobham, just off the A3 junction.
Wildwoods is very definitely still going and has sone good horses.

Those are the two round here I'd recomnend (am also South Londonish).

There is the Civil Service Riding Club too which a few of my friends go to.

 

[Surbie]

Alternatively would you consider getting a share and having lessons on that from an instructor you and the owner agree on?

If you are in South London there are nice horses up for share (- not nutters!), on livery yards with decent facilities.