Seeking narrow bridlepath near Lewes E.sussex with good footing

wkiwi

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As per title really. Am looking for a bridlepath that is within half an hour or so of BN8 -5NQ that can be cantered on during winter.
Ideally needs to have hedges/fences or be through woods etc. with an enclosed feeling. REason for this is twofold - horse needs to canter in a straightish line without being able to dive to the right during the canter trans or if something goes wrong (horse has some bad memories that need to be overcome). Plus do not really want wide open spaces as horse hasn't been hacked for at least a year or so, although this is less important than the first reason.

Ride needs to have suitable and safe parking for a side-loading trailer.
And not a TROT ride as the horse won't be doing enough hacking to warrant the cost.
Doesn't need to be long (anticipate about a 1/2 to 3/4 hour ride max with only a short time at canter).

Perfection would be a ride that was a loop rather than out and back, but just a safe ride with good footing would do.

Not looking for schooling suggestions for this horse - just location of possible bridlepath.
Thanks for reading :)

PS - if anyone is thinking of Petley Woods, they are closed at the moment because the entrance is too wet.

PPS - the 'within half hour or so' is by trailer, not by hacking.
 
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popsdosh

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So you want to go and screw up somebody else's land when its wet at the moment a great attitude towards land owners!

Why dont you hire an all weather gallop theres a good one at Jeavington if its still there ,I moved away some time ago What about up on the old racecourse at Lewes you could try contacting Sheena West the gallops always used to have a running rail!
 
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teapot

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Assume you've drawn a radius on the relevent OS map and gone and done a recce of those bridleways available?

Must be some all weather gallops somewhere locally too?
 

MungoMadness

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Laughton woods are ridable but not canterable, surface is too stoney.

There are byways in Berwick which by memory would be suitable. We used to drive down them for a canter, but this was a couple of years ago. There is also a byway if you carry on down past Golden Cross which comes out Ripe way but I've only ridden down once and can't remember what the surface is like or if it's suitable for a canter.
 

wkiwi

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So you want to go and screw up somebody else's land when its wet at the moment a great attitude towards land owners!

Why dont you hire an all weather gallop theres a good one at Jeavington if its still there ,I moved away some time ago What about up on the old racecourse at Lewes you could try contacting Sheena West the gallops always used to have a running rail!

No, I don't want to screw up any one else's land thanks. I am looking for ground that is suitable for riding on all year e.g. chalk/sandy tracks. There are plenty of soil types that are suitable to ride on without a few canters doing them any damage in winter. I didn't know there was an old racecourse at Lewes or gallops at Jeavington as I am not from around here (hence my need to ask others for information) but thanks for the info and i will google these.
 

wkiwi

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Assume you've drawn a radius on the relevent OS map and gone and done a recce of those bridleways available?

Must be some all weather gallops somewhere locally too?

Thanks yes, in a way. My landlady and i are taking the dogs for walks along local bridleways to check them out. We know there are some great footpaths on the chalk areas near the base of the downs but haven't found a bridleway yet (other than the main downs one) so was hoping for some local knowledge.
 

wkiwi

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Laughton woods are ridable but not canterable, surface is too stoney.

There are byways in Berwick which by memory would be suitable. We used to drive down them for a canter, but this was a couple of years ago. There is also a byway if you carry on down past Golden Cross which comes out Ripe way but I've only ridden down once and can't remember what the surface is like or if it's suitable for a canter.


Thanks to the other suggestion of Laughton woods too - I know there are a few parts to canter in summer, as it is not far from us, but it is a bit bottomless at this time of year. The byway from Golden cross to ripe is also becoming bottomless.
But i will google Berwick thanks.
 

wkiwi

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To be fair to popdosh - who canters at this time of year anyway, especially with how wet it has been recently? It just churns it up for everyone else :( no wonder they are tarmacing the bridle paths :(

Umm, I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't want to canter all year round if the surface was suitable, but in this case anyway the horse is a re-school and needs to canter on straight lines. But not looking to churn anything up for anyone else and cantering in conditions that would churn something up is too much risk for a horse's tendons.
Have found gallops just over an hour away and was just looking for ideas closer if possible. We have the chalk downs which people ride on (and canter on all year round) without churning it up, but rather than checking every side-track off it (and there are many) i was seeking local knowledge for a suitable place to start her off on.
However, thank you for your comment and interest in the topic.
 

wkiwi

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I'd just like to add that i have had a **** of a month (year/decade) and am currently awake in the middle of the night due to pain.
Christmas has already been grinched (in multiple ways) and i have also had to sell my own horse due to finances.

So it would be really great if I could just have suggestions only for this thread without any negative comments.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, which i will follow up

P.S I googled Jeavington gallops but can't find anything, so if anyone has any more info on this or lewes racetrack then that would be great too.
:)
 
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popsdosh

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I'd just like to add that i have had a **** of a month (year/decade) and am currently awake in the middle of the night due to pain.
Christmas has already been grinched (in multiple ways) and i have also had to sell my own horse due to finances.

So it would be really great if I could just have suggestions only for this thread without any negative comments.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, which i will follow up

P.S I googled Jeavington gallops but can't find anything, so if anyone has any more info on this or lewes racetrack then that would be great too.
:)

I am sorry if I came over negative at the moment we are trying to cope with a local PTP yard whos gallops are too wet so have taken to exercising in some of our off lying grass fields just because it looks useable.
The reason I said what I did was that the only places around there that are likely to be enclosed will be on the wetter lowland as the downs are more open. I grew up near Lewes and hunted regularly so know the land quite well. If you are looking for public space you are more likely to find something suitable up on ashdown forest as the soil is sandy and free draining. Around Lewes itself the low lying land is heavy clay and pretty bottomless this time of year. Re the all weather at Jeavington I dont know who trains there now but you can see the gallops from the A27 as you go up the hill.
There are several racing yards in Lewes you could approach all to the west of the town. The old racecourse is on top of the downs behind the hospital but access is from the roadway behind the Prison. Just a quick google http://www.suzysmithracing.co.uk/
 
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Sheep

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Yes, I googled and found Suzy Smith as well. Haven't been there myself but walked past a few times on the hike between Sussex Uni and Lewes when I was a student and it all looked as though it was in action, so perhaps give them a shout. Even if they can't help, they may be able to point you in the right direction.

ETA: found an article that mentions that Jim Best, Gerry Enright and Mark Hoad all are based around the old Lewes course. Not sure how up to date that is but might be useful if Suzy Smith can't help.
 

popsdosh

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Yes, I googled and found Suzy Smith as well. Haven't been there myself but walked past a few times on the hike between Sussex Uni and Lewes when I was a student and it all looked as though it was in action, so perhaps give them a shout. Even if they can't help, they may be able to point you in the right direction.

ETA: found an article that mentions that Jim Best, Gerry Enright and Mark Hoad all are based around the old Lewes course. Not sure how up to date that is but might be useful if Suzy Smith can't help.

Gerry retired in the spring ! However found this as well
http://www.directoryoftheturf.com/profile.cfm/searchid/4659
 

wkiwi

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I am sorry if I came over negative at the moment we are trying to cope with a local PTP yard whos gallops are too wet so have taken to exercising in some of our off lying grass fields just because it looks useable.
The reason I said what I did was that the only places around there that are likely to be enclosed will be on the wetter lowland as the downs are more open. I grew up near Lewes and hunted regularly so know the land quite well. If you are looking for public space you are more likely to find something suitable up on ashdown forest as the soil is sandy and free draining. Around Lewes itself the low lying land is heavy clay and pretty bottomless this time of year. Re the all weather at Jeavington I dont know who trains there now but you can see the gallops from the A27 as you go up the hill.
There are several racing yards in Lewes you could approach all to the west of the town. The old racecourse is on top of the downs behind the hospital but access is from the roadway behind the Prison. Just a quick google http://www.suzysmithracing.co.uk/

Thanks for clarifying and posting again. Have found friston forest near jevington that looks promising and the suzysmith racing looks also looks a possibility. Have also been given a tip for an area down from Firle that some of the hunting fraternity use for getting fit without going up on the top of the downs so am following that up too.
 

wkiwi

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Thanks to everyone for posting and i now have some good leads to follow up, all much closer to here than the ones i found by myself.
Merry xmas to all
:)
 

wkiwi

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Laughton woods are ridable but not canterable, surface is too stoney.

There are byways in Berwick which by memory would be suitable. We used to drive down them for a canter, but this was a couple of years ago. There is also a byway if you carry on down past Golden Cross which comes out Ripe way but I've only ridden down once and can't remember what the surface is like or if it's suitable for a canter.

Thanks MungoMadness - can you remember where you parked at Berwick? I've found loads of byways on the map so it would be good if we could narrow it down a bit before taking the dogs over to check it out.
 

amanda123

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Hi I ride quite regularly on the downs near Lewes there are quite a few places suitable for cantering, even this time of year. Some with a fence on one side so not too open. I would think that you would find that the gallops at Lewes feel quite open, there is a woodchip track too but gallops and track are privately owned by trainers, I'm not sure if you would be allowed on them. There is an all weather at Brightling which I have used which I think you would find feels quite enclosed. We often go Firle Beacon for a canter (racehorses). Have you been to Stanmer Park, that might suit you?
 

wkiwi

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Hi I ride quite regularly on the downs near Lewes there are quite a few places suitable for cantering, even this time of year. Some with a fence on one side so not too open. I would think that you would find that the gallops at Lewes feel quite open, there is a woodchip track too but gallops and track are privately owned by trainers, I'm not sure if you would be allowed on them. There is an all weather at Brightling which I have used which I think you would find feels quite enclosed. We often go Firle Beacon for a canter (racehorses). Have you been to Stanmer Park, that might suit you?
Thanks for that.
We are planning on Firle Beacon when she has been out a bit but think it will blow her mind at the moment and don't want to put any walkers lives at risk (LOL - mine not important). Do you know of any parking and tracks down from the Beacon? (near water tower) -have found the old coach road but it is stoney and not sure about a good parking spot that wouldn't block the farm tracks.
Will check out Brightling and Stanmer Park - the latter is quite near to us but i didn't know horses were allowed so that would be a good one.
 

popsdosh

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Thanks for that.
We are planning on Firle Beacon when she has been out a bit but think it will blow her mind at the moment and don't want to put any walkers lives at risk (LOL - mine not important). Do you know of any parking and tracks down from the Beacon? (near water tower) -have found the old coach road but it is stoney and not sure about a good parking spot that wouldn't block the farm tracks.
Will check out Brightling and Stanmer Park - the latter is quite near to us but i didn't know horses were allowed so that would be a good one.

I assume the all weather at Brightling will be Gardies ! Heres the contact details http://www.directoryoftheturf.com/profile.cfm/searchid/16322
 

amanda123

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We go past Firle Place on your left and park right at the top of the hill, it is normally quiet daytime during the week. Stanmer Park has a bridleway which has a long track through the woods, might be suitable for a steady canter, often quite a lot of dog walkers though. Might be good to explore both on foot first so you can see what might suit you. Yes was thinking of the Grissell's all weather.
 

wkiwi

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We go past Firle Place on your left and park right at the top of the hill, it is normally quiet daytime during the week. Stanmer Park has a bridleway which has a long track through the woods, might be suitable for a steady canter, often quite a lot of dog walkers though. Might be good to explore both on foot first so you can see what might suit you. Yes was thinking of the Grissell's all weather.

Thanks for that - we plan on using the firle ride once we know that open spaces won't blow her brain. Googled photos of Stanmer park and the track through the woods you mention looks ideal so will head there with the dogs as soon as the xmas traffic has settled (it has been absolutely manic the last couple of days).
 

wkiwi

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Is Lingfield racecourse too far? I don't know if they are open now but we could certainly run on them earlier this year.

Thanks for that. There have now been closer suggestions that i am following up, but i will certainly put it on the list.
 

tiga71

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There is a lovely ride to Stanmer Park if you park at Plumpton College. Would be a good one once you know she will be ok with open spaces. You go straight up from Plumpton, turn right at the top, across Ditchling Beacon, then down into Stanmer, round through the woods, stop at the Stanmer cafe for a drink, then back through woods and back up. Some fab long gallops/ canters and the ground is always good.
 

wkiwi

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There is a lovely ride to Stanmer Park if you park at Plumpton College. Would be a good one once you know she will be ok with open spaces. You go straight up from Plumpton, turn right at the top, across Ditchling Beacon, then down into Stanmer, round through the woods, stop at the Stanmer cafe for a drink, then back through woods and back up. Some fab long gallops/ canters and the ground is always good.
That does sound nice!
Are there any shorter more enclosed rides from plumpton college? Or is it just straight up to the top.
 

tiga71

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There is a ride through the woods near Black Cap but there is still open space on either side of it. You can't canter in the woods though, but there is a great long couple of canter/gallops after the woods. You go straight up from Plumpton College and turn left, go along the track towards Black Cap, through the gate and then head down to the right to a small gate that leads into the woods. Go through the woods till you get to a big field with a waterbutt thing near the gate. That field takes you all the way back round to the main gate at Black Cap. You can follow the tracks to get back through a few fields.
 

wkiwi

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There is a ride through the woods near Black Cap but there is still open space on either side of it. You can't canter in the woods though, but there is a great long couple of canter/gallops after the woods. You go straight up from Plumpton College and turn left, go along the track towards Black Cap, through the gate and then head down to the right to a small gate that leads into the woods. Go through the woods till you get to a big field with a waterbutt thing near the gate. That field takes you all the way back round to the main gate at Black Cap. You can follow the tracks to get back through a few fields.
That sounds great - I love loops rather than out and back.
Thanks
 
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