Helloooo be careful at Bream years ago when we had a big freeze we galloped the p2pters there. To this day remember the first three suddenly disapearing pulling hard right and realising they all had hit a sort of quicksand bit. Luckily no injuries but all vv cold!
being estuary and depending on time of we have muddy patches. Its fine if you stay near dunes but ut scares me where some take their horses.
Its also not suitable for paddling unless v well timed with high tide and on a good spot. (which id fine if you know where- but if tide high enough no room to park on beach)
Brean is fine as long as you are sensible, I rode nearly every day on Brean beach for 10 years with no problems. Don't go out too far towards the sea, stay near the dunes just where the sand turns hard.
It will blow your horses mind the first time you go. All that open space, kind of freaks them out.
Def be careful if you don't know the beach! Take a friend or at least have a good chat with them about tides and mud patches. I'd always recommend walking first checking the sand then gallop back over the bit you have checked.
It's amazing how the same beach can vary from day to day - where I ride sometimes the sand is very soft on the estuary side, other times it is firmer (main beach always seems ok). And there are stones which change with every tide.
Sadly our beach is even further from you than Camarthen :-(
I fell off a 12.2 on the beach and knew I musn't let go. It dragged me about half a mile down the beach until it got clever and ran me over the top of an old tyre.
*Good tip, dont fall off it is a pain to catch your horse.
Studland Beach possibly? It's a fair way away; about 2 hours from me, but me and the rents went for a day trip one time and it wasn't too bad. It's a gorgeous place as well
(bearing in mind we were at the non-nudist part
)
I seem to remember you have to get a permit to ride on the beach, but i think they do 'day-pass' type things - you could find out by contacting the local council?
Edit:
just realised you said you were in Stroud - meaning Studland would be a pretty far stretch for you - about the same as Pendine >.<. I'm afraid that's all my knowledge of beach riding used up - unless you wanna to all the way down to devon/cornwall x]