What's the average cost for trekking in New Forest?

Ravenwood

Ravenwood

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My daughter and I were planning on spending the weekend with my friend and her two daughters. We thought we would like to go to the New Forest, hire some ponies, trek for a few hours, stopping off at a pub for lunch.

My friend has just looked at the website of one centre in the New Forest and they charge £24/hr or £48 for 2 hours each
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Is trekking really that expensive? How can anyone justify such a cost when you can ride your own horse (in the rain) everyday
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Is that the going rate do you know?
 
My local (Dartmoor) is £17 for 1 hour, £25 for 1.5 hours, £30 (ish) for 2. They're about the cheapest I've come across, but have been better than places twice the price elsewhere.
 
Thats more like the sort of price they charge round here to I think.

I guess New Forest is a bit too close to the commuter belt!
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When you think how much your own horse (if you have one ) cost you per year with all the shoeing, livery, vets bills, feed, hay, schooling, training, physiotherapy, horse whisperer, saddler, back man/woman etc etc, maybe they are not such unrealistic prices.
I guess the work is seasonal with nothing much going on in the winter months so they have to make as much as they can, when they can.
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LOL - thats a very practical reply!
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Perhaps I should start hiring out my two and make them earn their keep
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I didn't realise what little gold mines they are
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we went last year to nf for a hen do.

think it was approx £40 for 2 hours, it did feel a bit ow, especially as I had had to squeeze in riding mine first in the morning!
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cheaper to take frank next time, could you not take yours?
 
Samstar - thats the one that charges £28/hr! But glad you enjoyed it. I spent a weekend western riding on Dartmoor - very, very different but thoroughly enjoyed it
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i'd recommend Arniss riding stables near Godshill. Had my first ever ride there. they have a track going straight from the yard right into the forest and no roads in sight the whole way. probably fairly expensive but worth it I think. don't know if they offer pub rides though!
 
I went on a two hour hack with Bagnum stables. Can't remember the exact price but I know it was a lot cheaper than Burley as I compared the two. Lots of canters too!

Btw, you'd be v lucky to find somewhere that lets you hire horses without a guide, they usually can't do that for insurance reasons. So they have to factor the guide / instructor cost into the price too.
 
Arniss are very good, my husband learnt to ride there.
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Dont know what Bagnum are like to ride with, we only go there for shows.

I live between the two, the hacking here is wonderful, and my daughter and I often ride to any one of the local pubs, tie up while we have a coke etc.
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I hope you can find somewhere, you would have a wonderful time - my kettle is always on, and I have plenty of grass if you decide to bring your own.
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