Wheatlands Farm, Berkshire

Hey - yep its in Finchampstead - they have a website that should tell you more, do a google search. I have been to a few lessons and competitions there and know a couple of people who livery there who say it is fantastic. It is a lovely looking place.
 
A few years ago they spent a heap of money building new stables & upgrading the facilities so it was really quite nice. From memory they used to ask liveries to poo pick 2 bags of poo a week (which were left by the gate for collection) which was reasonable. Been to a few competitions there, always friendly & well run. I will say as for a few months I was stabled very close that the hacking around there is dire. The lane it's on becomes very slippy, & people belt down it. There is only a couple of short bridleways locally & really very little riding that doesn't involve seriously busy roads.
 
Is it true that you could get to Bramshill after 30 min walk from there ?
Where I am at the minute I have to do road work to get to hacking so not such an issue.
The ridges are not far are they from there.

I am a happy hacker and Horse is very good on the roads.

The poo picking is the same ! went for a look the other week.

It is good value for money and VERY secure which is what I like. And the freedom to do what I like with the ned.

Where are you based ?
 
Turn right out of the farm, go to the end of Whitehorse Lane, small short bridleway on left, go down it. Come out onto a road, turn left, hack all the way to the end (beware this road is a very bad rat run with drivers who want to speed), over the crossroads (very poor visibility, crossing another very fast road), keep going straight ahead, through ford (not passable in winter, often new horses baulk as there is a weir close by so the water is frothy), at gravel triangle immediately on right take the track bearing right past the houses, over the stile & you're in the forest.

I would expect it to take longer than 30 mins in walk, you couldn't do it safely on work days due to the traffic (personal opinion from hacking to Bramshill for years & being on Whitehorse Lane for a while), the river rises a lot after rain & you will need a permit for the forest (about £60 per year per horse) as it belongs to the Forestry Commision. There is only one right of way through the forest (Welsh Drive) so it's not like there are bridleways in there to hack on instead. Rangers reguarly do permit checks.

It's personal choice, but I wouldn't use it to say the farm has good hacking. You can get there only after at times dodgy roadwork. It can be done but I'd be careful when I did it (would never do it 7-10am 3-7pm weekdays myself).
 
I echo Pip - I would consider the hacking poor and limited. I know several liveries who keep their horses there, however, and they love the place - but they are all into low- and mid-level competing rather than just happy hacking. The owner can be a little "prickly" and is quite funny about liveries getting in outside trainers. Also, liveries pay to use the school for lessons (on top of their livery bills).

Honestly, I wouldn't have said it was ideal for a happy hacker.

P
 
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