Where did you learn to ride?

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revilo

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Picking up from how old were you when you learnt to ride.

I learnt to ride at at a place in Bookham surrey (wivvenhoe stables?!) had 1 or 2 lessons and then went to Dorking riding school, owned by Miss Fardon (sp). I learnt on a pony called Elf (I used to dream that he was my very own black beauty and then progressed to a dun called Biscuit who was always grumpy and would try to bit you there were many others as i became more confident. Some of you may know the place and even ridden there, if so it would be good to hear memories.
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I learnt to ride as Susannes Riding school in Middx.. Then moved to Patchetts when it was still a riding school!! Um that was a good few years ago!!!
 
I learned at riding schools, started it off at one named Callow End RS, then moved to one named Orchard Vale RS, then moved on to another called Twyning RS which changed hands twice whilest I was there (you might remember the article on HHO about the RS that was taking kids out hunting? Well I learned with her there until she moved to her new site). Also had a horse on loan for 2 years from a lady in the village whilest at the last RS. So I guess I learned at 4 different stables. I then got my own horse
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and am still learning all the time!
 
I went to Carrington way back in the late 70's (that makes me feel sooo old!) We lived on a farm in Flixton and I used to tack up the wall to practise in between lessons!!
 
I learned at a place called downside just outside Cardiff. Then got a pony on loan and went to pony club and found out it had a terrible reputation. I liked it but didn't know any better I suppose - the horses were looked after although they were kept in a lot as there was just one small field across the road and they had to take it in turns to go out one day a week. I didn't know anybody horsey in those days to ask advice and just went to the closest place. It's changed hands now and is much better I'm told!
 
A tiny little riding school in a tiny village called Llangybi, it was in the middle of nowhere in wales! and i started on a little shetland called gypsy, so was so sweet, then moved on to a horse call Tom/Tim i think...? (started with a T) still remember the first time i fell off him, went for a canter up the field and somehow ended up on my bum, still to this day havent worked it out?!?
 
Learnt to ride at Abbotsleigh Riding School in the 70s. Fell in love with a little grey cob called Monday and looked after him at weekends for the proprietor. Gave up when I was 18 as had met future, now ex husband. Had a 23 year break, during which time met divorced ex and met new husband and had daughter. Daughter inherited love of horses and begged me to start riding nearly 6 years ago. Booked a lesson at Hartleywood Equestrian Centre after daughter had been riding nearly 6 months. The rest is history. Had my first lesson on a very grumpy black cob with the saddest expression. Fell totally in love with him. When said riding school had to close 18 months later I bought him. He does not have a sad expression now.....
 
I kind of picked it up as I went along, a spot of pony trekking when young, then weekly fast hacks out on western trained horses in my teens - didn't have any proper lessons until my 20's (which could explain quite a lot!). I went to Radway Riding School for a while (and Westfield before it closed) and from then on bought my own horse and had lessons at home, as and when
 
I learnt to ride at Hall Place stable near Reading and rode and helped out there for many many years. I know a few people on here used to ride there and Charlie76 is now the manager. I've not been there for many years as I'm now in Essex.
 
I learnt to ride at Matthews Riding School in Gillingham Kent, it was closed down a few years later and the lovely spanish style building was just left and is now derelict. Someone (Rambo I think) posted some pics of it, and it looks so sad.
Here are some pics I found
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=483717
They later opened another smaller place in Capstone and I worked there for a while as an instructor teaching people on the same ponies I learnt to ride on!
 
Cridling Stubbs......several decades ago...used to hack out more than lessons.

Then a succesion of loan ponies/shares before a gap of about 10 years.

Started having lessons again at Royds Hall near wakefield about 5-6 years ago after young son had a few lessons.....my 1970's riding style had apparantly gone out of style
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, so I had to learn all over again and break the bad habits I'd gotten into having ridden a succession of flighty ponies ( I think the position I had adopted was the well known 'ready to bale out of the side door/clinging on for dear life' position.....
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).

Now fully classicalised.....I make my son video me riding and pick myself to bits on the TV on a regular basis. Although I tend to focus more on arse-size than anything else.....
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i learnt at South Leicestershire Riding Establishment - was only ever a really tiny 'riding school' as it was mainly an event yard (its owned by Kenneth Clawson) meant i had lessons from event riders like JP Sheffield and Oli Townend when they were there. and got loads of great experience riding the ex-eventers, dont think they even have any ponies now, was a fantastic place to learn - and its where i bought my first horse from and she was my horse of a lifetime!

its the only riding school i ever went to, was there for about 16 years!not been for a long time now.
 
Ummm
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The first proper lessons I can remember having were on a pony called Dobbin at Devenish Pitt in Devon (and being led out from a seemingly HUGE horse called Domino, DP is still going strong I am pleased to see
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) and at school in Honiton of course because it was on the curriculum.
 
At Crystalbrook Riding School in Theydon Bois , Essex in the very early 1970's . I remember the owner , Miss Diana Cowie who smoked using a long black cigarette holder . She was very nice to us & would say ' Prepare to trot & terrrrrrot ! '
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Also at Woodredon Riding School when I got older . Very happy memories of the place , which was betwixt & between Essex & Herts ( though really it was more Essex . ) I have arranged to have my ashes scattered around the area when I pop my clogs
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I'm actually surprised that no one has said pony club yet! I learnt from the age of 2 in pony club as my mum was dc and the safest place for me was on a pony!!
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I learnt to ride when I was very young on a pony down the road that my Mum’s friend owned. Later on in life I had lessons at a riding school before buying my first horse owned by myself (had ponies as a kid but we never had lessons).
 
Well i started at Heybrook Equestrian Centre in Lowton then went onto Manchester Equestrian Centre in Urmston i think it is then to North Cheshire then back to Heybrook and finally to Ryders farm in Farnworth before I launched myself into the world of horse ownership!
 
Hewitts in Benllech Bay, Anglesey in (ahem) 1954. I was taught all I know by Frank Munnings who is long dead now but was an excellent horseman and teacher.

I started to get into trouble though when I decided I needed a refresher course about 15 years ago. Learned a more modern seat.......and started falling off with monotonous regularity!
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OK, lateral thinking was required and that was when I decided to try side saddle - have never looked back. I can stay on anything now.
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I did my side saddle training at Wrea Green Equitation Centre, between Preston and Blackpool. I can't recommend it highly enough..
 
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I learnt to ride at Hall Place stable near Reading

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Me too!
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It's lovely there, I know a couple of liveries and I would actually love to keep my horse there if I was ever to get one
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I was taught to ride at Broomhall Riding School in Cheshire (think it might have been near Nantwich but I was only 5 at the time). That was at the beginning of the 80s. Up until 3 years ago it was the best place I'd ever been taught at but present riding school is great too...so wish I'd not spent so long at rubbish places though!
 
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