Your favourite fun rides . . . .

W

welshcobmad

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 March 2010
Messages
542
Visit site
Just out of interest really & perhaps to be help to anyone who's thinking of trying one, after doing a fair few & doing a 3hr round drive to return to Cirencester Park again on Sunday (my favourite), whats your favourite fun ride & far do you travel max to get to one?
 
My favorites are the Bakewell and Okeover PRs with Derbyshire EGB. I'll normally do up to about an hour and a half away in the lorry for a day trip but like occasional stay-over trips all over the place and hope to see most of the nicest countryside in the UK by horse at some point. :cool:
 
I love Cirencester Park (Shame I missed it this year)
Also

Adam's Farm / Cotswold rare breeds farm (Sadly not on anymore)
South Oxforshire Sponsored Ride (Doing a night time class this year!)

would love to find more locally!
 
Flame_ said:
My favorites are the Bakewell and Okeover PRs with Derbyshire EGB. I'll normally do up to about an hour and a half away in the lorry for a day trip but like occasional stay-over trips all over the place and hope to see most of the nicest countryside in the UK by horse at some point. :cool:
Click to expand...

I have done Okeover twice and really enjoyed it, my favourite is the Chatsworth Ride that is organised by the four shires drag hunt it is brilliant.
 
The Miserden one is indeed a good one, I always found the VWH fun rides to be excellent too but admit I haven't been on one for a few years. The Farm Park ones were good, anyone know why they've stopped? Must have been a good money spinner...
 
marmalade76 said:
The Miserden one is indeed a good one, I always found the VWH fun rides to be excellent too but admit I haven't been on one for a few years. The Farm Park ones were good, anyone know why they've stopped? Must have been a good money spinner...
Click to expand...

CFP - Landlord issues I believe - they're trying to get it reopened but we shall see.
Gutted to be missing the VWH one at Oaksey next month which looks fab and includes a night ride for those brave enough/
 
I've done a fair few locally but was lucky enough to have a lift to Cirencester a few years ago & to ride my friends horse so knew it was worth the drive to go this year although my first time towing there myself, think the hour & a half there was my comfortable limit towing each way. Doesnt compare to the other ones Ive done its miles better - the long runs of jumps help my horse no end as he has a confidence crisis at the start then as soon as he's bowling along he jumps almost anything :)

Hoping to get to the Badminton Ride this year - I know people say its always packed but I'd at least like to try it once.

Gutted Adams farm has stopped as that was one I wanted to try too.
 
Newmarket (Macmillan Cancer) Ride on 1 September this year.

http://www.horsedates.co.uk/EntryForms/4947.pdf

HQ is Newmarket racecourse by the grandstand.

The route takes you out onto the miles and miles of turf, around the British Racing School, around the back of the racecourse. Some superb opportunities for long, long, safe canters.

Then the route brings you on the sandy horsewalk around edge of racecourse into the back of the town where you ride along concrete horse "streets" with horserider traffic lights, and you can peer into training yards tucked away in all sorts of places and see little thoroughbred heads peering over their stable doors at you. Then cross some roads and you're looking up ahead at the expanse of Newmarket Heath. Off you go, more superb canter opportunities.

Walk as you go past Sir Henry Cecil's yard. Ssshhh. Don't disturb the superstars on their afternoon snooze but admire the gorgeous buildings. On and away, then more canters, then a lovely soft leaf-covered peaty track through a small woodland to walk along, another roadcrossing and there in front of you is the 9 furlong all weather gallop of the British Racing School. It's time to gallop and release your inner racehorse jockey desires... the white rail to each side of you. Even the laziest, quietest, fattest, most unfit neddies will light-up on the springy going and go for it, even if they can only hold their pace for 2 of the 9 furlongs. Absolutely gobtastic!!

Pull up at the end,sweating blowing needs, this is refreshment stop. Water troughs for neds, soft drinks and snacks for riders.

Then it's horse pavement into the town, another chance to admire racehorse heads looking over stable doors in training yards.

And out onto the outskirts of the racecourse again, miles and miles of springy turf for you to get at least two good long canters out of on your way back to the HQ.

£40 because it's £20 to enter and £20 minimum sponsorship, but absolutely something you must do once in your life with your horse.

Brilliant fundraiser for Macmillan - £30,000 or so each year. Very generous of the Jockey Club,and all concerned to allow the use of the land too.
 
Last edited:
Paddy's Ride in Wentwood Forest (near Chepstow) is nice as it's a bit different, miles and miles of woodland rather than open fields so good if you've got a horse who tends to pull your arms out if he sees horses in front as you can't see them until you're really close ;) The jumps aren't massive but enough to be fun and the organisers are really friendly. You've missed this year's (it's normally end of April) but depending on in which direction you're 90minutes from Cirencester Park, I'd recommend it for next year.

I've done Badminton twice, my advice is get there super early and be amongst the first to go. The first time we got there what we thought was early and had a massive wait to get started and then had to queue at the photo stops. My friend's horse doesn't do standing still so ended up bolting past about 50 horses with me in hot pursuit:o. The second time we got there at about 8am and were on and ready to go by 8.45. They started at 9 in those days,think it might be 10 now? We had a few in front of us but we'd overtaken them by the photos so didn't have to wait and had a much better ride for it. To give you an idea, even at 8am I was number 13 and that didn't count advance entries. Yes it was unlucky I fell off when a squirrel jumped out of a hedge and landed on his neck :eek:
 
Agreed, Adam's farm was one of my faves too. The Newmarket and Badminton ones are on my to do list!

By far though, I have to say that Offchurch was my favourite so far. Miles and miles of galloping grassy tracks beside fields with lovely jumps (UK Chasers course too), woodland areas, open areas..they've got every base covered. Such a good ride!
 
Slightly off subject and apologies for hijacking but as there are experienced Fun Riders here I just wondered when the best time would be to start for a first timer of a slightly nervous disposition? Would later in the day be better so less chance of being over taken or do fewer people go early? Any advice gratefully received :D
 
From my experience in taking younger horses, we set off as early as poss to be among the first few starters. Normally if the start times are 9am-2pm, the throngs turn up at about 12 (normally as we're just finishing!), so that'd be my advice :D
 
Great thanks Piebald Rosie the one we want to do (canter for a cure) starts at 10am which isn't too early and it's only 45 mins away so will perhaps ask for early slot.
 
I go late if I'm planning on a quiet ride on an excitable horse, like you say, to avoid constantly being passed and following. If you want to ride quite quickly, going early will probably work just as well, but if you want to go steadily, I'd advise going later. :)
 
Suechoccy, that looks fantastic. I really want to do that one this year.
I would like to add RAF Halton to the list - you get to jump an aeroplane. Need I say more?
 
We got to Cirencester were tacked up to start around 12.30/1 & only had the odd riders over take, nobody behind or infront a lot of the way which was fab. We went early last time & Was heaving in comparison.
 
We got to Cirencester fun ride about 9.30 and set off about 10. Loads there but never an issue but I did notice there was a lull with not many more vehicles pulling in after us, everyone seemed to have had the same thought and gone early. Brilliant ride, well worth the hour and twenty mins each way. Miserden next, just hope it is a good one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top