loungelizard

I have been riding on and off at dulwich for a number of years and i believe it's called an INDOOR SCHOOL NOT A BARN! I have also been to willow tree, Mottingham and mount mascals at one time or another and found that they did not do much teaching at any of them, in some there were far to many horses and riders and although you may have been out in the open you were not being taught anything at all ( told what to do yes but told how, NO) In one of those schools i was sent into a jumping paddock with all the other riders to jump, when I hadnt even learnt to steer at canter yet and when i told the insructor this she said its ok just hold on and he'l do it for you!!!!! not safe at all. I hasten to say i did not go back. There is not much outdoor space granted but the horses are very well looked after and of all the other schools i have been to over the years i have only been into one other that was as friendly and the horses aswell looked after as at dulwich. The horses however do get to go out into dulwich park and turned out in their small paddock or outdoor school. They also do get loose schooled and lunged so it is not just ridden work, I agree it would be nice to have a large grass area but how likely is that in the middle of london? Yes they do know their job which can be a very good thing if a rider gets into trouble but also, that is the whole point of being a rider GETTING THE HORSE/PONY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT IT TO. The horses there are all very different, some very laid back and very helpful some a little more stubborn and make you work a bit harder but at the end of day they are still horses and their characters do shine through having a sneaky canter to the rear of the ride when they feel the riders asleep! If you want to learn correctly then i think that dulwich is a good place to learn, they will push you but only when they think it is suitable not just because you feel like trying it, because they not only care for the riders but also think of their horses. Once you become a more advanced rider and want to do some hacking/pony club a bit more jumping then you may want to find a stables further out of London.