Horse riding in East Dulwich

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I have ridden at Dulwich and would say that the tuition is very good. Not sure what it is like for a beginner but I was really put through my paces in the school with a very good instructress. Have ridden in Dulwich Park but it is a bit dull.

Also ridden at Mount Mascal. I thought it had too many pupils/horses in the ring (this was on a Saturday) and was overall quite chaotic, though to be fair, the kids seemed to be enjoying it. I actually went for a hack in the woods which was lovely, but the friends who took me weren't in my opinion up to hacking and should have been encouraged to have more indoor lessons by the ride leader.

Huggers, I used to ride at Vauxhall but had to stop when they introduced riding only for disabled pupils. Has this changed now?

[Huggers]

Hi Peckhamgatecrasher, it's not just for disabled kids now. They have general (young persons?)riding at Vauxhall City Farm and are now affiliated to the Pony Club too which has been very exciting. When you join you commit to fortnightly rides so that you are paying even if you miss your slot, as it subsidises the keep of the ponies and they depend on this continuity . Having said that, we sometimes swap with members of the other group if we can't make it. The space is limited in that there is just an outside school in the little park but my children have learnt the basics there and do pony maintenance, participate in gymkhanas and work towards their ponyclub badges and go on ponyclub trips and outings too. Numbers are limited too so there is probably a waiting list.

For those who don't know it Vauxhall City Farm is a treasure and urban children can work there as volunteers too.

[Kells]

I ride at Dulwich riding school. Been trudging round a barn now for about 20 years (not continuously, obviously). My first time there I just told them my experience, and I had a group lesson as an assessment, then they told me which lesson I should go in.

It's ?22/hr, and the instructor is one of the best I've met. I'd definitely recommend it. And they supply hats and boots if you don't have your own.

PS thanks for the website link, I'm off to be nosey!

[Asset]

Hmm well, I certainly felt there wasn't much instruction going on but it was a few years ago and maybe things have changed.

It is difficult when the ponies know exactly what to do as they do it over and over again to tell how much work a novice rider is doing. I didn't feel that my son was particularly being taught to control the pony, he just sat and it did its thing. The class was pretty full and maybe a one-to-one would be better for the first few lessons.

[Shaggy]

Yes, it is difficult to see if the rider is riding the horse or the horse is just following the leader. In the nursery lessons the kids are learning how to make the transition. Also they match the rider to the horse. So in early rides the rider will go round with a very good-natured, easy going horse to get the feel, moving on to more single-minded horses as they get better, before doing the walk and trot on one of the grumpier buggers. But it still looks as if they are going around and around. A few private lesson are good at the beginning to get the things underlined, but you really do need to go around and around at the beginning for quite some time to get the basics knocked in. But belive me, horses aren't all docile creatures that decide to walk around the ring. Some of them are walking round because the are really being TOLD to do it.

[Mick Mac]

Nero Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't you very dare call Rocky a ponth! He'th

> nothing of the thort. In fact, he'th exthremely

> thtrong and handthome! Nero

Nero - have just read this post - and I may be 2 years late - but that was really funny. :)

[Bartoche]

Hmmm.... steak tartare, delicious ;-)

[Kells]

It's true that the horses know their job. A couple hear their name and do what they're told with little input from the rider, but a couple also know every trick in the book to avoid doing what they should. They're the fun ones!

[Janeth]

I ride at Dulwich Riding School and it's great! I tried out mount mascal and willow tree before hand and didn't like either of them but love Dulwich. At willow tree you don't really get taught properly but at Dulwich you really do. So it depends, if you want to learn to ride properly, go to Dulwich riding school but if you just want to do your own thing, go somewhere else. I find dulwich much better as you are learning at the same time as having fun and at willow tree you do the same every lesson...they are also really nice at Dulwich riding school and I have a really good instructor, I've been riding there for about 5 years and I have improved alot. I would definatly recommend it!(tu) :))

(by the way Janet if you read this and think you're going mad this is Alice using your account)

[Kells]

Hi Alice ;-) see you next week.

[maria1968]

There is a good riding school in Dulwich called Dulwich Riding School. Mixed comments about it I have read but it depends on what you want. Dulwich has produced some fantastic riders over the years I have been riding with them for quite a long time. Dane Rawlins Director of Hickstead and renowned British Dressage coach rode with Dulwich and many more.

If you just want to get on a horse and hack out and just have fun I agree probably not the best choice, but if you are serious about learning and want some fun too then it is a good stables. Rides in the park are limited but can be a nice change from the school when you have worked hard, what I personally do is have five lessons in the school and then book a hack at stable that Dulwich has recommended for a hack with more hacking facilities, this way I get the best of both worlds.

My confidence has grown my ability has helped me pass my British Horse Society Exams overule been a good choice for me. Best thing to do is go down and have a look around you can then make up your own minds

[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.

[gemima2]

Hi, I'm looking into riding schools around London as I'd like to relearn my childhood riding skills. Does anyone have a website address for Mottingham Farm Riding Centre with info on lessons / prices / hacks etc? Thanks!