Riding Lessons
Open Tuesday to Sunday all year round for both Adults and Children.
For all those new to riding this is a very helpful guide from the Association of British Riding Schools ABRS Guide
Tots Trots
For the very young or those wanting a taste of riding we offer Tots Trots - a trip through fields and woods for 20 minutes on a pony with leaders and parents.
We start 'formal' lessons from 6 years old on our half hour groups and they progress through the following stages:
Lead Rein
This is the first stage of learning to ride, we like to take our time over this one to make sure all the basic skills are in place before you move on but it should still be fun!
- Introducing the classical position
- Know how to ask the pony to walk on using the correct aids.
- Walk with a Leader
- Know how to ask your pony to halt using the correct aids
- Safely dismount
- Know parts of the saddle and bridle
- Mount correctly and safely
- Walk without a leader
- Know how to ask your pony to turn left and right
- Know the correct aids to ask your pony to trot
- Know the correct aids to ride from trot to walk
- Then to progress, as well as all the above you will need to:
- Be able to mount with only minimal assistance
- Be able to check your own girth and stirrups once mounted
- Ride on the track in walk without a leader
- Be balanced and secure in both sitting and rising trot
- Dismount and prepare your pony to be led
- Lead your pony back to bed
-
Off Lead Rein
This is the next bit, where you will concentrate on how to control your pony without help from a leader but with an experienced rider to follow.
- Ride some simple school figures such as 20m circles and changes of rein
- Ride rear file to lead file
- Know how to shorten and lengthen the reins
- Know about artificial aids and how to use them
- Learn about trotting diagonals
- More points of the saddle and bridle
- Some points of the horse
- Exercises for the rider to improve position
- Ride in walk without stirrups
- Then to progress you will need to be able to:
- Start to show knowledge of some horsey terms e.g. fore and hind
- Collect your pony from the stable safely and correctly
- Check the stirrups and girth from the ground and adjust them yourself
- Mount from the ground and from a mounting block
- Maintain a safe distance from the pony in front at all times
- As lead file ride a figure of eight in walk and trot
- As lead file ride a change of rein in walk and trot
- Recognise the correct trot diagonal
- Prepare your pony to be led back to the stable
- Return the pony to the stable ready to be untacked
Open Order
Now it starts to get interesting! In this stage you will need to control your pony without following. Most of the exercises will be ones you already know except this time you will be on your own.
- Learn about the tack and how it should fit
- Be able to tack up in simple tack
- Carry a short whip at all times
- Ride more school figures including some more changes of rein
- Start to think about the sequence of legs in walk and trot
- Rules of the school
- Untacking
- Learn the reasons behind the exercises we do
- To get to the next stage we need to:
- Tack and untack correctly and safely
- Ride without stirrups safely and in a balanced way in walk and trot through circles and turns
- Ride consistently on the correct diagonal and change through changes of rein
- Demonstrate good knowledge of the rules of riding in open order and be able to ride safely without disrupting the other riders
- Know when to turn away
- Know the school markers
- Be able to change a short whip on each change of rein
Learn to Canter & Jump
Learn to Canter - anyone want to guess what you learn in this one? If you got that right then you may already have guessed that Learn to Jump in an hour lesson follows on!
Riding Lessons for Adults
We teach all standards. Maybe you always wanted to ride and never got around to it or maybe you used to ride as a child and feel the urge to get back in the saddle. Perhaps you are experienced but looking for a new place for lessons. Either way we have a horse for you so come and have a go.
Vouchers are available to buy as gifts for friends and family or how about treating yourself to 11 riding lessons for the price of just 10?
Or why not try our Intensive 6 week courses! 6 consecutive weeks of hour lessons with a set syllabus to get you to where you want to be, including horsemanship, stable management and rider confidence. (We are currently unable to offer this due to Covid restrictions)
Tariff
- Please note new prices for 2024 below
From April1st 2024
Junior Group Lessons
(per person)
- ½ hour £30.00
- 1 hr £42.00
-
Adult Group Lessons
(per person)
- 1 hr £44.00
Private & Semi-Private (two people) Lessons
- 50 mins, private £60.00
- ½ hour, private £45.00
- 50 mins, semi-private (per person) £50.00
- ½ hour, semi-private (per person) £42.00
6 week Intensive Course (over 14s)
- 6 hour lessons for complete beginners including stable mangt £340
Hacks
- 1 hour, private £65.00 Weekdays
- 1 Hour private £70.00 Weekends
Tots Trot
15-20min £29
Own A Pony Mornings
9.30 - 12 £70
We currently accept Bank Transfers only
- Lessons must be booked in advance via email () when details of how to pay and current restrctions etc will be sent by return. We require 24hrs notice of cancellation.
- Please ensure when booking in that you advise us if you or your children are not coming for the next lesson. Unless we are advised differently we will expect to see you at your usual time.
- If we have tacked up the pony and the rider fails to arrive we will have to charge full price for the missed lesson. We really don’t want to do that so please get in touch.
The Grove Riding School is an approved member of the British Association of Riding Schools. As an 'approved school' we have been inspected and found to be satisfactory by one of the national Approved Schemes. The Association of British Riding Schools conducts such a scheme, setting a high standard for horse care and requires to be satisfied that the instruction given is well presented and correct in content.