When we first visited out of hours to just pop in and ask some questions, the receptionist totally ignored us and behaved like she had no idea we were there. She didn't even say hi/acknowledge us, despite us being potential clients at the time and standing right in front of her!
We went back and I was given very little information and left to roam the stables on my own despite my lesson time encroaching. It seems the teacher hadn't been informed that I was there and someone who wasn't allowed to handle the horses alone. She came and found me and we led the horse. The teacher was pretty nice and that first lesson was good.
However, group lessons were more frustrating than enjoyable. As I was lower grade, I was with very young children on tiny ponies who would sometimes cry or just not respond to the tutor if asked a question, delaying our progress. Most times I felt like we had gotten nowhere and I had learnt nothing new and it was a waste of time and money. It would evidently frustrate the tutors too. We would get a few chances to get trotting but if you have a child in front who just lets their horse stop or they don't listen to what we're doing, you're stuck behind them and you miss your chance to trot and then get told off for being too close to them. You don't get the whole arena for the lessons either. Private yet more expensive lessons are the better ones.
Most of the horses for the lower grades are naughty and will not respond, no matter how much you kick (and yes, they tell you to kick hard continuously but even then they have to bring out their whips just to make them move/trot.) When you're prepared, excited and enjoy trotting, but your horse will not move, it is incredibly frustrating.
The last time I went, their electricity went so me and a group of children were led by someone and just walked around the stables for half an hour! No lesson, no reduction in price or a refund for not getting what we paid for. I have ridden horses on my own without being led before so it was quite patronising to have a child lead me.
They're incredibly stingy with time. Even if they make you late for your lesson, you will lose those precious 5 minutes or so in your lesson time so you may only be paying for a 20-25 minute long lesson in all. When you've paid a lot, not learnt anything and just feel frustrated in your "lesson", it can be a real pain.
In all, this place is only good for private lessons, if you can afford it. read more