We decided to take advantage of the sweet disposition of a sunny day, and take a quick trip 30+…read moremiles south of London, to go horseback riding- and what a pleasant trip it turned out to be! Firstly, Haywards Heath is such a quaint, classic, and unique country town. Quite removed from the tangible hustle and bustle of central London, it is such a nice escape. After a bus ride from the train station, and a nice walk up the road, we reached East View, where we met the lovely Mrs. Edna, who has been riding horses for 45 years. Though we hadn't booked in advance, she was quick to accommodate us for a late afternoon ride. We are novices, so we elected to take on the private woodland farm ride (£25 per person, for 1 hour). We saddled up, strapped on helmets (loaned to us by East View), and strode along just a portion of the wide expanse of land owned by Mrs. Edna. Our guide, Kathy (horse ranger for East View for 35 years), led us just a tad down the road, across a beautiful bit of green pasture, through beautiful flowers in bloom, and through a bit of woodland with varying terrain (much more exciting than an even terrain ride)-- and she taught us how to trot along the way (my very first time trotting!!)! Not to mention, Kathy was very patient and attentive during the tour of the farm, making sure not to lead to fast, making sure we held proper hold of the reins... The horses themselves were simply marvelous-- very well-mannered animals. You can tell they are healthy, happy animals-- of course this speaks to the kindness, passion, and dedication of East View's staff. I cannot wait to return!

Owning and keeping a pony or a horse is an extremely time consuming and expensive business. Even if…read moreyou have enough land, vet bills and food costs can be sky-high. This riding centre is situated in the beautiful surroundings of Ashdown Forrest where there is miles and miles of bridal paths and open countryside to take one of their nice natured horses for a trot. All rides are accompanied by a friendly and experienced rider who will be happy to tell you how to sit in the saddle the correct way. For as little as £10 for a 30 minute ride, this has to be a fantastic alternative to living the equestrian dream.

Yeeehar! Do you want to be a cowboy? Well fear not, Burley Villa will have you riding into the…read moresunset before you know it. I did this with my girlfriend after her mate inconsiderately got pregnant leaving a spare space to fill. Truth be told I didn't really expect to enjoy it but I was pleasantly surprised. I was paired with Coyote the horse, who is the rebel of the outfit. It was a match made in heaven. Coyote was good, he did what he was told, as long as he was told with conviction. We trotted around the forest for a couple of hours and then returned to the centre where we were given a BBQ lunch, which was surprisingly good. The only part of the experience I didn't like was the very start and end when we had to ride our horses along the road and I became one of those people who I hate when I'm driving. It's unavoidable given the location, but I berate people who ride horses on roads so this filled me with emotional turmoil.

First class! We booked here pretty last minute for half hour riding lessons for our girls who were…read moreboth complete beginners. The price was reasonable and we could not have had a more wonderful experience. The horses were carefully selected with a much smaller horse for my 4 year old and a larger one for the 7 year old. All of the staff we met - without exception - were friendly, happy, enthusiastic and kind with our girls. They took their time helping them get ready and most importantly have really good instruction. The girls actually got to learn how to direct and control the horses themselves whilst being guided and led by the instructor on a short walk. It was really impressive that they learned something in such a short time. We left wishing we had bought much longer time and will definitely be back next time we visit the U.K. Excellent.

The horses were terrific! The young ladies who rode with us were wonderful. Owner is terrific. Very…read moresafe very well run barn' Highly recommend.

SO MUCH FUN! I'm an…read moreintermediate rider, comfortable at the walk, trot and canter. I booked a private hack in hopes that I'd be able to canter through Hyde Park and, wow, I was not disappointed! The Stables cater to all levels. Never ridden a horse before? You can try it in Hyde Park. Your kid wants a pony ride? They do that too. Want to canter for miles and put a big grin on your face? That was me! I arrived a bit later than expected because the alleyway to the stables was hard to find. Ross Nye and Hyde Stables are next door to each other so be sure to check you're at the right place too. When I arrived, all the horses were tacked up and ready to go. And, for us travelers, they have plenty of helmets and boots (in fair shape) to borrow. No need to use up that precious luggage space. I hopped on and we were immediately off to the Park! I'm really glad I booked a private hack and would recommend you do too. While I have a few years experience riding, another rider had none at all. My "guide," Annie was lovely! She was very knowledgeable about the Park, pointing out sites and fountains and had tidbits of information about everything (even the French from which "Rotten Row" was translated). And, once she knew I could keep up, we cantered all over the Park! I was thrilled. She was also very conscientious of safety, flagging down traffic so we could cross busy London streets and to stopping our canter set when an oblivious little girl wandered across our path. My horse, Clifton, was fantastic! He had an unexpectedly lofty, bouncy gait and was unphased by anything around us. I wish I could have brought him home. Most importantly, the horses were well cared for. I was told they had 16 horses at the London stables. And, when the horses show signs of being overwhelmed with city life, they are given time off in pastures in Chilworth. In fact, the barn shuts down at certain times of the year to rest all of the horses so inquire about your travel dates when you book. I can't recommend this place enough! No matter your riding experience, you'll have a fantastic time.

Amazing friendly family run business. Offering lessons, walk outs, hacks and all other fun. Find…read moreour Facebook page pook lane riding school

Super first lessonread more

fantastic and precious stable. horses go back and forth from pasture to stable so stay refreshed…read moreand responsive. highly recommend Ryan, who I rode with this week. all staff is great and he is such fun and professional. been riding since gewasfoir years old. I've ridden at this stable for many years. it justgetsbetter!

Great place to learn horse riding, for all ages but especially good with kids. Horse riding in Hyde…read morePark is exceptional, beautiful during the autumn

Learned to ride at this stables and I have to say that the tuition was excellent. Set well off to…read morethe West side of the busy link road from the A27 to A259, the stables have well qualified staff/instructors that work hard at dispelling fears/worries that many of us have when in the saddle. Brilliant indoor school that is very spacious. Can recommend here!!

I really enjoy my riding lessons here! The people are really friendly and make my feeling so very…read moresafe on horseback. Riding really works muscles you never knew you had! I have had 4 lessons now and I must say I think the team are fantastic! It's a well-run, nice, countryside getaway from it all kinda place to be!

The best thing about this riding school must be the location. Only minutes ride away from Richmond…read morePark the hacking here is absolutely breathtaking. The tuition is also of a really high standard. The riding school is very large with horses and ponies to suit people of all ages and standards. You'll find everything here, from 4 year olds having leads out in the park to keen pony clubbers to professional show jumpers. The facilities are also great, with very large indoor and outdoor schools complete with jumps. The stable also regularly take clients to their cross country course on Wimbledon Common. There are group and individual lessons to choose from and a great variety of things to do. The staff are very professional and with so many different instructors there is sure to be someone to suit any rider.The only negative I can think of is that the prices are very high. However, with such a unique location that is understandable. The stable also has a few livery spaces available, however here the prices really are extremely high- personally I couldn't quite see that it was worth the cost and therefore had to move my horse further out of London. Anyone looking to ride in the London area should be sure to give this place a look!

A lovely cross country course. I have been to most courses in the area and this is by far my…read morefavourite. There is a great variety of jumps and they are all beautifully designed and maintained. There are several height options for most fences: 1ft9, 2ft3, 2ft and 3ft3, so they are suitable for all levels of riders. There are two water complexes as well as all types of cross country jumps. Clear Round as well as Hunter Trials are held here regularly or you can hire the course for schooling.