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.

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!

This is another valued addition to the quirkiness of the Leabridge road, where E5's urban dystopia…read moreturns visibly to countryside in a matter of yards. Driving up the long approach road between swaying beech trees and neighing mares, you would be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere near Newmarket. The illusion of rural calm continues inside as horses are hay-strewn stable to training yard and back again by their capable human minders. There are classes here to suit every level of ability from haven't-even-patted-a-donkey up to advanced. For the huntsman extraordinaire, there is the opportunity to have a free session with one of the better mounts. The price for all this is predictably high, in some cases as much as £30 for a group lesson of one hour. Presumably, the amount of feed needed to keep the three dozen four-legged-friends healthy along with exhorbitant insurance rates do not help matters in this regard. I have another reason to visit now though in the form of recently discovered hidden treasure around the back of the riding centre: about three tons of vintage, dark brown, crumbly horse manure - free to take away (bring your own sacks) and perfect for the budding guerilla gardener.

A fairly decent place for trying horse riding, or for a first few lessons when moving to London…read more Let me explain... Lee Valley Riding Centre is part of a community/council sports projects (ice ring, football pitches) and as such is perfectly organised: health and safety, open to the wider public, accessible by public transport, standardised teaching. It doesn't get much safer for beginners, or easier for seasoned riders. Excellent for children too. But it's also victim of it' success, with lessons booked WELL in advance (count several days to a couple of weeks), no access to open spaces for hacks, and bored to death horses. To be fair some are quite decent, but the real sport horses are privately owned, here on livery only. You'll want to find a "sharper" club or center soon, but don't be afraid to give this one a go first.

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.

Pros: Flexible lesson times: For the inconsistant busy…read moreLondoner I am - I think the fact you can book 1 session at a time, is a must! I have brought my friends along for semi private lesson and also group lessons, its perfect. Price: Now i don't know much (as I'm just starting) £25 for a group lesson, full hour on the horse and £27.50 for semi private - pretty good I'd say! Stables: Inside and outside! Cons: Cash/cheque only - And far away from cashpoints In the middle: I had some good and some ok instructors - but not hugely great at teaching points and interacting with what you are doing - as a swimming teacher in the past I felt like they could engage more with the process - use more analagies - give you correct or incorrect. But really felt like they just were going through the motions - enthusiastic - but didn't feel like teachers - more instructors - do this, do that, go here etc, but really friendly. As an entirely inexperience rider I can't comment on a lot of other things

I have very fond memories of riding lessons here! With both indoor and outdoor schools you can ride…read morein any weather and most horses are all good natured and easy to ride. Take part in lessons as a group or pay a little more for a private session (45 mins is the normal lesson duration) and the teachers are all patient and helpful. If you fancy giving riding a try but you have never ridden before, don't worry about getting a hat or boots as they can provide these for you free of charge if necessary.

The Docklands Equestrian Centre under went quite a lot of refurbishment in 2005 and it worth…read morevisiting because now the facilities have a lot more facilities for horse riding sports. They have new shoer rooms,cafe and accommodation for students of equestrian sports. Be prepared to wait though because at time they do have a long waiting list at this out of the way stables. Group lessons are 20 pounds and individual are 32 pounds an hour.

I had only one lesson so far, and I liked it. Their horses are beautiful, and the girls are…read moresuperpolite. Though i've never seen the coach before, it felt like taking a ride with a friend. My horse was gorgeous and huge, but very friendly and obedient. It was as easy to ride as a bicycle. We went through the park, which is awesome in good weather. Met there some other horses as well. I enjoyed the ride very much.

Some of the best chinese food I have ever had. The crispy, aromatic duck is fantastic. It is…read moreprobably my favorite restaurant in Wimbledon of any cuisine.

A fantastic livery yard. I've kept my horse here for 6 months and couldn't be happier with how well…read morehe is looking and doing. The facilities are fantastic with two outdoor schools, one for dressage the other for jumping, a jumping paddock, a half mile gallop track and a horsewalker as well as fantastic hacking on the epsom downs. Horses get turned out in the fields 365 days a year. The yard just has a great atmosphere, everyone being really friendly and there's always lots going on with plenty of people around. The staff are all very helpful, always on hand if you have a problem, no matter how big or small it is. The yard is very professional and many of the liveries compete to a high level. I have really benefited from the great tuition available and am now also much more confident taking my horse to shows. There are also often clinics with professional riders at the yard. The location of the stables is ideal as there are many show centers nearby, as well as the clear round show jumping which takes place at the yard on a weekly basis in the summer months. You can choose between part or full livery and the prices are very reasonable. I went traveling for 2 months so left my horse completely to their care. I was a bit worried about this since I'm usually down there every day, but when I came back he looked better than ever before. If anything it was depressing that they got him going better than I could! I can't recommend this yard enough, both myself and my horse are very happy here!

From the owner: Woodruffe Stables is a family owned business and is managed on a day to day basis by Zoe and David…read moreBrooks. We have a reputation for providing a professional service, combining our love of horses and with an appreciation of what horse owners want. Zoe and her team offer a tailored service to meet horse and owner requirements. With staff on site 24/7, you can be sure that your horse will receive the very best care and attention. Zoe's love of horses began at the local city farm. From then, she has managed and run several yards from livery to an international show jumping yard, taking horses around Europe to compete. She has a BSc in Equine Management from UWE Hartpury College. From this, Zoe has brought the high standards of care from competition yards into the livery yard at Woodruffe. At Woodruffe we provide high quality facilities for horses and owners 365 days of the year. There is onsite hacking , a new waxed sand floodlit 60 x 20m arena with mirrors and a sand and fibre school for jumping also with floodlights . There is a six horse walker. Horses enjoy year-round turnout ( no herds) on well-draining post and electric fenced fields. There is also a small restricted pen which is ideal for those coming back from injury. We hold regular clinics at weekends with something for everyone. We are very lucky at Woodruffe to have superb hacking country on the doorstep, with very little roadwork. Epsom Downs are only five minutes away, with Headley and Walton Heath nearby too .