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.

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.

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

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.

Chibley Farm Equestrian Centre is an excellent place to learn to ride. It caters for both adults…read moreand children and is currently holding pony camp on its grounds. My husband and I were looking for somewhere to take horse riding lessons locally and we couldn't be happier than we are with Chibley Farm. Trina Lewis' yard is well kept and we were greeted by friendly staff. I used to own horses and have done a fair amount of jumping so I was looking for a centre which cateres just as well for adults as it does for children (most centres in my experience have many ponies but few suitable horses for adults who aren't beginners). Saying that, it has been a long time since I have ridden and so I was also looking to build my confidence and start again with the basics. My husband has never ridden before and so we needed safe hoses to learn on and patient teachers. This is where Chibley Farm comes into its own. Trina is an excellent teacher and ambitious for her pupils my husband was cantering by week three and he is over the moon. The other teachers (Pippa and Sarah) are also excellent and are genuinely committed to improving your riding skills. If you are looking to learn to ride, and ride well, then I would highly recommend Chibley Farm Centre.

Fabulous riding school. Trina gives clear and individual guidance and improvements are made…read morequickly. She is warm but pushes the rider to achieve more than they would have hoped.

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.

What I love about Bradbourne is the fact that the lessons aren't so rigid as most other stables…read more Each lesson is different, which is so refreshing. Of course, dependent on the ability of the riders in each class, you might do some dressage, pole work or jumping even a bit of yoga on horseback ! It all depends on what everyone wants to do or achieve at the lesson. The instructors really do listen to each of the pupils to help them achieve what they want and are actively encouraging. The horses are also really well looked after and loved and we, as the riders, get more chance to interact with them and build a relationship with them than most other yards. The facilities are good and there is also a Riding Club, which again has lots of activities. I have just had a ride this morning and now beaming from ear-to-ear. You can't buy the high that a horse can give ;)

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!!

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!