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 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!

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

A lovely yard in a fantastic location for hacking as it backs directly onto Epsom Common, so no…read moreroadwork! It is a small, friendly yard which is very professionally run by an extremely capable yard manager. She competes her own horse very successfully in dressage and is available for lessons and schooling, so is sure to rub off some of her knowledge and experience. There is a large outdoor school as well as show jumps on the grass in the summer. This is an ideal yard for competitors as well as happy hackers.

Have had my horse here for several months now. Was a change of managers but the new ones are…read morefinding their feet and the place is now well run now and to a high standard. A good yard with direct access to great hacking. They do individual turnout which suits my horse and the grazing is very good.

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.

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.

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 .

Please be aware that this riding school is now under new management as from 1st August 2014. It is…read morenow called LGB Equestrian. A lot has changed so please give them a try.We love it there :)

i feel that it wa doing so well when billz used to run it but now it as in such a state it is un…read morebelievable it used to be such a happy place now matt and jerry have ran it in to the ground i went to there last show with my appaloosa mare the saddles don't fit them they are all skin and bone they are bitten by other ponies and there were 2 small shetlands there who were in the supposedly out door arena up to there knees in mud the poor little things!!