Can anyone recommend a good riding school in Surrey/near the A3/reachable from SW London, please?

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Both our kids - dd aged 10 and ds aged 16 - have been learning to ride, and can canter proficiently.

We're now looking for a bigger riding school where they can learn to jump, etc. An element of competition riding would probably also maintain their interest. We also ride, and wouldn't mind being able to hack out with them sometimes.

There seem to be loads of riding schools in Surrey - but which one??? Anyone got any recommendations, please?

just bumping for you

Thank you MitchyInge

Sorry I can't be any help, I'm not in Surrey. Looks like you are the only one!

I live in Surrey and there are certainly quite a few but they're fairly expensive and variable in quality. My dds go to Orchard Cottage (Kingswood) which isn't ideal, is very expensive but the best I've found so far - it's the fourth we've tried in nearly five years. My elder dd, nine, is just about to take her D+ test - she does Pony Club there every week which consists of a 45min lesson plus 45min stable management. Drawbacks: v expensive, classes sometimes too big, inevitable occasional unsuitable pony. In its favour: she's made some lovely friends and her riding has progressed to a reasonable level. Children not alowed to hack out until 12-years old - the roads are busy round there, I used to have a horse on livery close by and the cars can fly past. Nine-year old has two weeks of flatwork and then two weeks of jumping, in theory .... Younger dd has semi-private half hour every week. Occasional competition days and also loan a pony weeks in holidays. Certain instructors are great, others less so. Also Wildwoods Riding School (quite close by but no indoor school) has a fairly good reputation. There are others some I definitely wouldn't recommend so do feel free to ask.

Thanks, Sykes, that's a really good response. It is important for us to get it right - there's a risk of dd dropping out otherwise, then we'll all be able to ride/jump and she won't - disaster!

We looked at Silvermere recently, near Brooklands track/Museum. That looked fine. Someone I know recommended Old Barn Stables in Claygate, but the website doesn't give much away.

I have to say, atm we pay only £20 per child for 45 min, and I don't think we'll get that anywhere else; but there are significant downsides anyway - some sluggish ponies; no riding out; no adults.

There are 2 stables in Wimbledon Village, SW19, one on The Ridgeway (next to The Swan pub) and the other just off the High Street. There is also a riding school in Kingston Vale, SW15. Both on the border with Surrey!

No idea prices etc, I just know they are there!

Well I pay £32 for a 45min lesson and there can be up to eight in the class plus £8:00 for pony club for elder dd and then £37 for a semi-private half hour. Insane ......

Gawd. £20 is good value, then. PP, in London prices are going to be even higher, unless it's one of the council-run holiday courses; but thanks for the info.

I noticed at Silvermere that all the children wore body-protectors, which can only be A Good Thing - my kids don't currently, but it must add to the cost. It's not a cheap sport, is it? What about when they want to take up polo?

Is Chobham too far for you? There's a lovely yard called Willow Farm Stud and they have fantastic facilities and decent horses. Prices seem reasonable too. We've never ridden there (have own horses near by) but have heard lots of good things about it.

My daughter rode at old barn in Claygate but I wasn't too impressed. There's also Woodruff in Byfleet (have heard mixed reports), Kingston Riding school is meant to be pretty good.

Poynters in Ockham near Cobham always had a very good reputation. Very easily accessible from the A3 (from the A3/M25 interchange).