The main aspects of safety and grading are set out below. We ask you to read it carefully and make some assessment of your own level and to send us a signed copy of the form at the end. We regret the need for all this paper work but please believe that it is in your own interest to read and understand these conditions. The more we know about you and the more you understand about us and our horses, the safer you are.
RIDING IS A HIGH RISK SPORT, AS OWNER OF THIS CENTRE AND LICENSE HOLDER I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE RISKS INVOLVED IN YOUR PARTICIPATION. AS A CLIENT YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THIS CENTRE AND YOUR HORSE IS HIRED TO YOU ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WILL READ THESE RULES AND ABIDE BY THEM. ANYTHING YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WILL BE EXPLAINED TO YOU BY AN INSTRUCTOR OR RIDE ESCORT IF YOU ASK. IF YOU DO NOT ASK WE WILL EXPECT THAT YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED THIS AGREEMENT.
"What horse will I get and what will it be like?" this thought is foremost in the mind of most riders. All too frequently new clients come into the yard and confidently describe themselves as "experienced". We do not want to insult truly experienced riders by putting them on a typical riding school "Dobbin" but must try very hard to avoid accidents and work within acceptable guidelines as required by the British Horse Society and Association of British Riding Schools.
Being a tourist area we often have non-riding beginner visitors who want to ride out in the forest, in spite of the fact that they cannot ride or have done very little riding previously . We call this trekking. We have done trekking here successfully for over 30 years now and the accident rate is very low. Although we try our best to minimise the risk however, we cannot guarantee that you will not fall off. People who want to trek are advised to have a minimum of half an hour tuition first and then go out in the forest on a trek for the second half of the hour. During the first half hour we show you how to do the following tasks;
1. handle the horse from the ground. Push it backwards, forwards and sideways so that you can avoid having your toes trodden on.Lead it in hand correctly. Turn it and trot up. Halt and prepare to mount.
2. Know the five preparations to mount:
a) Safety for yourself and others how to avoid bites and kicks.
b) Where to stand in the arena on centre line away from the gate.
c) Distances from others during and after mounting.
d) Reins, girths, stirrups, stirrup leathers, girths again and check the tack. Bridle comfortable and secure with ends tucked in. Saddle well fitting at withers and girths checked for 3rd time (will need checking again at forest gate.)
e) Leg ups and mounting from blocks or from the ground. Assisting others to mount. How to lead a rider along, starting, stop and turn.
WHY HAVE A LESSON BEFORE YOU GO OUT?
Often visitors passing through the area do not have the time or the desire to have a course of lessons first, they simply want to get on a horse and have a go. With good staff training and well schooled horses and ponies we are proud of our safety record. Please listen to our advise as we can help you. If you choose to trek out in the forest without taking up the offer of some basic tuition first you are greatly increasing the risk of a fall and perhaps a broken limb or worse! Our task is to make you aware of the dangers and to reduce the risks. We need at the very least, for insurance purposes to asses your standard in the arena and allocate the horses and ponies accordingly. It is not just the size and colour of the horse but its experience and temperament and suitability to your standard that are important. You will enjoy your riding more and be safer if you have some tuition and if you choose to disregard this advice and trek out after only the very minimum of training you must accept that you are increasing the chance of a fall and that you do so at your own risk.
Problems that can happen:
Steering the horse is important obviously and
in the forest one of the most common mistakes to make is assuming the horse will automatically take you on the safest route. It will not. It has no notion of how wide you are or how high you are and has no reason to think of things from your point of view. On its own the horse has good balance but with a novice rider bumping around on top the balance alters and the riders movements can inadvertently cause the horse to swerve or trip. Without meaning to or intending to you can cause him or her to take you under a low branch which might knock you off or you might pass very close to a tree or gate post and get your leg squashed.
In the forest you are more likely to fall off. If you do not know the horses or the routes you would be unprepared for the animal to suddenly turn off where the path changes or gets a bit muddy and you can just lose your balance and wobble off.
In the forest you may feel a bit less confident than in the arena you may give the horse incorrect signals or inadvertently ask him the opposite of what you mean , or you may cause him to change direction suddenly pulling on a rein when you lose your balance.
In the forest wild ponies running free, other riders going faster, river crossings, open spaces, uneven ground and many other things can make it harder than you imagined. More experienced friends wanting to go faster can intimidate you without realising or intending to.
You will get far more out of your riding and enjoy it so much more if you have some tuition first. During lessons we teach pupils to sit in the correct balanced position and to use the reins for steering and control. Beginners tend to hang on to the reins like handlebars and use them as a safety devise for staying on. This can hurt the horses mouth and cause him pain and discomfort or make him reluctant to go or cause him to throw his head up or keep putting it down too low, or to protest in some other way.
Beginners need to learn how to hold and adjust the reins so that they are short enough for good control but not being held so tightly that they cause pain to the horse as this could make him play up.
Beginners need to learn how to mount and dismount safely and how to check and adjust their girths and stirrups. Loosing a stirrup is one of the most common causes of a rider falling off. Some time in the arena learning how to have your feet in the stirrups correctly and how regain them and what to do if they are lost is an important part of early training.
A beginner rider trying to communicate with a horse without knowing how to tell it what to do is like a foreigner trying to talk to you. If you are not familiar with Greek or Russian it is almost impossible to make yourself understood and it is the same thing with horseriding. Learn the signals and you will be able to communicate with the horse but if you try to get on and ride without the minimum basic commands established you are likely to have a frustrating time and may come to grief!
REMEMBER……WITH A FEW HOURS TUITION YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO SIT AND HOW TO BALANCE. THE BASIC SYSTEM OF CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR HORSES WILL BE EXPLAINED.
Before riding off with more experienced friends some trotting lessons are needed. Steering in the walk is one thing but in the trot you need to learn how to rise and fall to the rhythm as the horse runs and at first it is impossible to do this, keep your balance and steer the horse as well.
At first you can be led and your leader steers and controls until you are able to get the balance right. Alternatively you go on a lunge line or you can opt for a private lunge lesson. Once you can rise and fall (post) to the trot you need to relearn steering as it is harder than in the walk and your reactions have to be quicker. You need to practise losing and finding your stirrups on the move, and regaining them quickly in the trot will prevent a fall. Stopping and starting is harder at faster paces and steering around markers in the arena at trot is a necessity if you are to manage steering round trees and branches in the forest
RIDING CLOTHES :
At this centre you MUST wear a riding hat with the British Standard PAS015or BSEN1384, the old standard 4472 has been phased out and superseded by the BSEN1384.and the PAS015 Old outdated hats are not permitted. The new PAS hats can be purchased at this centre at 10% off the recommended price. Alternatively you can hire one for £1.50 At all times chinstraps must be done up when you are on a horse. Hairnets are advisable for those with long hair. Jodhpurs or jeans and chaps are the best trousers to wear. Riding in less appropriate trousers is permitted if you have nothing else, but you may get sore legs.
Gloves are advisable. Riding boots or jodhpur boots are recommended. Safety stirrups must be used for those without correct footwear. Riding without stirrups is only permitted with the agreement of the instructor in charge. Long sleeves and a jacket give more protection than short sleeves and a shirt in the event of a fall, at any level.
DURING YOUR RIDE
THE PACE MUST ALWAYS BE AT THE SPEED SUITABLE FOR THE LEAST EXPERIENCED MEMBER OF THE GROUP . THIS IS REQUIRED BY LAW. YOU MAY WISH TO GO FASTER BUT YOUR RIDE ESCORT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THAT OF YOUR HORSE. YOU ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THIRD PARTIES. PEOPLE OUT WALKING THEIR DOGS, PENSIONERS OUT FOR A STROLL AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE THERE AS YOU DO. THE FOREST IS NOT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF HORSE RIDERS AND YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE UNDER CONTROL AND TO BE AWARE OF THE RISKS BOTH TO YOUR SELF AND OTHERS. IF YOU DO FALL OFF A LOOSE HORSE MAY GALLOP OFF ACROSS THE FOREST AND CRASH INTO PEOPLE OR ULTIMATELY A CAR ON A FOREST ROAD.
All horses must walk the first mile out and the last mile home.
The horse you enjoy riding in a lesson in the arena is not necessarily suitable for you to ride out on into the forest. When they see the open spaces some of them are much livelier than you thought they might be.
When riding keep a safe distance in all directions from other riders. i.e. at least the length of a horse away from the nearest rider or dismounted person or obstacle.. A kick can cause a broken leg to a horse or person. Any horse may be liable to kick you or react violently in certain circumstances e.g. if there is a chance of the horse behind treading on its heels, or if a fly bites it, or if a bee stings it, or if something frightens it
If you get kicked it is often your own fault for being too close.
During the ride if there is an accident your ride leader has had first aid training and will tell you what to do, Please do as you are asked.
Keep well clear of the injured rider as you may cause further injuries by getting too close. Your horse could tread on the injured rider.
DO NOT chase after the injured horse, and keep hold of your horse. Bring you horse to a halt and all riders should remain together in a group at a safe distance from each other and the injured rider.
If an ambulance is necessary, your ride leader will arrange for the injured person to be collected and taken to hospital. Alternatively, the injured rider may be collected by our staff and taken home or to a doctor. If you are involved in an accident or incident at our centre please complete an accident report form as soon as you can .
All riders must at all times remain behind their ride escort or instructor . Do not hold back if you have a problem, and then canter without permission to catch up. If you are nervous or worried stay beside the ride escort at the front of the ride and tell him/her how you feel.. If you have any problems at all say so. Do not try to change horses without the escort/instructor agreeing. Ask for help if you need it.
Trying to alter your stirrups of re-arrange your clothing without help can lead to an accident. It may be necessary for someone to hold the horse or help you while you do whatever it is.
AT THE STABLES
Do not enter field or paddocks or stable yards without permission.
Keep out of unauthorised areas. Parents and friends watching or waiting must remain in the veranda/picnic area near the main school.
Toddlers must be in the crèche under supervision or with their parents.
DO NOT WANDER INTO FIELDS OR STABLES OR STALLS TO LOOK AT OR PAT HORSES! IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. There may be young or nervous horses in for training and you could get bitten or kicked.
A convenient scheme of colour grades is given to riders at the New Forest Riding Centre, once they have been assessed. We hope that you will find these following guide-lines of assistance - they are provided for the safety and well - being of all riders, including beginners too. The scheme is based on the continental system of grading ski runs and it is a system that we have found is the most easily understood.
As many people now book by e-mail having located our website on the internet it makes sense for you to read the ride rules and understand our grading system before you arrive. To read through all the levels carefully takes 10 to 15 minutes and it saves time for us all if you have worked it all out before you arrive and emailed us the form in advance.
Before their first ride, all riders will be assessed for riding capabilities and horses allocated accordingly. Often for your first ride a slower grade horse than you might like will be given for safety reasons. You may then be up-graded for your second ride.
The speed of the ride, and the severity of the tasks will be decided for you by your trained ride escort.
Green riders are BEGINNERS or those with less than ten hours riding experience or novices who cannot yet trot well or mount unaided or catch and secure their own mounts.
Beginners must remain in the arena for a MINIMUM of ½ hour. We recommend up to five hours tuition for safety. Quiet treks on the edge of the forest immediately adjacent to the centre or through the property and perimeter lanes can be arranged for those who do not want to remain a full hour in the arena. This is a higher risk than staying in the arena. Resident junior guests stay in the arena until they have had two to five hours tuition as they are then much safer, unless on lead .
SCOUTS/GUIDES/ HOLIDAY RIDERS WHO WANT TO HAVE A GO?
For over 30 year we have provided safe horses and ponies for families and groups who want to have a go at riding while they are on holiday in the area. Usually they have about 15 to 20 minutes basic introductory lesson and then 40 minutes or up to an hour and a half on a quiet trek through the forest. Those who are capable are given quiet horses or ponies and ride without being led, but staying behind the escort rider or ride leader. Younger children or nervous riders can be led either by a walker on foot or a mounted leader.
This activity is called trekking. It is especially suitable for Scouts, guides and non-riding families who want to "have a go" at riding while they are on holiday, or for a birthday treat etc. If the riders have learnt to rise to the trot first in the arena, the trek is conducted at the pace or walk and trot. If the riders lack trotting skill or experience they can go on their trek just walking, or they can split into two groups, a walking trek and a walk and trot trek and for more experienced members of the group a faster hack with cantering.
Usually the Scout groups come from the nearby scout centre at Fernycroft which you can contact via a link from our website. Often the scouts are staying there on camp and come for a morning or afternoon during their camp to have a go at riding. Usually they are all beginner or novice riders, but sometimes the older ones already have experience and want to go on a proper hack which we are happy to arrange. More often they are beginner or novice riders who want to have the minimum time in the arena for basic tuition and the maximum time on a steady trek through the woods in the forest close to our centre. As our back gate opens directly onto the forest the novice and beginner treks are in a very safe area called Marchwood enclosure and this does not involve either crossing or going along the edge of any metalled roads so there is no need to go anywhere near any traffic. The routes are safe and the horses, ponies and staff know them well. Scouts, guides and special needs riders get maximum group reductions for mid-week day time rides, treks and lessons. The 1999 fees for pre-paid group bookings of 10 or more are £10 per hour inclusive of hat, horse or pony and leader.
An hour , an hour and a half or a maximum of two hours is the maximum we recommend for non-riders or beginners to trek. Do not wear shorts it is painful and you get your legs pinched and bruised between the stirrups and the saddle.
Often we have requests from mixed works outings and office party groups. Day rides, pub rides and similar outings are best left to riders of at least pink level. To ride for three or four hours in one go when you are a beginner or novice rider is possible, some people do it but a mixed ride and drive pub/picnic or day trip with the horses is a more realistic and less painful alternative. In a ride and drive group a mixture of pony and trap driving, trekking and hacking is arranged to suit the riders of mixed abilities. The groups change over at a pub in the forest so that some ride while some are in the horse drawn vehicles.
The basic rule is that the riding group must go at the speed of the least experienced member in that group at the time. More experienced riders joining beginner or novice treks must agree to this rule which often means that their ride is restricted to walk or a slow trot. Their friends may be game to have a go at a canter or faster speeds but we are more aware than them of the risks involved and the aim is to keep you on the horse and out of the accident and emergency ward at the local hospital. Mixed rides with more experienced friends are the ones which can potentially result in bad falls. The more experienced riders forget that it can be a little boring for them to stick to trekking speeds and often the less experienced friends feel that they are holding them up. Our ride and drive pub and picnic rides are arranged to get over these risks and give you all a good time with the minimum risk. You can swap around and ride for half an hour or a couple of hours and change over to the trap or carriage when the speed or distance is unsuitable for your level.
Hacking is riding out in the company of experienced riders who have had lessons or several years experience and want to enjoy the forest, the scenery, the horses and the company of other like-minded riders of similar experience. Hacking is for riders of pink level or above who are able to control their horses at walk trot and canter without the need of assistance from the escort rider.
Before the riders go out they have five to ten minutes in the arena so that we can be sure that they have been given a suitable horse to match if possible not only their riding standard but their personality as well! If we can get to know the riders a bit before they go out, trying to match the horse with the right rider is quite a skill and we do try to get it right. It matters to us that we make the right choice and watching you ride and try out a few different horses can make your ride that bit more enjoyable for you and often for the horse if we have made a good match.
These are novice riders with some experience.
Light blue riders are novice riders who can rise well to the trot with or without reins. They should have basic knowledge of approaching and handling horses and ponies, and know how to catch a pony, lead in hand, put on a headcoller and tie up. (These stable management tasks would depend on their age and size.) They should have some cantering experience, although at first this may be on the lunge line or being led by someone running along on the ground. By this level they will be riding off the lead rein and learning to control the pony themselves in both walk and trot. They will be practising steering and performing basic school movements and tasks.
They need to revise all the things they learnt at green level, with improved control and safety when handling ponies on the ground and making preparations to lead and turn safely. They will become more experienced at moving the pony away from their own feet and be taught greater awareness of the need to keep their distance from other ponies and riders as well as parents and friends on the ground. They need to improve losing and finding their stirrups themselves so that they are able to stop the pony and regain the stirrups without falling off if they lose their balance. They do quite a lot of riding without stirrups and exercises to improve balance. They also gain confidence and experience by leading each other and learning to help each other to do their own girths and stirrups and to help each other to mount safely.
At this level the riders are encouraged to ride as many different types of ponies as are within their ability in order to gain experience of different responses and learn that some respond slowly and some respond quickly and that they have different moods and temperaments like people do. At the same time in their stablemanagement lessons they will be learning colours, markings descriptions and parts of the pony and tack. They will also learn about feeding and keeping ponies at grass and more about the hard work that goes with keeping a pony in the stable and looking after it in winter and summer and through the different seasons of the year.
Adults generally progress faster than children at blue level and tasks such as adjusting their own stirrups and girth and tacking up the horse or pony will be likely to be more difficult than the under 10year olds can manage. They can however learn to get more proficient at grooming and un-tacking the pony themselves as we have some small Shetland ponies with very light saddles and bridles which even the smallest child can reach and manage to take off under supervision.
As we breed at least two or three horses and ponies each year there are opportunities for children to see brood mares getting bigger and notice the physical changes that take place during the pregnancy which lasts 11 months. Sometimes if they are lucky a foal is born while they are at the stables. Once we had two born in the same afternoon!. Sometimes there are lambs or calves to feed and eggs to collect from chickens and there are poisonous weeds to pull up in the fields and droppings to collect to improve grazing . In summer sometimes we do gymkhana games with the younger riders being led , pony and trap driving, and side saddle riding with the teenagers. Short breaks, holiday courses and summer camps are also available on a residential or daily basis.
At this level junior riders are able to work for their first riders grades and we test them for Pony Club "D" test(blue) Adults can work towards B.H.S. exams if they wish. Training on for D+ levels begins now if they are Pony Club members. If they are not members or they are adults, they can work for the Association of British Riding Schools weekly rider tests.. They are then graded as dark blue . In the past we have won their annual award for the centre with the most weekly rider test passes in the year for the whole of the United Kingdom, including the Channel Islands. In that year we had about 300 passes. Grades are presently being updated with course books and badges being prepared .
Course books cost £5 and cover all the basic riding and stablemanagement requirements. They provide a very useful theory back up to your lessons. Also they are informative for non-riding parents I think that it is important that parents understand what can be or should not be expected of their children. Often inexperienced parents with no riding ability themselves class their children as very good or very experienced usually because they are of course very proud of them and sometimes because they have been paying for several weeks or months for them to ride elsewhere and they base their assessment of the child's standard on how many times the child has been led around on a pony.
Sometimes we find that the children have no idea of how to hold the reins or steer the pony at all because they have always been led around and not taught how to do the task themselves. If you read through our different coloured sheets and watch an assessment lesson the standards of ability become clearer.
We have a Saturday club for children who come regularly and they wear the appropriate colour for their grades and can gain badges of achievement for the sleeves of their sweatshirts. Those who have time for a course of intensive training we arrange summer camps and residential or daily courses for adults, children or families. You will see from our website that we use the lake for swimming horses and ponies. I personally supervise these sessions which require special insurance. Apart from private family sessions (as in the photographs) Buoyancy aids or life jackets must be worn as with all other lake activities. Riders must be pink level and unless arrangements are made for private parties the lake and lakeside areas are VERY STRICTLY OUT OF BOUNDS AT ALL OTHER TIMES. The haybarn is another danger area and children found in the lakeside or haybarn areas will be sent home without further warning and their fees will not be refunded. Swearing and bullying will not be tolerated at all and no smoking is allowed in the yards, or driveway and definitely not in my house!
Please answer the following questions;
Do you have a PAS 015/BS EN1384 riding hat yes / no (delete as required)
Do you wish to hire yes/no Do you wish to buy hat/ whip/gloves/chaps/half chaps/jodhpurs/ course books/T shirt/ sweat shirt/body protector./life jacket?
Are you interested in receiving details of holiday grading sessions/tests /picnic rides/pub rides for adults?
Any bright ideas/suggestions?
Sign here
During this blue level of training riders should gain some jumping experience and we aim for Pony Club C test and B.H.S. Riding and Road Safety test as well as further progressive training towards A.B.R.S. or B.H.S. tests. for weekly riders. Ask for course books and copies of the syllabus at each grade.
Body protectors are required for jumping cross country fences and are optional for show jumping or at other times. Do not buy out of date old standards.
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Pink riders are riders with intermediate level of experience who still generally rely on reins and stirrups and have a little jumping ability. They should be able to ride at walk and trot without stirrups and to rise to the trot without stirrups. They should have considerable cantering experience and be learning to sit correctly to the trot and canter, and working towards cantering without stirrups. Training is towards Pony Club C+ test and the B.H.S. Stage 1 examination. Pink level riders may not ride out unescorted, but may go on escorted forest rides and have controlled canters provided they stay behind the escort/ ride leader. People who overtake repeatedly may be led and their money will NOT be refunded.
One of the main problems at this level is that riders want to go to fast and /or jump and they need to learn about the fitness and stamina of the horses and ponies. I believe that from time to time they should run around the arena on their feet just to get an idea of how tired and out of breath a pony can get. They have to learn about ailments and veterinary problems and to be aware that much damage can be done to the pony or horse to its legs, feet back, girth, mouth, and heart, lungs and digestive system by thoughtlessness and ignorance. Sometimes moody behaviour , grumpy sulks and general bad attitude can occur if the rider (often a teenager) feels that they are not getting enough riding time and are being "held back" or "treated like a child" . Often this is as the result of the instructor feeling the need to make them not only more safety conscious but to teach them not to abuse the pony or horse and learning to think of the animals need as well as their own. This can be a difficult time with people who like to have their own way and do not like to be told! Before being upgraded to red level riders must display a thorough understanding of the consideration of the horse or pony and the need for these rules. We have a duty of care to you and you have one to us and our horses and ponies and to each other. I am strict on these issues and expect parents to back me up for the safety of all concerned.
Red riders are intermediate riders who can walk, trot and canter with and without stirrups and jump a series of showjumps for example a course at around 2`6".
A good understanding of all our rules is required for this grade for adults and children. If you object you may wish to ride elsewhere or you can stay and learn why these rules are necessary. It is for the safety of the horses and ponies, their riders and the general public who they might run into if they do not listen!
They should understand safety checks and be able to groom and tack up a horse without supervision. They should be capable of bringing the horse out of the stable and mounting it without assistance - being well aware of the need to check the girth before and after mounting and also 5 minutes on into the ride.
They should understand ride rules and etiquette and be able to return the horse to the stables in a dry condition showing no visible signs of exertion. Be able to untack the horse and sponge off, leaving horse secure and tack locked safely away.
Riders at dark red level and a few red level may ride out unescorted but a horse of lower grade may be used for safety. Guides are available for experienced riders who do not require escorts but need help finding their way, It is easy to get lost or fall into a bog and for this reason only regular riders may go without a guide or escort. They must have a grade of Red level or above and must have permission IN WRITING from the proprietress, and must know the forest well.
Dark red riders are experienced riders who can demonstrate the following on a reasonably well mannered horse:
(1) Riding the horse on the bit in the correct outline.
(2) Riding without stirrups at all paces.
(3) Jumping a series of cross country fences, approximately 3"high.
Dark red riders should appreciate the problems of assessing new riders and understand that for safety reasons we never grade riders as black level until they have spent a minimum 2hrs riding in he company of the proprietors.
Black riders are experienced riders who can ride at all paces with and without stirrups and can jump obstacles without interfering with the horse.
Working at affiliated level, horses on black rides are very valuable and under constant training to up-grade as dressage horses, show jumpers or eventers. They are used for riders training as instructors and for those working for the B.H.S. Stage IV exam and Pony Club A test, and the Gold award of the A.B.R.S.
Remember that these advanced horses have potential to buck, rear and leap about, They need riders who not only fit the black description but have the experience and understanding of the potential dangers to the horse, themselves and third parties. They must be positive, capable riders with CONFIDENCE to sit a rear or a buck and the tact to sit an explosive horse quietly and be able to calm it down and keep it relaxed… Riders should appreciate how the owner of the horse would like it ridden and why. Special permission from Ms. Stephanie Berridge to ride these horses out is required on each occasion and you must be very certain about the choice before using, even in the school.
Black riders may choose dressage or jumping lessons, cross country jumping or faster rides, always remaining behind their instructor. Unescorted riders require permission.
When this happens it is often inconvenient. The old saying is that if you have not fallen off yet at least seven times you are still a novice and have not done much yet! However hard we try to limit the risks we all have to be aware that at times there will be falls. It is rare for the horse to throw you off. It is, however, quite common for a novice rider to lose the stirrups and wobble off. When more experienced, you may fall when learning to jump or, later, at a higher level when starting to train young horses or competing and training or retraining spoilt horses.
You will be required to fill in a form before you ride to acknowledge that you have read and understood the rules. I am sorry that this is a lengthy process but it is to your advantage to be as safe as possible and understand how we operate.
You will also be required to pay in advance before you ride and once you have paid, the money will not be refunded as staff have spent time preparing your horse etc. If during the ride or lesson, you decide, for whatever reason, not to continue we regret that a refund is not possible., If you break rules and will not obey the instructor/escort, the ride or lesson may be terminated and you will NOT get your money back.
The majority of these rules and regulations are unfortunately necessary because we operate in a tourist area where traditional holiday pursuits include pony trekking, and the average holiday maker has no idea of the risks.
Here we encourage all clients to have a course of lessons and learn in beginner, novice, intermediate or advanced classed how and why to get more out of their riding by improving their ability and progressing to riding the better schooled and more valuable horses and ponies. Tests and examinations are not compulsory, and lessons can be very relaxed and informal on groups or private on a one to one basis.
However those who join examination classes make far more progress and have a better understanding of the sport. B.H.S. and A.B.R.S. exams and weekly riders tests are extremely popular and we have a very high pass rate as we do with Stages I - IV of the British Horse Society exams. Children especially can gain greater confidence by winning badges and certificates and are always very proud of their achievement.
Sometimes day trip holiday riders who just want to get on and have a go are disappointed when they get the "good old dobbin horse" but on busy days when we are dealing with people we do not know who are just passing through and "having a go" it is just not safe to risk putting them on the better quality and more responsive horses.
Riders who return and have a few lessons to get to know us and the horses are always very pleased with the quality of the horses we provide and understand the need to restrict who rides the better ones.
If for any reason you are not satisfied with either your ride, your lesson, your horse or the instructor or escort rider who took you, or the conduct of one of the stable helpers, please ask for piece of paper and an envelope and write to me about it. We try our best and usually get it right but it is not easy to please all of the people all of the time. If I am not available personally please put your complaint in writing to me . On the other hand , if you are happy, it also helps to know which instructors/helpers/horses etc. you have gained the most from.
HAPPY RIDING!
Stephanie Berridge ( Proprietress)
NB: A full copy of the Riding Rules is on the wall under the veranda and in the classroom at the New Forest Riding Centre. Hard copies are available on request.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the Data Protection Act we will keep your information from the form below confidential and only use it for the purposes explained. Your details will be stored on a data base on our computer unless you direct us otherwise.
To save time on your first arrival at the New Forest Riding Centre, please read the safety instructions above then go to:
PLEASE SUBMIT THIS FORM IN ADVANCE OR COMPLETE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RIDE.
