More than just a riding school!

 

Our strapline says, “More than just a Riding School” and that’s exactly what we are. In fact, we are very different from what you might expect. 

 

 

What we do:

 

 

One-to-one tuition

 

We believe that the best way to learn to ride is with individual attention. We don’t offer group rides or shared lessons. Why? Because no two people are the same. They learn at different rates, have different ambitions and, particularly in the early stages of training, need continuous feedback about how they’re doing.

 

 

Teach in a methodical way

 

All riders, on arriving at Courses for Horses, are assessed and are given a “grade”. Grade 1 is a complete beginner, moving up to Grade 6 which is a proficient rider who can walk, trot, canter and jump a small course of fences (jumping is optional). After Grade 6, riders are progressed further in whatever their individual wants and aims are. For more details about our grades and how they are assessed, click here

 

 

Train the whole person

 

Riding is so much more than sitting on a horse and learning how to press buttons. It’s as much to do with self-belief, effective communication, patience and understanding – both of yourself and your horse. Our instructors know this and so, we work with you to develop your mental and physical abilities.

 

 

Teach you about horses

 

This might sound like a standard selling point: surely all riding schools do this? But what we do is so much more. We teach you to really understand how a horse “ticks”. They are all as individual as we are and each needs a slightly different approach. What works with one horse might not work with another and we teach you how to see the differences. Added to which, they are animals and think entirely differently from us. To become a really good rider, you have to understand them and why they behave as they do.

 

To help with this, we offer not just riding lessons, but many other opportunities to learn about these fascinating creatures. We have courses, lecture/demos and other events, all geared towards making our riders fully rounded

 

 

Help you with your own horse

 

Learning with horses doesn’t stop when you’ve mastered the basics. It’s a lifelong quest and each horse you have has something new to teach you. This can often be challenging! So, here at CFH, we help people with their own horses to get the best from them. Own horse lessons are given by our most experienced instructors who guide riders to achieve harmony, understanding and success with their horses – at whatever level the rider wants.

 

 

Care for every one of our horses to the highest standards possible

 

We see our horses as our partners in the teaching process. They are all individuals and have specific needs which we see to as if they were privately owned horses.

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• No horse works for more than an hour and a half per day and they all have at least one rest day per week.

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• They all have their own tack, which is regularly checked and adjusted by a Master Saddler to ensure that it fits correctly and that they are as comfortable as possible when working.

 

• They have their teeth checked no less than every 12 months by world-class Equine Dental Technician, Ivan Stockdale.

 

• We follow the recommendation of our experienced farrier (George Harris) as to how often they need to be seen and whether or not they need shoes, extra care or special treatment.

 

• We have 2 Equine Therapists who carry out Chiropractic adjustments and deep-tissue massages as often as the horses require.

 

• They are all regularly schooled by our team to ensure that they are working correctly, maintain suppleness and are getting a good variety of work.

 

• Each horse has an individually tailored feeding regime. As well as top-quality feedstuffs, we also include multivitamins/minerals, joint aid and/or herbal remedies to keep them in tip top condition.

 

 

"More than just a riding school"? You decide!