Riding holidays UK (dressage focus)

[bel71]

Can anyone recommend a riding holiday experience in the UK where you can do 1-2 lessons a day with a dressage focus, and some hacking?

 

[Jessey]

I’ve not been to anywhere that does residential stuff like that, I know there are a few places that I’ve seen advertised though, sadly can’t remember what they are now.

 

[Skib]

The dressage centre I went to has closed but I think that Talland Equitation may still offer training, though Covid could have changed things.

The Talland School of Equitation is a family run Riding Centre, we offer lessons to everyone from beginner to advanced! Top class training available along with Riding Holidays, Intensive Courses and much more! - Talland

The Talland School of Equitation is one of the world-renowned BHS horse riding schools and ABRS approved equestrian centres, offering Dressage, Show Jumping, Cross Country and Side Saddle lessons to everyone. *** OPEN UNAFFLILIATED DRESSAGE *** MONDAY 31st AUGUST Click here for schedule – ALL...

www.talland.net

As far as I can remember most dressage teaching centres in UK do not offer accommodation. But some of them can recommend near by possibilities. You would need to ask their advice and then have to find a B&B or pub or hotel.

You need to understand that the dressage training at Talland is not the only version in the UK. I seem to recall there is a centre with Spanish horses in Anglesy.
You will find lists of approved coaches and schools on the BHS website or search the H&H forum web site.

I do not own a horse and most advanced dressage coaching in the UK comes from trainers who train horse owners.

 

[bel71]

@Skib thank you. I have seen videos of Pammie teaching at Talland.

 

[Skib]

I had one lesson years ago (not at Talland) given by a young man who had been and I think was still being taught at Talland. It was very dictatorial and precise. Give an exact physical cue.
My experience of the warm blood dressage horses I rode at that centrre was that one didnt need cues. For many previous weeks I had a young Canadian teacher and she told me just to think what I wanted - adjust the reins and the horse would do it. I do the same on my current share when we come to open the gate. I think it, and she will stand exactly where I need to be to lift the latch.
But (unlike Ella) the dressage horse knew the dressage moves like Piaffe and shoulder in. I have always been too old and muddled to remember the cues for lateral work but on the dressage horse, you just thought it. And used leg and hand to cue and contain the forward movement.
I have been thinking of going off and finding some dressage lessons locally. But I have had one bad fall this year and I dont want another.

 

[carthorse]

I used to go as a groom years ago for a friend who took her dressage horses for lessons with Pammie and my feeling was she was excellent but wasn't interested in excuses and would bring people who over stated their abilities straight down to earth with her honesty. My friend when she taught was just the same and it's a style you either appreciate or you don't. For example a problem a few people came for lesson to my friend to fix was poor marks in canter half pass zig zags (can't remember the technical name) and in nearly every case it was pointed out to them that the canter itself was not truly established in collection and self carriage - the majority would not accept this as it wasn't what they wanted to hear, the few who would and worked on it found the problem resolved as the canter became correct without them having to "hold" it. Canter pirouettes were often down to the same issue. I have to say I was quite shocked at how many dressage horses had holes in their basics, and I'm talking horses working at the higher levels. The other problem blocking progress seemed to be the rider was doing so much to keep a horse engaged and round and with a degree of collection that there was no scope to do more, they needed the horse to be responsible for more and in self carriage.

To get lessons on a high level schoolmaster you [probably are going to have to go somewhere like Talland, and first of all you'll have to prove you're safe to put on one. Schoolmaster at that level doesn't mean idiot proof - often far from it - and it's in no-one's interest to put you on one if you aren't capable. And be prepared to pay!

 

[GaryB]

This place was recommended to me but I haven't investigated yet, and don't know if they do holidays (but they have accommodation on the web site. They have 3 fellows of the BHS on their staff so can't be too bad! According to their web site they aren't doing hacking ATM

https://www.ingestre.com/aboutus.html