Brampton Stables

Brampton Stables is a super business and a great place to learn to ride. Much of my review will be written based upon the stables as a riding school however they also offer a full livery service for those wishing to keep their horses there and while I have to endure an annual nag fest from my daughter regarding her wish to own a horse I have so far resisted based on the fact that it is rather expensive and very time consuming even if you opt for ...
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Brampton Stables is located in the lovely Northamptonshire village of Church Brampton which is about five miles from Northampton just off Stables Lane. There is a drive which shares access to a number of properties, currently the old stable yard is being converted to residential houses however a new set of state of the art stables have been built which provide a far superior living space for the horses.

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Brampton Stables is a super business and a great place to learn to ride. Much of my review will be written based upon the stables as a riding school however they also offer a full livery service for those wishing to keep their horses there and while I have to endure an annual nag fest from my daughter regarding her wish to own a horse I have so far resisted based on the fact that it is rather expensive and very time consuming even if you opt for a full livery service. Both my children have learnt to ride at the stables under a succession of trainers and coaches and the have improved considerably especially when I compare their progress with the previous stables that they went to.

Brampton Stables is located in the lovely Northamptonshire village of Church Brampton which is about five miles from Northampton just off Stables Lane. There is a drive which shares access to a number of properties, currently the old stable yard is being converted to residential houses however a new set of state of the art stables have been built which provide a far superior living space for the horses.

The centre is blessed with some great facilities for riding, it as a number of fields for the horse to be put out to pasture, on one field a set of show jumping fences have been set out and on another steeply sloped field there are cross country style fences. In addition the stables have a large outdoor school that is 20m by 60m and an indoor school which is 20m by 40m and has mirrors at either end. Both schools have the facility to set up jumps so that both flat and jump lessons can be catered for. Finally the location means that there are a number of hacking routes to suit all ability levels including the popular woods that re part of the Althorp Estate.

With regards to the training the stables are able to cater for all ages although for using the stables own ponies there is a weight restriction. Children can start as young as six and this is usually in a lead rein lesson. These are group lessons and last for thirty minutes and cost £10 a lesson. The outside school is split in half with two groups each with an instructor and up to ten students and for those who are new to riding they will have someone leading the horse, these are usually young experienced riders, on a Sunday my daughter does this, the emphasis is very much on safe fun and ultimately dependant on how well the student develops they will soon be riding on their own.

In order to progress to the next level riders must be able to canter independently for a circuit under control as well as sitting and rising trot. They will then move up to one hour group lessons which cost £17 where they will be introduced to jumping and the lessons will alternate between jump and flat lessons, this is where you will notice a marked improvement in the riding skills and also they have access to bigger and progressively more challenging ponies. There are lots of different ponies each with their own character so the children get to ride different horses. Lessons are available during the week and at weekends. For adults and children there is also the option of private lessons with a trainer and the cost varies depending on who you have, there are a number of highly qualified teachers and the stables specialise in dressage training as well. Occasionally the lesson will be a hack where they go outside of the stables and mix up some road work with cross country and hacking paths, both my children love this.

The school does insist on certain clothing being worn such as heeled shoes, long sleeves and riding helmets, the latter can be hired at fifty pence a time for a lesson. Naturally it is advisable to wear a body protector especially for jump lessons, some people sell second hand stuff via the notice board but the stables do not have their own shop.

I have been told that a full livery service is about £80 a month however the website has no information posted, certainly all of the stables are in use with either school or private horses at present and the facilities are excellent with large stables with automatic watering and shower bays. There is a parking area which gets very busy at weekends especially when lessons change over.

Lessons can only be booked three weeks in advance and certainly there is a big demand for the starter groups, there is a cancellation fee to pay if less than 24 hours is given.

What I like about the whole operation is that I feel that my children are in safe hands, both have had falls in their riding careers and each time the staff member has discussed it with me and filled in an accident book, this tells me they are serious about health and safety rules, they are also strict about what the children wear and how they behave around the grounds. My daughter along with others helps out all day on a Sunday and she loves it and they work hard as she is tired, dirty and starving when she gets home. The trainers are very good and certainly in the case of my son his current instructor is a hard task master with high standards and he has improved considerably.

I would certainly recommend Brampton Stables as a great place to learn to ride or improve your riding skills, a lot of adults use it and the coaching is very good and the hooray Henry element sometimes associated with the riding scene is absent from this operation with the owner being very approachable and engaging.

Check out the website for more information http://www.bramptonstables.com/index.html

Thanks for reading and rating my review. 

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