Houston Farm Riding School, West Lothian Reviews
Latest Reviews
★★★★★
“Amazing!”
Written on: 11/05/2012
Such an amazing riding school! Fantastic instructors, horses and staff. Half hour lessons are for beginners and the horses used are mostly very steady and calm. The school is very clean, droppings are picked up almost immediately. Lots of fantastic leaders on hand to encourage the riders and offer them advice on riding. Instructors try to add a bit of variety into the lessons with adding small jumps and exercises designed to get the riders and horses listening. Very safe and steady. 45... (read more)
★★☆☆☆
“Want to get dizzy? Come here!”
Written on: 05/04/2012
went there for a couple years.... didn't improve a single bit. Every week doing the same thing. Some steering, trotting for ages then a few silly tiny jumps at the end. They always gave everyone a leader no matter what level you were. I had been to a different riding school previously and i moved to Houston to see what it was like.... big mistake. I rode the very same grumpy pony every week which is never good. The staff were very bad tempered and one girl got really mad at me for holding... (read more)
Skyler18's Comment
Written on: 07/05/2012
Firstly, i don't think you've been to Houston in a while. The arena you are currently describing has since been demolished for several months now and in its place a new larger and more modern school has been built. However i strongly doubt the pillars in the small school were dangerous. Houston has always been BHS and ABRS approved, and i doubt they would have approved if they found any of the facilities dangerous and/or unsatisfactory.
Secondly, the half hour lessons are for complete novices/beginners. Therefore, you do not get to experience more than walk/trot/steering and small jumps for health and safety reasons. I think you will struggle to find any riding school that lets complete novices/beginners simply get on a horse and gallop about the place with no control, it would end in disaster.
Thirdly, as for everyone getting a leader, that is simply not true. Younger riders or less experienced riders will get a leader, for safety. Many riders find this extremely beneficial as it means that they can concentrate on things like rising while in trot and not have to worry about steering. When you get a bit more experienced and can do things like rising trot riders are in fact encouraged to ride without a leader. The only time someone who can ride themselves gets a leader is if they ask for one or if the horse/pony they are on is being particularly excitable that day. And no offence, but if you had to keep your hands on the saddle while trotting you probably needed a leader.
Fourthly, the stables are completely mucked out at least once a day and throughout the day people are constantly checking the horses stables and their water, picking up poo and filling up their water when necessary. They aren't tacked up all day long. They are tacked up at a maximum half an hour before their lesson and untacked immediately before lunch and after their last lesson. The horses aren't tied up in stalls. The horses are turned out over summer once every two days at least. If you ask one of the staff they will be more than happy to show you how to tack up and will accompany you to put the pony back. However if you don't speak up and ask you won't get any help. They are not mind readers.
Your review seems old and outdated, i suggest only writing a review if you have been there in the past couple of months.
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★★☆☆☆
“Went here 5 years ago for regular lessons with a...”
Written on: 20/04/2011
Went here 5 years ago for regular lessons with a friend. After 2 years of being in the same beginner class doing the same thing every week, it was time to leave. Fourteen riders were in my lesson regularly and the staff were very unfriendly and bad tempered. Horses and ponies were lovely which was surprising due to the poor conditions they were kept in. Horses were almost never turned out, stables are dirty and some are kept in barbaric stalls (resulting in sores on their noses). Horses are... (read more)
Guest's Comment
Written on: 10/07/2011
i completly disagree. I have been going here for years now and done lots of summer camps here. They are perfect to the horses and so much time and effort is put in to make sure the horses are well cared for. And as for the staff, well they are just the best! so helpful, kind and willing to share there knowledge!!
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Guest's Comment
Written on: 01/08/2011
Well you must of went to a completey differnt riding school than me the staff are friendly and happy to share there knowledge of horses the horses do not work until death because the have 3 horses that are retirement at the moment the stable are muck out 3 times a day how u didn't see that i don't know the helper are always mucking out stable and they even have little kids wanting to help them so that^ is a compelt LIE!!!
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Guest's Comment
Written on: 21/09/2011
They need to keep you in half an hours until your capable. 45 minute lessons are alot different from the half hour beginner lessons. In half hour lessons your lead and you have people keeping an eye on you. The ponies and horses in the half hour are alot more bomb proof that the ones used to 45 minute or hour lessons. Before you get moved up you need to show you have complete control of the pony/horse and know how to deal with different situations, or else your going to be a danger both to your horse and the other riders in your lesson. I know people who work there, go up myself sometimes and stables get completely mucked out in the morning and evening. People go around at least 3 times a day picking up droppings. Staff are friendly and supportive, although obviously they can be strict at times because it is a riding SCHOOL. Horses turned out nearly every day in nice weather. Some horses go out more than others, depending on their age/fitness. Significant amount of horses enjoying a lovely retirement. Sounds like you went to a complete different riding school or your just bitter it took you two years to grasp the basics.
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Lm124's Comment
Written on: 03/05/2012
I have only just started going to this yard (as an experienced rider and an ex-groom/instructor I know what to look out for) and the above description is very inaccurate. As always I have a look round the yard before my lesson to judge the condition of the horses and stables and, although not fancy, the conditions were very good, the staff were very friendly and happy to chat with me and answer my questions and my instructor was fantastic. I thouroughly enjoyed my lesson, fell in love with my horse and actually came away feeling like I had learned something. Oh and I met at least 3 of the retired ponies so I hardly think they are worked until their death.
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★★★★★
“I love going to Houston Farm Riding School every week,...”
Written on: 25/02/2011
I love going to Houston Farm Riding School every week, I love the horses and ponies, and the staff are kind, I do admit that the half hour is very boring but when you get moved up to the 45 Minuit and then the hour it is really fun, I am in the hour on a Sunday and I enjoy it, I was going to stop going when I was in the half hour but I'm glad I didn't, I know if I did I would of regretted it. If you fall off the instructors are really nice and try their best to make you smile and always make... (read more)
★★★★★
“I am glad i pestered the life out of the owners to get...”
Written on: 18/01/2011
I am glad i pestered the life out of the owners to get my girls a slot in the beginner lessons. It is fantastic. Yes, it might be a bit busy some weekends, but surely that is a sign of the demand. It is a business and if you want small lessons then go private. The horses all seem happy and the kids when they come off, they are always smiling. Looking forward to the summer when they will be able to go outside again. (read more)
★★★★☆
“Excellent place to learn to ride for all levels of...”
Written on: 12/01/2011
Excellent place to learn to ride for all levels of rider! The horses are great and cater for all levels and the instructors are very knowledgable. I started riding here as a fairly experienced rider already and have learnt loads in the two years I have been riding here. The owners are very nice and the staff are friendly. Currently a group lesson is £21 an hour which is cheap in relation to most other riding schools in the area but it does mean the group lessons do get very busy so if you... (read more)
★★★☆☆
“I started at this school when i was 7 i am now 44 so...”
Written on: 10/10/2010
I started at this school when i was 7 i am now 44 so yes they have been going for years!! when i was a youngster it was ian comrie who taught us.his kids jane fiona and john were all young ann was just baby.
the horses were well keapt and i learned alot in my first few years of riding but it started to get boring and went else where,over all it was good place to start.
(read more)
★★★☆☆
“After riding there for a number of years I recently...”
Written on: 13/09/2010
After riding there for a number of years I recently gave up riding at this school as felt I was not progressing at all. Every week we did the same things over and over again and never tried anything new. Most of the parents complained to each other about the fact that we just went round and round and a lot of people eventually left. The horses are not kept to as high as a standard as they should be and the majority of yard staff are particulary unhelpful and unfriendly. Lessons are usually... (read more)
★★★☆☆
“Houston Farm riding school is fine for maybe the first...”
Written on: 19/08/2010
Houston Farm riding school is fine for maybe the first six lessons or so.........unless you get dizzy quicker than most people.
All they do each week is go around and around the arena, never learning anything else!!
Also, the arena is very crowded with up to fourteen horses/ponies nose to tail, hense an accident is never far off, with the ponies being bitten from behind and the rider going airbound.
I'm actually surprised there hasn't been a serious accident - only bumps and...
(read more)
★★★★★
“ it was a great experiance for me and the kids and i...”
Written on: 04/04/2010
it was a great experiance for me and the kids and i hope to soon come again an enjoy their lovely hospitality. (read more)
See next 10 reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 14 Reviews
★★★★★
“I think houston farm is a wonderful riding school with...”
Written on: 13/09/2008
I think houston farm is a wonderful riding school with helpful friendly staff and great fun lessons and the horses are also lovely. I have been riding there for 7 years and still cant find a bad point. All round lovely place to ride with a nice atmosphere. (read more)
★★★★★
“absaloutley positivley great i give it 100%. it is a...”
Written on: 04/08/2008
absaloutley positivley great i give it 100%. it is a great riding school good horses king trainers great website everything is perfect! I could not find any bad points. (read more)
★★★★★
“That you can book to ride a horse or birthdays and stuff. ”
Written on: 15/07/2008 by SOPHIE13
That you can book to ride a horse or birthdays and stuff.
its a new experience for all ages and is a good price for a hole day lesson. Going there for my birthday on the 18 of august.!!xx
(read more)
★★★★☆
“these are great stables, which are well ran with...”
Written on: 15/01/2008
these are great stables, which are well ran with helpful and friendly staff. the only downside i have found is it is very difficult to get booked in... (which in my opinion shows just how good they are.) (read more)
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Guest's Comment
Written on: 13/04/2012
Sorry but it seems as if you go to a completly diffrent riding school as the horses stalls/stables are cleaned morning and night!! also the staff are lovley even though they can be strict it is a School so really they have to be. Some horses are Grumpy because well that is them their all different!
the arenas are lovely and clean, the poop is picked as soon as it is down!
If you are new then you must go in half hours and only get moved up after a few years and when your really ready. So Mrs Comrie tests you just to be sure as in the three quarter and hour lessons are very very different as you must be able to canter from walk as we do lots of them.