Conference noted::equitation

    
    I am going to England on a business trip the week of Sept 19th.
    Are there any interesting or exciting horsey events on the weekend
    of 17/18th that I could go to?  Or what is the possibility of finding
    a riding stable to go ride for a couple hourse?  Touring England
    on Horseback in 2 hours??
    
    Thanks for any info
    
    Sherry
    

    You can put this entry into TRUCKS::GREAT_BRITAIN and someone may
    be able to help you about horse events. 
    
    If you're down in the Brighton area, (50 miles south of London,
    south coast) I've been riding at Rottingdean Riding School just
    outside Brighton for the past year...absolutely stunning area to
    ride with beautiful views of the countryside and the coast of the
    English channel.  
    
    Ellen Walther

    Sheryl,                           
    
    If your business trip is taking you to the Reading, DECpark site,
    and you will be staying in that area, there is an excellent stable
    called Rycroft that is only about a 12 minute ride from DECpark.
    Rycroft is also approved by the British Horse Society for lessons
    and hacking.
    
    I went for hacks and took lessons there all last year while I was
    living in the UK.  They normally have a variety of hacks - slow, medium
    and fast, and lemme tell you, the fast hacks are FAST!  Besides
    that, while I was there, they offered something called a "Pub Ride".
    It consisted of a one hour, pretty fast hack to a local pub where
    you would then enjoy a pint of great English beer, and then the
    return ride back to the Stable.  The whole thing takes about 2 hours.  
    A one hour hack was only 7 pound, fifty pence, I think the Pub
    Ride was 15 pound.  I never went on the pub ride because I didn't
    think my inner thighs would survive, but I heard from everyone that
    it was a super time.  
    
    I can't remember the number to Rycroft but it is in the Reading
    telephone directory - analogous to our 'yellow pages'.  I usually
    had to make arrangements by phone a week ahead to secure a horse.  
    
    Have a great trip, and let me know how it turns out!
    
    Cheers,
    
    Sue

    Which part of England are you going to? I can photcopy the relevant
    parts of my BHS "Where to Ride" guide if you are more specific.
    You will have just missed the Burghley Horse Trials when you get
    to the UK. Burghley and Badminton are the two big three day events
    in England.

    If you're near Reading, Newbury Show is the 17th and 18th September
    - lots of horse events, including jumping, showing, mountain &
    moorland, Andalusians - and my pony Robbie competing in the Riding
    For the Disabled competition!
    
    There are lots of places to ride round Reading.  If you want more
    information, mail me (Helen Gough @RDL), and I'll try to help.
    
    Helen.
    

    
    Fantastic!  The Newbury Show sounds like a great time.  I will be
    going to Reading to visit some engineers there.  I think this trip
    I would rather observe things than ride.  Plus, it sounds like a
    great opportunity to see some horses/events I have never seen.
    
    Helen,  If you don't mind, I would like to contact you for more
    specific info on the Newbury show.   
    
    Thanks for all the help!
    
    Sherry
    

    I may be going to Reading the first week in October.  I would like
    to go to some Tack shops to look for riding pants.  Do any of you
    know of any good shops near Reading.
    
    The Pub ride sounds great, I hope that I have time to do the ride.
    
    Mary Ann

    Saddlers near Reading:
    
    Aldridge the saddler, 90 Friar St., Reading
    Centell Saddlery, 722 Oxford Road, Reading
    Centell Saddlery, 330 Barkham Road, Wokingham
    Gawthorpe Saddlers, Eversley Cross (Behind the Chequers pub)
    Langston & Sons, 1A West St., Reading
    The Stable Door, 25 High St., Theale
    Wellington Riding, Basingstoke Rd, Heckfield
    
    Where to ride near Reading:
    
    Bearwood Riding Centre, Mole Road, Sindlesham
    Rycroft Riding Stables, New Mill Lane, Eversley
    Wellington Riding, Basingstoke Rd, Heckfield (Good for x-country)
    
    Hope that helps
    
    Mark...

    When in October?  You may catch the Horse of the Year Show - I think
    it's around the first/ second week, sorry don't know the exact dates.
    
    Swaine, Adeney Brigg in Piccadilly is a nice tack shop to look at,
    but very expensive!
    
    If you go to the Horse of the Year Show, there will be lots of stalls
    selling all kinds of tack, clothes, and other horsey items.
    
    Helen.

    Along the same lines, can anyone recommend a good stables in the
    London area?  I will be moving back there next week and would like
    to take up riding again (have been riding for 13 years on and off).
    I was thinking of somewhere in Surrey or Kent perhaps.
    
    Thanks very much,
    
    Debs.
    

    Wanted:   Names and addresses of Tack Shops in England and Scotland.
    
    I will be visiting England and Scotland this summer and would like to
    visit some tack shops.   If anyone has names of shops with their 
    addresses I would be most grateful.  We will be driving our rented 
    vehicle with map in hand so please do include the address.
    
    Thanks,   Ester
    DTN  289-1402                                                         

    SET MODE = SARCASTIC
    
    Where can I see a horse in the Eastern United States?
    
    There are thousands of tack shops in the British Isles. You could spend
    your entire vacation driving between them and not visit them all. There
    are three in Reading alone where Digital has its UK headquarters.
    
    SET MODE = More useful advice.
    
    Tack shop listings can be found in the Yellow Pages of the local
    telephone directory, just like in these United States. The local
    saddler still exists in addition to the "volume producers" in
    Birmingham and Walsall. So where are you going to be? Somebody in that
    area may be able to recommend a particular shop. There are at least two
    trade organizations covering saddlery whose names I can't quite
    remember like the "Worshipful Company of Master Saddlers", who have
    lists of memebers.
    
    You may not find the prices in the U.K. any lower than at State Line in
    Plaistow, N.H., but the quality may be better. Value Added Tax (15%) is
    included in the price of most goods and services, including tack in the
    U.K. (and most of Europe). This VAT can be refunded if you are bringing
    the goods back to the US. Not all tack (or other) shops know about or
    participate in this VAX Refund scheme for exports, so ask before you
    buy. It involves a certain amount of form filling and dealing with Her
    Majesty's Customs and Excise at the airport when leaving. I have used
    this scheme quite often.
    
    Most large equestrian events and shows in the UK have a trade stand
    area where more than one tack shop will be present. These shows are
    listed in the "Horse and Hound" weekly magazine that's quite widely
    distributed (even in the airport newstands at Heathrow!)
    
    So a little more detail on your proposed itinerary will bring more
    helpful advice. 
    
    

    If you're in London, check out the tack departments at Lily Whites
    (Picadilly Square, I think) and Harrods (ask any tourist). I remember
    walking by another large department store that had a tack department,
    but I can't remember the store or location.  I also went to a nice tack
    shop on the main street of Caterbury.  There are probably nice tack
    shops in every town in the country!
    
    I found that the quality was a lot better than State Line, but then
    again, just about any tack shop has better quality than State Line
    (except, of course, for name brand items.)  
    
    A UK riding friend who spent a few months over here had a lot of fun
    visiting our tack shops. She especially liked seeing the things that
    they either don't have or that aren't common--like ear bonnets and
    silver-laden western tack.
    
    -Andrea-
    
    
    

    There is one or two in the ASCOT area I can recommend.  Having just
    returned from a trip there.  There is also a large one just outside
    Manchester - I'll have to think of the name.
    
    The only thing I found cheaper was clothes, especially Harry Hall.
    There is more selection with regards to X country shirts.  If you
    want a full back/front x country protection pad - these are very
    common, I have not seen the equavalent here.  More selection of
    hats, and bits.  As for the quality - about the same - you get what
    you pay for.  Things to look for are wool coolers, aertex coolers
    (the holey ones), jute rugs, Cottage Craft stuff and very interesting 
    quarter sheets.  Of course, saddle types/styles that are not usually
    available in North America.   Stay away from boots/banadages, they
    are usually 2x as expensive.  Even the German stuff is the same
    price as over here.
    
    According to my friends it has only been in the last few years,
    that synthetic materials have appeared, with regards to blankets
    eg polywarm/washable stuff.  Most places will only do the refund
    of VAT for you if you spend over 50 pounds (85 dollars) in one shop,
    some are 100.                                         
    
    Linda

    We spent some time in E & S  1 1/2 yrs ago and came across a very good
    tack shop at the Horse of the Year Show. We later visited their shop in
    Coventry (I think, I'll check though) because they didn't have all
    sizes at the show. We found that the sizing was different on bridles
    and girths (Cob size was different and girths did or didn't include of
    elastic elastic). You would be advised to have tape measurements of
    exactly what you wanted. We also found a different selection of English
    made tack in the UK than they export to the US, both in style and size
    as I said before. 
    
    There are exceptions to this however, Harreds had tack what was the
    same as you would find exported to the US but it cost considerably more
    than out in the country. I would assume this would be true where the
    tourists are more likly to shop. 

Does anyone know what the saddlery at Wellington Riding is like? I never
actually knew there was a saddle shop there, but as it's just up the road
from me I might have a look in there sometime, as I assume the quality of
their goods are the same quality as their instruction. Is the shop open late? 

Ellen