Re: Riding in Devon / Dorset

Hi, we live in East Devon, near Exeter, so not really where you're looking, but there don't seem to be that many Devon folk on here....!!

We have c**p off road riding here, you need a trailer or a lorry for places like Killerton House, the National trust house, where you can ride in the park, or Haldon Woods, off the A30 at the top of Telegraph Hill.

But there's Dartmoor, or Exmoor in North Devon - you do have to be careful on the moors though, as something grows there that can irritate horses legs.....

If you're looking at South Devon then Dartmoor would be close, but other than that, I'm sure there are places with great off road riding, I just don't know about them.

Hope you find what you want somewhere, anyway :o)

Re: Riding in Devon

I am near Kingsbridge & the hacking varies greatly; there is quite a lot of roadwork involved but usually it is on nice quiet country lanes. If you get the right yard, you will find that there are stubble fields left open for riding at certain times of the year and most of the bridlepaths are in usable condition. If you are looking for miles of off-road hacking then you are best off looking at the Cheston & outskirts of Ivybridge areas as they are very close to Dartmoor. When I bought my horse, he was stabled at Cheston and it literally took 5 minutes on a quiet lane before we were on the moors and it is very pretty. Good luck with your search x

Re: Riding in Devon / Dorset

I'm from the middle of Dartmoor and they say if you can ride on Dartmoor you can ride anywhere in the world as there are so many different areas here.

Woodland, open common and quiet lanes - Widecombe in the Moor area is very VERY good, Tavistock way is great too.

Between Princetown and Okehampton gets a bit boring as its all open stretches and firing ranges.

Re: Riding in Devon / Dorset

I started riding at Porlock when I was 16 on holiday with my parents with nothing to do in a caravan help! Found some stables in the Village and from then on history for the next 45 years, been riding ever since. Rode all over Exmoor and as far as Tarr Steps lovely country also up on hurlestone point , while galloping up there the owner from the stables shouted to us to turn right what we did not know was bomb craters from WW11 when the RAF had been practicing. You can get right up to the wild life as the horse masks your smell and you do not look human anymore, went on a mock hunt which was fast and exciting without anything geeting killed only ice creams for the riders and horses. Dont forget your horses with the treats as they have to carry us lumps around.

Re: Riding in Devon / Dorset

SaganLover said:

 Will you be living near Ilfracombe? if so, there is a very good riding stables/livery yard that do really good hacks! i go on holiday to Ilfracombe every year, and we go hacking every year, and thats all off road, on fields:) x

Sounds nice, can you give me details of the yard please?