The Grove Riding School

14/01/2026

We hope you find this helpful we all know how confusing it can be

10/01/2026

🐎 Help your young person take their first step into a career in racing 🐎

If your son or daughter is aged 16–24 and considering a future in the racing industry, the Foundation Course offers a supportive and structured place to begin.

No previous experience or qualifications are required, just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.

Over the course of just a few months, students gain practical, hands-on experience with ex-racehorses, develop valuable life and employability skills, and build confidence and independence, all while forming strong friendships in a professional training environment.

📅 Their journey in racing could start today.

Apply here 👇

https://brs.org.uk/course/foundation-course/

08/01/2026

Very good advice! Exactly what we do in many situations

If you find an equestrian on their side this winter, please turn them the right way up and power them with tea.
No, seriously. This is not a joke. This is a health and safety advisory.

Winter equestrians are a fragile species. We can usually be found frozen in gateways, wedged against stable doors, or lying horizontally in a muddy field questioning our life choices. If discovered, do not panic. Simply follow the steps below.

First, check for signs of life.
Are they muttering about mud, frozen taps, or why they didn’t take up knitting? Good. They’re still with us.

Next, carefully rotate them upright. Winter riders tend to tip over due to excess layers, stiff joints, and boots filled with mud that now weigh approximately the same as a small car. Use correct lifting technique. Bend your knees. Protect your back. This person has already ruined theirs.

Once upright, immediately administer tea.
Not lukewarm tea. Not herbal nonsense. Proper, builders’, strong-enough-to-stand-a-spoon-up tea. Bonus points if it’s delivered in a battered yard mug that smells faintly of hay and regret.

Do not ask how they are.
They will say “fine” while their eye twitches and their soul quietly leaves their body.
Expect them to be wearing:
• Seven layers, none of which are actually warm
• Gloves that are somehow both soaking wet and frozen solid
• An expression of pure regret

They may appear grumpy. This is normal. Winter equestrians have been up since dawn, defrosting buckets with kettles, chipping ice like they’re auditioning for a mining job, and explaining to non-horse people that no, the horse cannot “just stay inside today”.
They are tired.
They are cold.
They smell faintly of horse and despair.

Under no circumstances should you suggest:
• “At least it’s not raining”
• “You chose this life”
• “Horses are just pets”

If the equestrian starts laughing for no reason, crying into their tea, or talking about selling everything and moving to Spain, this is also normal. Continue tea application until coherence returns.

Once revived, they will stand up, pull their hat down, sigh deeply, and go straight back out into the cold to do it all again. Because despite everything — the mud, the ice, the numb toes, and the emotional damage — they love it.

And if you find them on their side again tomorrow?
Turn right ways up.
Apply tea.
Repeat until spring. ☕🐴

08/01/2026

Half Term Own A Pony dates are now on the website! http://www.groveridingschool.co.uk/events/upcomingevents
Have a look, see what is available and book early as all bookings will need to be in 2 weeks before.

28/12/2025

Merlin will return to his usual post as carpark attendant on Tuesday and then we will be closed on New Years Day but otherwise all back to normal lesson times.
See you all, if not this week, then next year!

27/12/2025

Hope you did better at presents than these two!
Don't forget if you are coming tomorrow (too late to book now) lessons have been moved around a little
There is an Off LR at 10
L2C at 10.30
LR at 11.30
another L2C at 12
LR at 1.00
and the final lesson is an O/O at 1.30
We are open as normal from Tuesday other than New Years Day.

24/12/2025

Wishing all our riders, volunteers and supporters a happy Christmas! Thank you everyone for being part of the Maidensgrove RDA community, and we're looking forward to another year of fun and friendship in 2026!

22/12/2025

Morning and thank you to everyone who has already been in touch about lessons on the 28th. A reminder for all that there are no lessons on Saturday 27th but there are options (see below) for the Sunday.
We will be closed, for customers, the horses still need feeding and looking after, sadly, on the 25th 26th and 27th so all payments will need to be received by the evening of the 24th as we will not be checking email or payments after that point and will allocate ponies on Christmas eve for the 28th.
Lessons will be as follows:
10:00 Off LR
10:30 L2C
11.30 LR
12:00 L2J
13:00 LR
13.30 O/O

Enjoy whatever you have planned and we'll see you all soon!

18/12/2025

Hi everyone
As you are aware we will be closed on the 25th 26th and 27th of December but will be running lessons for anyone missing out on Sunday 28th. Having got an idea of demand we are now able to share with you the schedule for that day.
10:00 Off LR
10:30 L2C
11.30 LR
12:00 L2J
13:00 LR
13.30 O/O
Please email to book and be sure to pay by close of business on the 24th to ensure your place.
We look forward to seeing you all over the holiday season 🎅⛄❄️

13/12/2025

We host RDA 3 mornings a week and Twinkle is one of the favourites ☺️

Twinkle didn't find anything edible on the tree, but had fun winning some Christmas gymkhana games on Thursday!

07/12/2025

Merlin just trying out for a starring role in his school nativity.
We will be open as normal most days over the school hols other than Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. The exception being Saturday 27th where we will be combining lessons with the Sunday 's. So if you intend to come that weekend please email us to confirm and once we know demand for each class we will let you know a time on Sunday.
We will not be running any OAP mornings as there are no dates available this year but we will hope to put on a couple in the Feb half term.
Hope the weather cheers up a bit before the holidays start!