Twinstead Riding School

Kenzo and Gossip 😂🥰

A new member of staff. Poppy will be taking phone calls and booking oh and of course making tea.

We are so lucky to have this amazing hacking 💜🌳🌲

🐴 Helper ba****ck ride. Today we had a go at riding a drill ride put together by Verity. She was very impressed at their riding seeing as we had a few first timers. 🐴

🐴Our Pony Day 🐴

Today involved lots of laughter. We had a lovely long Hack followed by some games in the school, Lunch and entertainment (helpers riding a ba****ck drill ride🫣😬😂) then an afternoon of pony painting and of course, we had to ask Verity to judge the best one. It was such a super day thank you to all our little riders that came we hope you had an amazing time and of course thank you too our helpers, that really put their heart and soul into making it the best day 💙♥️💜
We really do have the best ponies 🐴🐴

80-year-old woman completes annual 600-mile trek with her pony and dog
Every year, Jane Dotchin packs her saddlebags and sets off on an epic journey from her home near Hexham, Northumberland, up to Inverness, Scotland.
Since 1972, Jane, 80, has been headng on this annual trip on her 13-year-old horse, Diamond, travelling 600 miles on horseback.
This time, she began her journey on August 31, with her disabled Jack Russell, Dinky, for company as she covers between 15 and 20 miles a day.
The trip sees Jane carrying everything she needs on her back, including her tent, food, and a few key belongings.
After that initial journey, she caught the taste for the open road, and travelled to visit friends near Fort Augustus, near Loch Ness, Highlands, every autumn since.
Her epic journey usually takes around seven weeks, depending on weather, and Jane uses it as a chance to pop in and say hi to people she has met over the years.
She sustains herself on porridge, oatcakes, and cheese, and doesn’t need much electricity as she has an old mobile phone with a battery that lasts six weeks ❤️ ‎ ‎

Evening checks on the herd 🐴💜

⚠️TWO SPACES LEFT ⚠️

🐴🐴🐴🐴Two spaces left on our pony day on Tuesday.
It’s going to be a lovely fun day filled with many things including pony painting 🎨🎨🎨🎨

Come and join us book online

https://bookaby.me/twinstead-riding-school/whats-on?

Book Now with Bookaby

🎉So Pleased to announce that’s three members staff have gone and passed their exams.🎉
🐴Aga passed her BHS stage 1 exam
🐴Jodie and Alex passed their BHS Ride Safe Award

Well done we are so proud of you all 🎉🎉
💙Thank you so much to Hemps Green Equestrian Ltd and staff for providing training and holding the exams. 💙

Another lovely Saturday hack! Today we went around the outside of the village and onto the bridleways. Happy ponies, happy people! 🥰🥰 We still have a couple of spaces left for our 10.30 hack next Saturday☀️
The video was put together by one of our lovely clients 🥰

Our 10:30 Hack today 🤩 We use Femka and Kenzo as our lead rein horses escorting Wellym and chanter followed by pheobe on charmer, Chloe and Delilah and we were also joined by our lovely liveries. 💙💜

Today’s ride 💜💙 Happy faces

🌱Volunteers need for tomorrow 🌱

We need help ragworting our fields we are trying to get a group of people to head out tomz between 9-1pm and again at 6:30pm if anyone can help we will pay you in drinks and cakes. 🍰

Our jump lesson on Monday. Very proud of our riders their confidence’s is growing. They should be very proud of themselves.

Photos from todays Pony day. Thank you to everyone that came and all our helpers we couldn’t do it without you. Today was a very hot one. Bathing was definitely a good idea after our Gymkhana and Hack.
We hope to see you soon for the next pony day Tuesday the 13th 🐴🐎

☀️Tomorrow’s pony day ☀️

Just a reminder to pack lots of water and sun cream for the pony day tomorrow. Also if possible to bring sun hats for when we are not doing activities with the ponies.
We have a fridge so children’s lunches with be kept cold.
We look forward to seeing you 🐎

We are sad to announce that Carol McLernon sadly passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with leukaemia.
Carol taught at Twinstead for 17 year, from 1999-2016, teaching hundreds of adults and children to ride, and was well loved and respected. She was patient and kind, and was able to get even the most nervous of riders to enjoy themselves.
Carol also started the Twinstead page which has given us many happy memories to look back on.

Carol first rode up at Twinstead when she lived in the village with her parents, as a child. She had her own pony called Angel, and used to join in the rides at Twinstead Riding Stables. When she saw the advert for the job of riding instructor in 1999, she jumped at the chance to return, and was amazed to find there were still ponies alive from when she used to ride there!

She only stopped teaching at Twinstead as she had a stroke in 2016, which was a complication of her cancer. However, Carol overcame the stroke enough to be able to ride for leisure, and less than a year later, was back in the saddle at Twinstead.

Details of her funeral will be posted soon, for anyone who would like to pay their respects.
Happy memories of Carol at Twinstead welcome in the comments.

Todays Pony Day consisted of horse shoe painting, watching horses having their teeth done, stable duties and of course lots of riding 🐴
Thank you to everyone that came and supported our little riding school 🥰🐎

Today was all about preparing for summer. We now have our tent set up. This will be used for Pony days, Camps or even pony parties. 🎉
And of course we couldn’t of done it without the guidance of Verity, who is now able to get out to the field. 😂🥰

⭐️⭐️ Meet the Twinstead team ⭐️⭐️
Jodie

The very first time I sat in a saddle was at the age of 7 on holiday to France and from that moment I fell in love and knew I wanted to be around horses for the rest of my life. I then began learning how to ride and joined twinstead riding school when I was 13, I learnt everything I know here and after being a helper for many years and doing my work experience at twinstead I moved onto writtle college to study horse care and management.

Along the way I have loaned horses from a thoroughbred to an Irish cob and expanded my love and skills from competing in show jumping to beach days out whilst caring for such beautiful animals. My daughter joins me in the love for horses and now I am so thrilled to be back at twinstead as a member of an awesome team!

I am currently on the path to completing my BHS qualifications in ride safe award and stages 1, 2 and 3 in horsemanship to better my knowledge for myself, horses and riders. I want to pass on what I learnt at twinstead and teach others and give them the best experience being a part of the twinstead family and friends like I did growing up.

For me there’s nothing better for your mind and soul than taking a break from the hustle and bustle of life and riding across the beautiful countryside, amongst nature, even in the rain…
so please come and join me, meet the lovely ponies, learn to ride and enjoy hacks across the countryside on weekdays and Saturdays
☀️🐴☀️🐴☀️🐴☀️