Four miles of farm tracks and headlands, no roads: an hour at walk and trot, or two hours with canters, from £50
Hacking on the farm
Hacks on four miles of our own farm tracks and field headlands, with views across the Vale to the Bristol Channel, and no road to cross. An hour at walk and trot for riders who can steer and stop, or two hours with canters up the long field for experienced riders. From £50.
A hack is what most people imagine when they imagine riding: a horse you trust, a track between hedges, and a view. Ours start at the yard gate and never touch a road.
The farm tracks run round the edge of the hill fields, along the stream at the bottom and up the long field to the top gate, where on a clear day you can see Flat Holm and the Somerset coast. An hour's hack goes out along the stream and back over the top; the two-hour hack adds the wood and the long canter up the headland.
The hour at walk and trot is for riders who can steer, stop and rise to the trot on their own, which usually means six lessons for an adult and a term for a child. Two-hour hacks with canters are for riders who canter confidently in the open, and the guide will ask you to show that in the arena first if we have not seen you ride.
Hacks go in groups of up to four with a guide on one of the yard horses, and run Tuesday to Sunday at ten and two, plus summer evenings at six. Bring a hat and boots; we lend body protectors. In wet winters the bottom track floods and the hacks stay on the top fields, which are shorter but still lovely.
What is included
- Four miles of farm tracks, no road at all
- Views to Flat Holm and the Somerset coast
- Four riders and a guide at most
- One hour at walk and trot, or two with canters
- Tuesday to Sunday at ten and two, summer evenings at six
- Body protectors lent free
What it costs
£50 for an hour at walk and trot; £85 for two hours with canters, experienced riders only. Four riders and a guide at most. The lesson finder suggests the right lesson from the rider's age and ability and shows the next day with a place; the livery page shows the stables free now.
Questions about hacking
Can I hack if I have never ridden?
Not straight away. You need to steer, stop and rise to the trot on your own, so book a private lesson or two first. Some people do a lesson at nine and the hour hack at ten on the same morning.
Can I bring my own horse?
Liveries hack on the tracks whenever they like. Riders from other yards can join a guided hack on their own horse for £25 if it is vaccinated and has its passport.
What if the weather is bad?
We hack in drizzle and wind, not in lightning, gales or fog on the top field. If we cancel you pay nothing and choose another day.
Find the lesson, then book the first one.
Tell us the rider's age and what they can do now and we suggest the lesson and the next day with a place. Every new rider starts with a private lesson so we can choose the right horse. Or ring Sian in the office.