If you report to reception 20 minutes before the ride is due to go out we will have time to show you to your horse and the escort who will take you out. (Clients new to Hayfield may wish to arrive even earlier). Because we care about your safety, correct footwear and apparel must be worn and hard hats are compulsory and escorts must be obeyed at all times. All hacks are to be paid in advance at the point of booking and we only ever cancel rides on grounds of safety.
Everyone has to start somewhere and there is no better introduction for little children than to enjoy a walk out in the park on a well behaved pony led by an experienced escort. We take rides from 4 – 8 yrs and give a little basic instruction during a pleasant walk through the park. The whole experience is designed to put a smile on each riders face and give children a soft introduction to ponies and riding at an early age.
Half hour total duration – arrive 20 minutes early to sign up the membership form, fit the rider’s hat and meet with the pony and the person who will Escort you. Parents may walk out with the rider but may need footwear suitable for mud in wet weather.
Our advice is that you start by choosing a standard below what you might think yourself capable of or have a short assessment lesson to determine the right standard to book. Nothing is worse than finding yourself out of your depth when half way out on a ride.
After Paddock Hacks a Trot hack comes next where the ride leader will not canter and the horses are all quite slow and steady.
Trot Canter hacks are the next progressive step for those ready to canter but still not too confident.
Canter hacks are for more exciting and riders who need to be capable of keeping control of a not so sleepy horse or pony. That said the escorts are aware of the need to look after riders who are finding their horse a bit too much for them and can and will swap riders if they need to.
Advanced Hacks are only for those riders who are happy riding spirited horses in all paces including gallop – we will always need to know the riders abilities before we will take a booking.
Paddock hacks are great if you have little or no experience of horses or riding but you want to ride out in the park and see if riding is a sport you might like. The horses you will be riding are quiet and reliable and most of them come with a leader who will help you and show you what to do. When all the riders on a paddock hack are mounted in the paddock the ride escort will make sure that everyone is happy, can stop, start, turn and trot on their pony before going out for a quiet walk or trot round the Park.
Paddock hacks are a great way to get accustomed to the feeling of the movement of riding a horse before taking lessons in how to control a more active horse or pony. Preparation in the paddock takes up about 20 minutes to half an hour and the ride out the remainder.
Confident riders do not have to have a leader unless the escort deems it necessary. Riders may be expected to trot but there will be no cantering on a paddock hack as the escort may be on foot or mounted. The usual number in a group is 6 or 8. One hour duration – arrive 20 minutes early for rider registration and to fit your hat.
Hayfield has some of the finest off road hacking to be found anywhere in Scotland. Rides around Hazlehead Park which was given to the people of Aberdeen by King Robert the Bruce are always good fun. Every ride out in the park weaves in and out of and around the golf fairways and through a mixture of wooded trails and sometimes open fields.
The word “Hacking” originates from the days when the gentry would ride out with their hawks to hunt small prey but since then the word has changed from hawking to hacking In the same manner our hacks are enjoyable opportunities to get out in the open air riding in the park (which is virtually traffic free).
On a good day the wildlife you may see includes buzzards and hawks, rabbits, squirrels, lots of deer, birds, woodpeckers and even the odd fox. Hazlehead Park is linked to larger riding areas such as Blacktop and Countesswells woods where we take picnic rides, two hour forest rides and day rides.
Provide an opportunity for riders to be assessed to establish which classes or rides would be appropriate for them to join. Half hour duration – arrive 20 minutes early for rider registration and fitting hats.
For those who enjoy a more leisurely pace day rides and picnic rides not only fit the bill but it is possible to arrange for non riding members of your family or group to meet up in the woods with riding members for a picnic or Bar-B-Q in the forest car park.
This allows non riding members of the family to enjoy a walk in the woods (with or without their dogs) or do some mountain biking in the same forests you that are riding in.
Aberdeen has one of the best beaches to ride on in the world and experienced riders will be amazed as they experience the wide expanse as they gallop down miles of open beach or ride more quietly behind the sand dunes in a landscape more akin to the Sahara where few people ever go.
The horses are transported to the beach for you and it is possible to include breakfast or lunch in your day. The duration of the actual ride is usually just over two hours and the horses will do no more work after the ride as beach rides are strenuous for both horse and rider. A pre beach ride assessment is essential if the group is to enjoy the experience and the horses will be chosen to suit each rider.
Beach rides are charged at 4 times the hourly class rate which also covers transport costs. Lunch or breakfast is extra by separate arrangement or riders can simply enjoy a drink at the bar (after the ride) and tell tales to their friends about the wonderful things they did. A 25% discount is available to any rider riding in regular lessons on cards.
There is only one person in the world who will take you to ride anywhere in Scotland at the drop of his hat. By booking through Hayfield it is possible to ride with horseman and International trainer John Crawford to any location in Scotland. That said, most of John’s rides are within 30 to 100 miles of Aberdeen because Royal Deeside and Speyside countryside is just hard to beat. John who is a great character, has a wealth of experience and has trained or competed personally on every horse which he takes on his rides. His 45 years of experience matching riders to horses and his knowledge of the best places to ride in Royal Deeside and the Grampian region keeps you safe while enjoying the best places to eat, drink and be merry.
The pace of the rides is usually set at “nice and easy” where everyone enjoys the beautiful scenery and spends hours at lunch in a fine hotel or pub meeting the locals. Yet for those who like a more challenging ride John will easily up the tempo to create a more exciting ride. English, western or stock saddles can be supplied if required. For those very special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries it is not a problem to add in a visit, stay or function in a Scottish castle creating memories to last a lifetime.
Pre ride assessment is preferred and rides are to be paid for at the point of booking.
Be prepared to pay a for a quality product. That said, prices are based on a group of four to deliver best value for money. Horses transport to venues more than 60 miles of Aberdeen are charged at cost over ride cost. Pick up from Aberdeen International Airport, Hotel accommodation and client transport can easily arranged.
The horses you will ride on our pleasure rides will be hand picked and be suitable for the ride that you are going on. Whether that’s a quiet little pony for a walk in the park or a fully fit hunter or competition horse fit to canter all day you can rest assured that we take every care to have you on a safe horse that will make your ride a truly memorable one.
Most of our Hayfield riders are happy with a “middle of the road” horse that they can enjoy riding out with their friends, and you can bet that whatever you’re level of expertise Hayfield will have a suitable horse or pony for you.
