Woodlands Stables

03/03/2026

‼️PLEASE SAHRE ‼️

It has come to our attention that there is a certain group of people going around spreading malicious rumours that we have strangles
I can assure everyone we don’t and anyone that wants clarification can contact our vets to ask. We have stallions and broodmares onsite that have to be tested regularly before going to the studs.
All stables are sprayed after use as per usual.
Please be sensible when at events not to let horses touch and use your own buckets and don’t share
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine ☀️ picture of one of beautiful foals born last week 💕

23/02/2026

Has been another outbreak, this time in Norfolk.
Please stay vigilant and use all the precautions available to prevent it spreading to our much loved equines 🐴🐴🐴

25/01/2026

🐴 EQUINE TACK THEFT🐴

Please be aware over the last two weeks, Police have had several reports of break ins at equine properties across the West of Suffolk where equipment and tack has been stolen. Be extra vigilant with securing property and ensure any high value equipment is clearly marked.

13/12/2025

“Confessions of a Riding School Saint”

Hello, human.
Yes, you — the one still trying to find the correct diagonal.

I’m the riding-school horse you meet once a week. You call me “steady,” “safe,” or, when I don’t immediately burst into extended trot, “lazy.” I’ve carried hundreds like you — some with bouncing enthusiasm, others with a death-grip on the reins and a look that says, “Please, not canter.”

Every rider brings their own style. Some kick like they’re starting a lawnmower. Some perch like a baby giraffe learning ballet. One even tried “natural horsemanship” by whispering at me for twenty minutes. (I admired the effort, but grass would have been more persuasive.)

I do my best to translate. But it’s tricky when one person wants me to go forward, the next to collect, and the next to “just feel the rhythm” while clamping both legs and pulling on my face. You’d be confused too.

Sometimes, when the messages get too loud or too mixed, I tune out. You call it “lazy.” I call it “self-preservation.” You see, my job isn’t easy — I must keep everyone safe while pretending your seat bones aren’t trying to send Morse code in three languages at once.

I’ve met every training philosophy going: “forward fixes everything,” “never use the leg,” “ride from the seat,” and my favorite — “just sit deeper!” (Usually shouted as the rider performs a mid-arena levitation.)

But I’ve also met kindness. The quiet rider who remembers to breathe, softens their hand, and says “good” when I try. That’s when I lift my back, stretch my neck, and remember what partnership feels like.

I don’t care about levels or ribbons. I care that you try to understand me. That you see me not as a piece of gym equipment but as a partner — one who has to process your nerves, your posture, and your Spotify playlist of contradictory aids.

So before you call a horse lazy, ask yourself: am I clear? Calm? Consistent?
Because the truth is, I’m not stubborn — I’m exhausted from reading mixed signals.

If you listen, I’ll listen. If you work on you, I’ll meet you halfway — maybe even with a flying change if I’m feeling fancy.

After all, I’m not just your ride. I’m your mirror, your teacher, and occasionally, your unpaid therapist.
Now, pat me. I’ve earned it.

Author: Gary A Diploma

13/12/2025

09/04/2024

🚛🐴

08/02/2024

So sad, but unfortunately very common problem 😢

Hello everyone! This isn’t really the post I wanted to be broadcasting however I think it’s better to be clear and honest with everyone as we always are.

We’ve had yet another big price increase in one of our biggest monthly over heads and it’s now at the point wether it’s worth continuing with the riding school at all. Which is incredibly sad.

We put in 110% at all times and running figures I just can’t see a way to keep things sensibly priced and standards high. When im talking price increase, its not in just in one area - bills have been as much as doubling in price, its not the case of £20 rise here and there. It’s big sums of money and on a regular basis and we do it through hard graft and needs must but with how much agrow at times it brings I’m not sure it is really worth it!

I love seeing what joy our yard brings and that’s what iv fought hard to keep going but we can’t absorb everything and on a real level it needs to now be priced at what it actually costs and I know that isn’t going to be easy to swallow.

I don’t want to hear “ but it x / y can offer lessons at £20, why can’t you”. My moral compass is on point , that’s why - my riding school team have the upmost care and are treated no differently to my own personal horses and I’ll close before that changes. I don’t care what others do what we do is a good job and that’s all that we will ever do..

Let me talk you through a few of the outgoings we have on a monthly basis just to give you it in real terms-

* insurance (now much over £1000 a month)
* feed bill £1600 + per 4 weeks
* shoeing , let’s not go into that as I wouldn’t want to put a figure on what that is a month.
* Haylege (all always have ad-lib and are never hungry)
* shavings
*accounting
*wages
*repairs / building work
* vet fees . Physio fees.
* horses teeth
*water
*Electric
*staff development

And the list really does go on.

This is also affected by weather , wether the weathers good or bad our outgoings are hardly any difference- que this weekend for example, if we close we will loose all takings, yes lessons will be re booked but that’s still a weekends full takings gone.

That’s without the extras needed for licensing such as saddle fitters / nutritional visits and much more - that’s coupled with the stupid amounts of admin needed to document everything that needs to be documented.

On top of that the rules have also changed for people wanting to help on the yard, leaders needing to be 13 years and upwards and helping on the yard over that. That’s a lot of heart broken children we will be contacting whose weekends will be changing who adore everything that the yard brings to them.

Loan pony’s which we have a few, dramatically increased and to be honest we were paying more than I realised for that insurance wise for that too but shocked to see what prices are to go forward with that, which in order to offer opportunities will need to be passed on price wise.

Yes there’s lots of people out there who are not honest with their insurance company’s or that are not properly insured at all but I won’t ever be one of those people, we are professional in all that we do and will continue to do so. I have friends with businesses that run on the most cheapest of policies- all that’s fine till something goes wrong same goes for a lot of freelance riders and teachers , you can offer small prices when things are not done right. That’s a club we won’t be part of.

we are actively looking at what we can do and the sessions that are on ecpro currently will be honoured at prices currently paid but going further that that I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do on what scale if any so we will keep you updated and let you know!

If you have vouchers to ride please use them asap , want to book and have fun , get booked in asap please.

For now , anything booked today for the rest of the month will be kept at normal price (honoured) - tomorrow all the prices will have to go up online and I’m really sorry about that! I know our lessons are the most expensive in the area but you get what you pay for and none of what we offer is cheap. Quality of horses, instructors and care is incredibly high.

I have posted multiple times over the last year that thing’s need to be supported or they will be lost but now I’m saying on very real terms- if you want to have horses available this Easter , I highly recommend supporting while it’s raining and the biggest thank you to everyone who already does!

We really do thank all our loyal riders and appreciate everything but in times as they are we can’t pretend x

For now, these next coming days we will be working hard to come up with the best solutions for everyone!

* FULL LIVERY spaces and waiting list still open for breakers / training / sales and will not be stopping*

14/05/2023

Well done girls 👍
First trip out for 2023 and it was rosettes all around 🤩

Thank you AJ for being groom today, it’s your turn next time 👍
A huge thanks to the World Horse Welfare team, you make all the hard work worth it 😊

24/12/2022

Wishing our friends and clients, (new, old and future ) a very Merry Christmas 🤶 and a very Happy New Year 🥳