Cullinghood Stables, Pangbourne, Reading

September 30th, 2010.
In the period April 2010 until September 2010, I stayed on the Horse riding school Cullinghood, Herons Farm in Pangbourne, Berkshire. This due to a temporary assignment in Reading. After a few nights in a Hotel in Reading I could manage it to move over to Cullinghood which I experienced as a massive improvement instead of staying in a hotel.
Maggy, who’s running Culling hood with the assistance of several people and Henry, have being for me the perfect host and did everything to make me feel “at home“ in which they succeeded tremendously. Thank you Maggy for that, it’s really very much appreciated.
The atmosphere of Cullinghood is real British, a beautiful country style horse riding school in a terrific rural area outside Pangboure, and still within a short range of the center of Reading. The services given by Maggy and all the others who assisting her has always be given with a smile and Henry turned out to be a master in barbequing during several events around the swimming pool. One of the things which made the stay there very attractive was the opportunity to meet people from several other countries who spend short weekly or weekend breaks over there which occasionally ended up in very interesting discussions how to change the world in a more better place to be during the consumptions of a few bottles of wine. Also the opportunity for walking, running and mountain biking is hugely present but the thing that impressed me the most is the experience I had feeling the history of the Battle of Britain a few times when in the period of June, July and August, several times the roaring sound of an Rolls-Royse Merlin engine from a Spitfire on late summer evenings made me looking up in the sky. I was also pleasantly surprised once on an evening to spot a Lancaster overhead Cullinghood, probably just coming back from an airshow in the area. Better occasions for a pilot to experience this, are hard to find.
Further on the spring feeling of the horses jumping in the pasture, the swallows flying around giving their youngsters their flying lessons, the sporadic times I spotted a hunting fox and the few times I run into a deer in the morning was giving me the real feeling living in a real natural environment and for all the above mentioned reasons, Cullinghood is the perfect place to be, to stay and to reload your battery.
Jim Heinen, Nairobi, Kenya.

Also went on experience and stayed at b&b.
Grubby b&b and breakfast not worth £5.
Day started 25 minutes late, got 35 minutes in the school learning the basics. After “lesson” was lead around fields then had lunch which was rubbery lasagne a couple of bits of salad and a tasteless chocolate cake.
After lunch was lead around the fields on the same route as before lunch - all that land and did not get to see much. Some of the staff were lovely but others were rude, uninterested and opinionated.
Slow walk on horses great for beginners but went with partner who could ride and they did a similar ride with a little trotting for variety.

It was booked via www.redletters.co.uk: "A day's horse riding for two".
The stables are near Reading at Pangbourne. The day starts at 11 am and finishes at 4.30 pm.
You start with 1 hour training in the arena where they teach you how to get the horse moving and then stop. You then learn how to trot.
After your lesson you go out on a walk in the countryside for an hour or so.
You come back and have lunch around a big table with all the other riders.
After lunch you have another hour horse riding in the countryside.
If you are a beginner there are leaders by the horse's side at all time. It's completely safe. Horses are experienced and are really calm. Groups are small so it's even more enjoyable (10 people).
They can provide boots and hats if you don't have any.
It's 3 hours riding in total. But it's enough because I guarantee you'll be aching!