“Clifton's Riding School is based on 30 hectares of land on our beautiful campus in Nottingham Road. The Riding School has a grass show jumping arena, a sand dressage arena (70 x 30m) and a cross-country course which includes a water complex. In addition, the children are able to go on scenic outrides in the pine plantations to the west of the school and on the adjacent farmlands.
Mrs Daneen Schallen is our SANEF qualified riding instructor. The Riding School caters for all levels of riders, from beginner to advanced, whether they ride for competitive purposes or purely for enjoyment. Children, from Grade 1 to Grade 7 may choose to ride; those children younger than Grade 1 who have their own ponies may also be included in lessons.
Children who register to ride enjoy one or two 45-minute group lessons (no more than five in a group) per week. A 30-minute group lesson is offered to younger children. The lessons are based on a wide variety of disciplines but a focus is given to show jumping, showing, dressage, equitation and eventing. Gymkhana, polo-cross and other fun horse riding activities are also included. Children go on one outride monthly, with an option of joining the weekly outride on Friday afternoons. There is also riding offered over weekends, especially for the boarders.
The school currently owns seven ponies and a further 17 private ponies (owned by individual children) are stabled at school. Both inside and outside livery are offered at very competitive rates. A groom resides in accommodation adjacent to the stables for night supervision. Children who have their own ponies at School are encouraged to ride their own ponies whenever they are free as long as they are supervised.
The children who ride competitively travel to shows most weekends across the province, and occasionally nationally. The children compete in all disciplines. Clifton is registered with SANEF Schools and the School Team rides in all the SANEF Shows. Clifton children form the nucleus of the KZN Schools teams annually. Our children ride at all levels in each discipline and the School has had KZN representatives in Eventing, Showing and Dressage consistently over the years.
The Riding School hosts a variety of shows during the year. The annual Hunter Trials, a one day event of cross-country and show jumping, attracts an average of 90 entries from across the province and Gauteng. Training show jumping, jump-cross, equitation, and dressage shows are also held. The Annual Closed Show for Clifton children is the final formal event on the Riding School calendar every year. A fun Christmas Gymkhana and social braai concludes the activities at the Riding School every year.
The Riding School certainly contributes to Clifton being "The Ideal place to grow Children!"
