Quick Update on STCRC

We were able to do a basic jumping lesson in the advanced class! We don't know if this means it will be a regular feature yet, and the equipment was quite rough - but still it was a lot of fun!

Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre (STCRC)

After months of anxious anticipation, numerous phone calls and admin hiccups, we finally got a chance to ride at STCRC last Sunday. I must admit, the facilities are indeed world-class. The sheer size of the indoor arena was utterly luxurious, if not a little overwhelming.

In any case, I’m glad I don’t have to worry about glove tan-lines or wet weather riding anymore. And talk about being spoiled- even the sand on the ground was made out of some synthetic material which was virtually dirt-free but hell to get out of our clothes and boots (it came out in weird clumps). What more- the syces walked our horses right down to the arena, helped us mount, and then took the horses back to the stables for us after we finished our ride. Personally, I'd prefer helping to tack up / bringing my horse back to the stables... but unfortunately the riding school's policies don't allow for that...

The horses were all a little fresh and excitable. Mine was ultra sensitive and kept bolting at a certain corner of the arena and wanting to break into a canter, probably a reflection of my inexperience in riding highly-trained, non-school-master type horses rather than a problem with the horse’s schooling. The other advanced riders seemed to have pretty good rides, and the instructor seemed competent as well. It was just a little unnerving watching two riders (both kids) fall within the span of two lessons- one of whom was a novice rider who had a syce holding onto her pony when it bolted.

That being said, the horses and ponies are very new and will need time to settle down before they get used to the new place. Hopefully things will improve when all the teething problems get worked out (including the extremely vexing lesson booking policies).

Unfortunately, riders are not allowed to visit the horses at the stables unless they book stable management classes. That means no post-ride carrot-feeding, showering the horses or hanging around the barn after lessons- a huge pity imo!

Information:

Check out their website for more information

Type of riding: Mainly dressage. Jumping for Advanced riders only.

Riding fees: $60 per 45 min for public riders ($15-35 for students, see website for more details).

Location: 10 Woodlands Avenue 3. Map

STCRC is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Kranji MRT. If you’d like to take the bus instead of walking the whole way, cross the road (from Kranji MRT), take almost any bus and alight after 1 bus-stop and walk.