Child's play as Gill passes on a love of riding

GILL Sims’ love of animals is evident to all visitors to her riding school on a five-acre property near Melsonby.

The two resident goats, the pot-bellied pig, Hank, as well as assorted dogs and cats roam freely, while horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes graze the paddocks. However, it is Gill’s love of children and her delight in watching them develop their riding skills that is her enduring passion.

The curious name of the business, Miniature World Riding Academy, is a legacy of times gone by. Until 2000, Gill ran Miniature World Farm Visitor Centre, which was the home of miniature versions of animals of all types, including sheep, goats and pigs, as well as more exotic species. It was primarily established to fufill the demand for school children in urban areas to learn more about the countryside and Gill, a former children’s nurse, would borrow pet lambs from farmers in springtime for her young visitors to bottlefeed.

It soon became evident that there was a shortage of riding schools in the area and as Gill already kept four horses and ponies for herself and her family, she started giving riding lessons, mainly to young children. Simply through word of mouth, the riding school became popular and it now offers a choice of 16 horses and ponies, ranging from 11.2hh (hands high) to 17hh.

“Due to the high insurance premiums, most riding schools will not take very young children, but I am happy to start them as young as two years old – at that age they have no fear and many will have a natural seat,” said Ms Sims. “I like to think that I run a traditional riding school, which offers the opportunity of riding to children who may never have the chance to own a pony. But there are also some adult riders, who are mostly mothers who bring their children and then decide they would like to join in. But I also have a more mature clientele, many of whom book a course of lessons because they have always wanted to ride and say that it has been on their bucket list for a long time.

“I always meant to take some riding instruction qualifications, but as the school grew busier, there never seemed to be enough time and I am content now to be a ‘happy hacker.’ Over the years, I have developed my own teaching style and I believe that my empathy with children helps me to communicate with them. It is often easier when the parents are not present as children tend to listen more closely to instructions when mum and dad are out of the picture.”

Outside trainers are brought in for the more competitive pupils and local event rider Tanya Buckingham holds regular clinics at the academy. Weekends and evenings during term-time are taken up with riding lessons that are held throughout the year, making use of the indoor manege in the winter. However, the atmosphere is very different during the school holidays, when there is a full schedule of activities, including in-house show jumping competitions and the chance to tackle the cross-country jumps. The children can also attend overnight camps, where they have the same horse for the duration.

“The children become very fond of their charges and when one girl had a hoodie featuring her name and the name of ‘her’ pony, others followed suit and now they all wear them,” said Gill.

“I organise all sorts of games and a gymkhana and I also have some Western saddles, which are used for barrel racing. Learning to ride is a discipline, but it should also be about having fun and it is important to me that the children do not get bored.”

One of Gill’s favourite days of the week is Thursday, when she hosts the Riding for the Disabled group. Each disabled rider requires a volunteer to lead his or her mount, plus one or two more, to provide support from the ground. “We are desperately short of volunteers,” said Gill. “It is very rewarding work, because the riders get so much out of it. Once they get on their horse, they are equal to everyone else and for those who have been confined to a wheelchair; it also offers a degree of freedom of movement. My godson has special needs and I witnessed how much he looked forward to his riding sessions.”

Gill’s own horse riding ambitions may be modest, but the same cannot be said of her son, Paul, a talented three-day event competitor who is now based in Cheshire. Paul initially focused on show jumping and moved up as far as Grand Prix level, also representing England before switching to three-day eventing. He recently achieved seven consecutive four stars; four at Badminton and three at Burghley, in partnership with Glengarnock.

If you would like to become a volunteer for the Riding for the Disabled group call Gill Sims on 07870 204396.