If you’ve never tried riding side saddle, but you’ve always wanted to, Area 19 boasts several experienced, welcoming, and well respected side saddle instructors. In order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both horse and rider, we would recommend seeking professional guidance before putting a side saddle on a novice horse. Below are the list of accredited instructors in our area with their contact details.
We are also lucky to have two riding schools in our area where you can ride side saddle. Please see our riding schools page for more information.
To try riding side saddle with your own horse please visit our events page for more information about Have a Go Days in our area.
Anne Everall SSA A, BHS Level 4, RDA A1 (Regd), ABRS Examiner
Location: Acrecliffe Equestrian Centre, Bradford Road Ellar Ghyll, Otley LS21 3DN
Website: www.acrecliffe.co.uk
Phone Number: 01943 873912
Anne has ridden and qualified horses for HOYS and competed at most county shows over the years as well as importing and producing many horses for sale in a range of disciplines.
She has enjoyed coaching many riders over the years and supported them to achieve their side saddle goals from beginners to those who wish to enjoy the experience of county shows and the nationals. She works with side saddle riders in all disciplines and enjoy seeing their successes. Anne runs side saddle clinics and holidays for all levels of riders.
Acrecliffe Equestrian Centre has been established for over sixty years and Anne loves seeing so many successful riders achieving their own ambitions.
Fiona Everall SSA B, BHS Level 4 Senior Coach (Regd), Cert.Ed. Senior Coach RDA AI, AI Assessor, PGCE.
Location: Acrecliffe Equestrian Centre, Bradford Road Ellar Ghyll, Otley LS21 3DN
Website: www.acrecliffe.co.uk
Phone Number: 01943 873912
Email: [email protected]
Fiona’s initial background was in showing an pony club before moving to BS jumping (BSJA) in juniors and seniors at national level. After achieving BHS qualifications, she moved into lecturing FE and HE students all over the country for 18 years. Fiona began competing side saddle in the 1990s. Top achievements included winning the Intermediate Champion at Three Counties and the Large Working Hunter Championships and Langston Working Hunter, two years in a row. During this period, she competed at county level with show and working cobs as well as hunters. In addition, she has been lucky enough to be a ride judge several times in the Ladies Hunter classes. Top achievements would be producing and riding the top winning Lightweight Hunter in the North and also numerous horses qualified for HOYS and the Royal International.
Her has taught several prestigious side saddle judges and assessors as well as coaching many competition riders who have achieved success at HOYS, Royal International and the Side Saddle Nationals. She has enjoyed teaching lovely ladies just trying side saddle as a one off experience, running clinics for all abilities, running side saddle display teams as well as coaching riders with disabilities.
Anne Everall and Fiona run a busy BHS Assessment Centre and can offer sessions on our schooled horses or help in the training an preparation of a client’s own horse. She is happy to travel to client’s.
Gill Greenwood, SSA A, BHS (Regd).
Location: East Yorkshire.
Telephone: 01262 470959
Mobile: 07851 563242
Email: [email protected]
Gill was first taught to ride side saddle before this by Ms Henrietta Fiennes (cousin of Sir Ranulph Fiennes). This was followed by lessons from Janet McDonald and Val Francis who founded the SSA in 1974. She has been an SSA member since its inception and has had many successes at regional and national level, highlights being National UK Supreme Side Saddle Performance Champion in 1997, 1998 and 2017; National Performance Champion over the last 25 years in the following Performance Categories: Adult, Cross Country, Show Jumping, Dressage, Hunting, Versatility, Veteran Rider and Veteran Horse; and holding the SSA Hunt Button.
Gill has been a regular SSA Area 19 member of the display team since 2014 , including the Aintree International Side Saddle Show 2015, The Great Yorkshire Show and Countryfile Live at Castle Howard 2019.
Lorraine Hanna, SSA A, BHS APC (Regd).
Location: East Yorkshire, York.
Telephone: 01757 248201
Mobile: 07923 572177
Email: [email protected]
Having being involved with horses for 60 years, Lorraine is passionate about them, especially ex-racehorses. She has ridden several of them over the years, in particular, my own special boy “Pip” (racing name Harp Player). She believes side saddle riding can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone, and any horse or pony regardless of size/type/breeding can, (providing they have the right mindset!) successfully take to this form of equitation. Her approach to teaching, be it astride or side saddle, is to try and provide riders with a “toolbox” of ideas or potential solutions they can take away with them from lessons so they can work through any issues when riding on their own. She enjoys working with young and/or nervous riders – the sense of achievement they feel when they have mastered a new skill, or sorted out a problem or conquered a particular fear, however small, inspires her.
Gemma Hughes, SSA B, BHSAI Stage 3 Complete Coach.
Location: Back Lane Stables, Back Lane, Leeds LS12 5HH
Website: www.backlanestables.co.uk
Telephone: 0113 255 6615
Mobile: 07779 320378
Email: [email protected]
Gemma teaches a range of ages and abilities, and her different clients have been successful in winning the Side Saddle Association Riding School Pair twice in a year, a title which was only disrupted by Covid. She is available to travel for lessons and clinics, for all ages and abilities, teaching side saddle and BHS stages.
Gemma regularly attends and partakes in the Side Saddle Association National Show, as well competing at agricultural shows across the country. She is also known for her high standard of turnout, for horse and rider!
Jo Jefferson, SSA A, BHSAI.
Location: Harrogate area
Telephone: 01423 780667
Mobile: 07801 353435
Email: [email protected]
Jo has been a SSA member since inception in 1974. She was Side Saddle Rider of the Year 1981 and even a former Area 19 Chairman. An experienced horsewoman, she has hunted, hunter trialled and team chased side saddle. Catch her riding side saddle in various films including Brideshead Revisited, A Handful of Dust, Flambards, Raffles, An Englishwoman and her Horse (mainly in the hunting scenes). Jo has taken part in quadrilles and displays including at the Great Yorkshire Show and Chatsworth Game Fair.
Ridden many horses side saddle in the show ring. Including winning the Ladies Hunter at many County Shows including The Royal Show, The Great Yorkshire and East of England. Jo is on the following judging panels. SSA. BSHA. SHB(GB). BSPS. BSPA. CHAPS and has judged internationally astride and side saddle classes in NZ, Australia and S. Africa.
She is very happy to teach all levels, adults and juniors and am willing to travel throughout Yorkshire, Lancashire and Humberside. She says, ‘I think we should never lose sight of the fact that we do this for fun and pleasure and because we love the marvellous art of riding sideways!’
Lisa Lane, SSA A, BHS Stage Four Senior Coach Complete Horsemanship (Regd), Stage 5 BHS Coach Stable, Manager UKCC Level 3.
Location: West Yorkshire
Telephone: 01484 603882
Mobile: 07702 059049
Email: [email protected]
Lisa has been coaching riders and working with horses for the last 37 years, 25 of those have been involved with side saddle. She enjoys working with all levels of horse and rider from nervous novices, children, gracious ladies and gentlemen through to national-level competitors. Being a BHS Senior Coach in complete horsemanship enables me to coach across all disciplines. Going cross country training, doing grid work, rider positional work, dressage training and examination preparation are all things she enjoys coaching astride or side saddle.
Lisa is passionate about side saddle, having competed successfully herself for many years and been involved in some amazing demonstrations and displays. She has trained numerous National Champions both junior and senior as well as helping her clients to success at HOYS over the years. She prepares riders for their SSA grades tests and instructors exams as well as training towards BHS coaching and management certifications. As a freelance instructor, Lisa is available to travel for lessons and clinics. She has saddles and will travel to most places in the UK.
Janet Senior, SSA A, BHSAI (Regd), UKCC Level 2.
Location: Manor Grange Stud Show Centre, Cobcroft Lane, Cridling Stubbs, Knottingley, Wakefield, Yorkshire WF11 0AZ.
Website: https://manorgrangestudsc.com/
Telephone: 01977 676411
Mobile: 07522 030910
Email: [email protected]
Skelton Fellowship Award; Chief Examiners Panel; Advanced Instructor and Judge.
International Side Saddle Instructor, Trainer, Coach and Judge.
Janet specialises in the training of horse and rider, astride and side saddle. She is a patient instructor who understands the needs of both the horse and rider. Available for all levels of tuition, from the complete novice to the serious competition rider, she is also available for courses and clinics in the UK and abroad. Janet also trains riders towards their BHS Exams, SSA Grade Tests and Instructors Examinations at A, B, and C level.
Anne Tate, SSA B, BHS (Regd).
Location: Back Lane Stables, Back Lane, Leeds LS12 5HH
Website: www.backlanestables.co.uk
Telephone: 0113 255 6615
Email: [email protected]
Anne runs Back Lane Stables Riding School in Leeds, West Yorkshire, which provides licenced school horses for a range of side saddle lessons. She has competed at the Side Saddle Association National shows and has always been placed at County and Agricultural shows in Side Saddle classes. Anne teaches various ages and abilities and hosts many successful side saddle clinics and popular ‘Have a Go’ days on reliable school masters at her yard.
