In my quest to get fit and wanting to try something new, I thought I'd try some horseriding.

What could be better than getting out into the mountains with the glorious weather we've just had?

The last time I was one a horse was at Pinewood Stables in about 1991, most children in the Conwy area will bound have been on a horse at Pinewood sometime when they were growing up.

Off we'd go up the mountain in a long line, and the better riders would be taken off for a bit of a trot or canter. I loved it, and it was great for the thighs as they ached for days afterwards.

So I Googled riding stables in the Conwy area and was surprised to see that hardly anything came up.

I knew Pinewood had closed long ago but surely there must be others in the area, especially with amount of glorious scenery we have. How wrong I was.

One place I called said they'd been closed two years, another said they run riding holidays but can't have local people coming in because the insurance would be too great.

The owner said because of insurance problems, if people want to ride they now have to really buy their own horse and go to pony club meetings!

I did find one riding stable who did take beginners but the waiting list is so long, I didn't have a chance.

It's an incredible shame that in this health and safety obsessed country of ours, and our increasing suing culture, things like riding stables are disappearing fast.

Where is this all going to end?

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