On his 16th birthday, a Croxley resident was gifted his own riding school and the opportunity to create something special for the village.
Now, sixty years on, Chris Trigg has successfully built a community of riders and a school like no other.
Coltspring Riding School was founded in 1965 by his father Eric and sister Susan, who were greatly supported by wife and mum Linda Trigg. The family wanted to create a riding school that anyone – from beginners to advanced riders – could enjoy.
Once he had turned 16, the school and its legacy were handed over to Chris, who wanted to use the opportunity to “create a good atmosphere to teach people to ride.”
Now, the school is celebrating its 60th anniversary and CROXLEYnews caught up with Chris – who has been running it for 50 years – to talk about the journey until now.
He said: “I have learnt a lot about people, business and horses. You learn a lot about life, but it is a bizarre feeling as I do not feel like I have been doing it for 60 years.
“We are a big family and now I am teaching third generations of families. We are always having a laugh and having a bit of fun.
“Life gets a bit too serious so it’s a chance to step out of the real world.”
For Chris, horse riding is more than a business and he still takes his own horses to competitions each year like he did as a teenager.
Chris is still a familiar face to families and does most of the teaching and training himself.
He shared: “I do most of the teaching and it means I can keep an eye on and understand the needs of each client and each horse.”
To celebrate the occasion, Coltspring Riding School are holding an open day on Saturday, June 28 from 11am to 3pm, where residents can meet the horses and explore local stalls.
More information about the school can be found at https://shorturl.at/OFu0c
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