Just off Shosse Entuziastov, a few metro stops from the circle line in downtown Moscow, a black stallion is braying and bucking, refusing to comply with its trainers. Two trainers team up on the animal, playing a good cop-bad cop routine in an effort to tether the unbridled animal.

Alexei, a short, bowlegged man - thanks to years of horseback riding - shouts and cracks his whip to herd the horse into a corner, while his female assistant tries to sooth the animal with her voice, offering up a handful of sugar cubes. Eventually, the shorthaired black beast is exhausted and the pair begins leading him through his jumping lessons again.

After watching the nearly 200-kg animal buck and bray for 10 minutes, I no longer wanted to try horseback riding. The thought of trying to steer a beast that could toss all 95 kg of me like an insect and leave me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life did not sound like fun. I had never bothered to learn how to ride as a child, even though it was a relatively common skill in the cow town where I was born. After mounting my horse Romance - a quiet one, they assured me - I realized that I should have begun learning to ride when I was young, since my oversized frame doesn't fit on most horses.

"You have to use your legs," said Alexei. "You need to keep them pressed up close against the sides of the horse, or you won't be able to control him," he added. Normally, riders steer a horse by pressing to the right or left and pulling gently on the reins, but my legs were too long to grip the horse properly and I had to keep them uncomfortably bent to maintain control. Riders should tell the center ahead of time how tall they are when booking a horse, one of the many tips I would receive after my first lesson at the Izmailovo Horse Riding Club.

Moscow is a great city to be in if you like riding horses. Horseback riding centers can be found in most of the city's major parks and in the surrounding suburbs. They usually offer lessons on basic and advanced riding skills, plus rides through the park with an instructor. They also have stables and veterinary services for anyone interested in purchasing and keeping a horse. Most centers include an indoor riding arena, so you can go on practicing in the winter.

Where to ride:

Bitsa Riding Complex
Probably the best place to ride within the city limits. The concrete facility is crumbling apart from years of neglect, but money is finally coming in and they have begun repairs to the hippodrome and stables. The fields are still in good shape. Bitsa has good instructors, a large territory for riding and an enormous park next door for excursions under professional supervision. The prices are reasonable too, but make sure to call ahead for a reservation, since they are usually booked over the summer weekends. They also host riding events throughout the summer. Usually, a lesson costs 300 rubles an hour, but fees range from 600 rubles to 900 rubles for specialized lessons (galloping, jumping, etc.). Children can join the pony club and take lessons for 220-350 rubles per hour. Adults are eligible to buy a monthly membership (four lessons) for 800 rubles. They also have a shooting range, a swimming pool and gym near the stables, plus a cafe. If you own a horse, they offer stables and veterinary services. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. Parking available.

CSKA Riding Center
This riding center is considered to be a top-notch facility. The instructors are good and friendly, but booking lessons can be a little confusing, since you usually need to call one or two different phone numbers to hunt down an instructor. The metro-bound will be sad to learn that it is a long journey from Rechnoi Vokzal. A single lesson costs 300 to 500 rubles, depending on what you want to learn. Adults can buy a monthly membership including two lessons a week for 1,750 rubles or 1,300 rubles for children. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Izmailovo Horse Riding Club
A small but well-cared-for center, just five minutes from the metro. They have indoor and outdoor areas for riding, so you can still practice in the winter. You can also take excursions around Izmailovsky Park with an instructor. The instructors are professional, but they can be careless with new riders, so keep your wits about you. Individual lessons cost 350 rubles per hour on weekdays, 450 rubles on weekends. Specialized lessons cost 600 rubles an hour. You can also book group lessons (8-12 people) for 1,100 to 1,375 rubles for one lesson per week. Or you can enroll in a course of lessons for eight to 10 people for 800 rubles per person for eight lessons. You can also book special jumping lessons for 750 rubles an hour. Open 9 a.m. to
9 p.m. Parking costs 10 rubles an hour.

Konno-Sportivny Klub Tsaritsyno
This is the place to go if you're looking for a casual ride. Don't come here to train for show jumping competitions or to learn to race around a hippodrome, this is just for those who would like to take a relaxed trip through the park (150 rubles) or let the kids go for a pony ride (20 rubles.) If you don't know how to ride, you can train on the enclosed riding area for 130 rubles. A membership will cost you 250 rubles for four to five rides. Open Tues.-Fri 10 a.m. to noon, and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sat.-Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Locations

Bitsa Riding Complex
33 Balalklavsky Pr.
Metro: Chertanovo
Tel: 318-2277/5744

Izmailovo Horse Riding Complex
31V Shosse Entuziastov
Metro: Shosse Entuziastov
Tel: 176-7959/0983

CSKA Riding Center
5 Ul. Dybenko
Metro: Rechnoi Vokzal
Tel: 451-6150

Konno-Sportivny Klub Tsaritsyno
10 Ulitsa Dolskaya
Metro: Orekhevo
Tel: 343-1511

Luzhniki Stadium
24 Luzhnetskaya Nab.
Metro: Sportivnaya
Tel: 201-1164

Torpedo Stadium
4 Vostochnaya Ul.
Metro: Avtozavodskaya
Tel: 275-1686

Dynamo Stadium
36 Leningradsky Prospekt
Metro: Dynamo
Tel: 213-7781

Klyazma Water Reservoir; Pirogovo Water Reservoir
Vodniki, bus No 33 from Savyolovsky Station
Metro: Savyolovskaya
Tel: 576-6027

Krylatskoye Rowing Canal
2 Krylatskaya Ul.
Metro: Molodyozhnaya
Tel: 140-9964

Planernoye Olympic Complex and Equestrian Sports Center
Khimki-8
Metro: Rechnoi Vokzal,
bus No. 370 to Sportbaza station
Tel: 571-4537

Lokomotiv Stadium
125 Bolshaya Cherkizovskaya Ul.
Metro: Cherkizovskaya
Tel: 161-4283

Serebryany Bor
Metro: Polezhayevskaya, trolleybus No. 20, 21, 65