DARC - a place to enjoy =)

Hello guys and girls !!

Today, I am going to write about Denai Alam Recreational and Riding Club (DARC) (where I learn horse riding) as well as to promote this fun and healthy activity.

First, a little intro about this club. DARC is founded by Mr Terry Teo in 2010. Situated in Denai Alam, the club is surrounded with lots of nature where everyone can relax and have fun. It opens daily EXCEPT MONDAY. DARC is a very "family-centered" thing. Why do I say so? It allows a family to join the club with only RM 180 per year. (Note: the membership is per family, not per person.) By joining the club, you can enjoy a variety of activities and classes at a membership price with your family. 


The activities that you can join are horse riding, motorcross, archery, fencing, board games and others. There is a gym too, however all the machines is not functioning, which actually disappoints me. Besides that, there is a mini zoo right at the entrance. 

The entrance
A club is not a club without a restaurant. Therefore, DARC has a restaurant that serves local delicacies. It also offers steamboat at an affordable price. DARC also cater for events such as wedding, birthday parties, annual dinner and so on. Do not worry as the food here are halal. 

The restaurant is spacious, choose any seats you want!
There are also chalets in DARC for those who choose to stay overnight.


Back to horse riding. A little intro about horse riding. Horse riding is no doubt a sport. You need a considerable amount of stamina. It is not just riding on a horse and let the horse do the job. NO, it is definitely not. You are the one who control the horse. You tell him when to walk, when to stop, when to trot and so on. It is like running, but better than running, you sit and "run". Just like any other sports, you need to take an effort to practice to master it. If you don't take it seriously, you may end up with serious injury. However, you can reduce the risk by equipping yourselves with proper riding gears and riding with a proper attitude. Some of the equestrian competitive sports are dressage, show jumping, cross-country, horse racing, vaulting, polo. It is a really cool and fun sports!


Back to DARC. Being a "cheapskate", I did a few comparisons with other equestrian clubs and DARC offers horse riding lessons at the most affordable price in Selangor (only if you are a member).


The advantages of taking horse riding lessons in DARC:
- Relatively cheap compare to the other clubs.
- You decide when to take the lessons. All you have to do is to call to the club and make your bookings. However, you have to complete 6 sessions in 6 weeks. 
- You can combine the sessions. For example, you can take 1 session=30 minutes or 2 sessions=1 hour or ...
- There are a lot of horses. There are more than 50 horses and ponies, so you will have a chance to ride different kind of horses. 

Photo from Google
Photo from Vijandren Ramadass
- There are a lot of trainers as well. All trainers have different methods of teaching. Some put more emphasis of posture, some in jumping, and more. 
- To my surprise, there are a lot of foreigners taking lessons as well. So you can get to know people from different countries. 
- Most of the time, 1 to 1 lesson. If there are too many students in a session, then you will have a partner or in a group.
- They provide helmets to ensure your safety. If you are taking horse riding seriously, you may want to buy a helmet just for your own use.
- You can request a specific trainer or horse at a double rate of your riding lesson. If the lesson is RM 180, you need to pay RM 360 if you make a special request. 


The disadvantage of taking horse riding lessons in DARC:
- There are no shelter in the arena. So, you will probably have to wait if it is raining, or if it is too hot, you will suffer. (Choose your time wisely!)


Isn't this place beautiful?
- You cannot choose your trainer without paying extra. So, how do they know what have you learnt in your previous classes? They will see how you ride. If they see you are ok, they will teach you new things.
- You cannot choose the horse you want to ride without paying extra. This is to allow you to learn to ride different horses with different behaviours. 
- They do not have a specific module. This means you wouldn't know which level you are or what you are going to learn next. 


Now, do you feel like joining as well? Here's what you need for your first lesson.
- comfortable t-shirt 
- long trousers (stretchable ones at best)
- riding boots (if you do not have one, DARC allows sport shoes)
- riding helmet (if you have. DARC does provide helmets) 
- riding gloves (it is optional - to protect your hands from getting rough)
- sun block or hand socks (if you don't want to burn your beautiful skin)
- money (to pay for your lessons)
- lots of water

The sessions that are available:
Morning sessions
- 8.00 am
- 8.45 am
- 9.30 am
- 10.15 am
- 11.00 am

Afternoon sessions
- 3.30 pm
- 4.15 pm
- 5.00 pm
- 5.45 pm
- 6.30 pm

Night sessions
- 8.00 pm
- 8.45 pm
- 9.15 pm


Not to forget DARC's address:
Denai Alam Recreation and Riding Club (DARC)
No 1, Jalan Elektron U16/100
Seksyen 16, Denai Alam
40160 Shah Alam
Selangor Darul Ehsan
That's about it. For more information, please visit DARC's website or call them 010-240 2606 or message me.

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