Advice for a new rider, how do I start this sport???

An awful way to start this sport is by insulting certain disciplines... that's a big mistake. You don't want to offend people on day one.

But, horseback riding is a LOT harder than it looks. Takes practice, practice, practice. Start with lessons, and go from there.

And, personally... I like the look of a man in breeches ;)

Alasdair, Welcome! You gotta be a little horse crazy, so this is a good forum for you.
Regarding horse riding clothing, jeans are fine, BUT you need a pair that fits your waist, but enables you to bend and stretch and won't be tight around the crotch and upper legs when you ride. Otherwise the ride won't be fun for you. We that have ridden for decades have gotten our personal preferences, especially in the pants we use to ride. Also, don't ride in sneakers, unless there are designed for riding with a heel.
Ariat Terrain H20 Zip Boot - Statelinetack.com
The heel keeps your foot from "going home" in the stirrup and can help prevent your foot getting caught in the stirrup, should you lose balance and take a fall. We all prefer some kind of boot to ride in.
I suggest Western Pleasure as a starter discipline. The saddle is often easier to balance in, and most teachers will get you to use the horn for balance, initially, so you don't balance your weight on the horse's mouth. Most beginner adults that I taught preferred WP for that reason.
One of the reasons that my DH and I got together is bc he loves horses, so your interest in horses might make you a "chick magnet." =b

I found this link, and maybe it will help you narrow down a search for a stable.

About Us! | Western Equestrian Society

There is a link to Instructors. I hope there is one close to you.
Good Luck!

I have some boots that I use in the workshop and on the railway while operating machines. They have steel soles, steel heels and steel toecaps. Would these be any good for a first ride? I only have a pair of boots and a pair of trainers.

Thanks, I sent them an email.

They would work as a starter. If you get really involved you'll find boots for riding that you prefer later on. I know you don't want to commit to the clothes bc, like other sports, even if you are just taking lessons it can get expensive.
Now, for ME, my fav's are full seat breeches and hunt boots with laces, a good fitting pair of kid gloves OR good riding jeans, paddock boots and leather chaps.

Sounds like you have good suggestions. Best of luck to you! I hope you have fun. :)

And I agree... great way to meet girls!

On what you said about dressage: It is not dancing. The maneuvers you see are actually derived from the cavalry. Horses needed to be in top condition, and because dressage requires strong muscles and impeccable balance, a military horse without such training would not make as good a mount (usually) as one who has it. And if you plan on doing Western riding, you will be (depending on your instructor) incorporating techniques and exercises used in dressage in your lessons. I understand what you mean by what you said, though. For a long time, I thought it was stupid and made no sense at all. But as I switched instructors, I learned that dressage contains basics that can be used to improve any rider and horse, no matter the discipline. My horse and I are jumpers, but my instructor has us doing everything from dressage to reining and barrel exercises because each one we use will improve my horse and my riding ability drastically in our chosen event. I won't even go into how stupid we looked trying to spin like reiners....We're improving, though. :)

Anyways, I am glad that you are looking into taking up riding! It is nice to see guys that are interested in it. It's really not girly at all. You get bitten, kicked at, stomped on, and spit on. You fall off and risk everything from a broken finger to a broken neck. You shovel poop. You walk around for hours with a halter trying to catch a horse, and by the time you have him, it's dark but you still have work to do. It's dusty. You have to be there no matter the weather. You have to sacrifice lots of time. It doesn't sound girly at all to me.

I would tell you of any stables in the areas you wrote down, but I live in the States, so I cannot.

I hope you find an excellent trainer and that you really enjoy yourself with riding! It is a completely different language when you start out, but if you are patient and curious, it will become second nature. Also, do NOT give up on it! It is so worth all of the hard work that goes into it!

Have fun!

P.S. Nobody quote me on what I said about dressage....I may not be 100% correct. ><

I have relatives in Essex, they suggest you try -
Mary Larcom who has a yard in Colchester and teaches Western riding
07932 187778
You will need some good boots - Ariat are great, jeans will do fine, a warm jacket that isnt all loose and flapping everywhere.
Under UK law for riding school lesson programmes you will probably have to wear a hat but most places will provide one for a newbie until you see how you like it
You should give English a try as well - my 6ft son is as macho and muscular as they come and he has no worries about wearing jodhs.

Colchester is over an hour and a half drive away so I won't be able to go there too often. My gran lives near there so I'll phone them before I'm next nearby.

I've found a local riding school that's about 20 mins away, but it has bad reviews- people say that the instructors there aren't very friendly and don't know much. I guess that's why it's £20 cheaper than further away places.