Agility Barn renovation failure….
It is with great sadness that I have had to edit my previous 5* Google Review of the Agility Barn at Ryslip Kennels.
I have previously enjoyed training there but the newly renovated (May ’26) agility barn is, in my opinion, not currently suitable or safe for all dogs.
The new surface appears to be very fine sand mixed with strips of felt or fibre. After one lesson, my dog’s face, mouth area, training toy and fabric basket were all covered in fine sand. For a dog with an undershot jaw, picking treats up from the floor becomes a real issue. Retrieving toys is also difficult because the dog is likely to pick up sand at the same time. That is not a tiny niggle, it's a welfare concern.
The surface may improve once the fibre breaks down and binds the sand together (if that’s what it is supposed to do) but at the moment (May 26) it is very loose and slippery underfoot. I also felt unsafe stepping onto it because the entrance now requires you to step up and over a 6 to 8 inch white painted concrete beam. The gate arrangement also includes a white painted wooden bar at the bottom which appears to prevent wheelchair access entirely.
For small dogs, brachycephalic dogs, dogs with bulgy eyes, dogs with undershot jaws or handlers with mobility issues, I would be very cautious. I hope the venue reviews the surface and access because the idea of an indoor agility barn is great but this renovation currently feels like it has created new risks rather than solved old ones.