Horse Shoe Club
Every weekend, and through every school holiday, we provide regular Horse Shoe Club sessions. There is so much more to riding than just sitting on a pony, and the children love the opportunity to really get to know the ponies, how to feed and care for them, and what’s required to look after them. Each session lasts two and a half hours, from 9.30am to 12noon or from 2pm to 4.30pm. We try to keep the Horseshoe Club costs as affordable as possible but this depends on having regular riders. Currently it costs £25 for one session, or £80 for four over a six week period for our regular riders.
We organise special children’s activities like the following:
GYMKHANAS – Summer, Halloween, Christmas, Easter
Two and a half hours of races, games and challenges galore! So much fun and rosettes for all – family spectators are all welcome, the more the merrier. There is a limit on the number of contestants so book early to avoid disappointment.
CHILDREN’S PICNIC RIDES
Children arrive at 9.45am to groom and tack up their pony, and will hand in their ‘picnic’ to Vanessa, who will drive both childrens’ and ponies’ “picnics” to the designated lunch spot at 12.15pm. Children will ride from 11am to 12.15pm, tether, feed and water their ponies with assistance, and then feed themselves! Riding again from 1pm to 2.15pm. On the return to the yard, children will water, untack, rub down and turn out their ponies. Parents should be here to collect them at 2.30pm, but it could be a few minutes more!! These picnics are an idea resurrected from many years ago and something “different” that we thought the children would enjoy. The price is based on a two hour Ride Out for children, which obviously has no bearing on the actual hours, staff and vehicle time involved. We hope that it will be a great success and that we can offer more in the future for grown ups too!!
OWN YOUR OWN PONY DAYS
10.30am to 4pm Please arrive no later than 10.15am to check in as late arrivals have a ‘domino effect’ on the whole group. These activity days comprise a lesson, stable management, sharing lunch in the farmhouse with the puppies, and a DVD which is pony oriented, quizzes, competitions and games. (But not Black Beauty, as some of us cried, well I did!) Bring your own packed lunch.
ANNUAL SHOW – every summer
Children should arrive at 9.30am to prepare ponies for the show. Any parents with a bit of ‘horse sense’ would be much appreciated in helping and supporting at this time. Please give your name to a member of staff (in advance). Children may arrive in jeans, tracksuits, etc, for preparing their pony, then change into their riding gear. They must be clean and smart, a requirement for any horse show, but NO ONE is to go out and spend money on new gear!! There is a separate form to fill in the various classes which will be charged at a nominal fee per class. Please discuss with the rider which classes he/she would like to enter. We hope that they will want to try all!! (at whatever level suits them).
