Lodge Farm Riding School

We welcome both existing and new clients — children and adults of all experience levels. We teach beginners from the ground up, build confidence in nervous riders, and provide challenges for the more experienced. Our range of ponies and horses, from 11.2 to 16.2 hh, ensures you’ll be paired with a mount suited to your needs.

All new riders attending the riding school must complete a Rider Registration Form (R.R.F.), which provides your contact details and any previous riding experience. We recommend booking an assessment lesson before joining any group, to ensure your riding level aligns with the group’s requirements. Your first lesson must be paid for in advance; thereafter, you can pay as you attend.

We offer riding sessions Monday to Saturday each week. Please note that this schedule may vary during major holiday periods, such as Easter, Christmas, and New Year.

Lessons run from 11:00 a.m. into the early evening.

Riding School – Introduction Video

At Lodge Farm, we want you, or your young rider, to enjoy the whole experience. Starting something new can feel daunting when you don’t know what to expect, so we’ve created a short introduction video for you to watch before your first lesson. It covers where to go, what to wear, the safety equipment provided, and offers a glimpse of our fantastic facilities.

Tuition

All new clients will need to attend for an assessment lesson and will be required to fill in a Rider Registration Form (R.R.F.). 

Our current RIDER WEIGHT LIMIT is 13 stone (82.5 kilos) this is subject to change.

We aim to provide you with a horse or pony suited to your needs. Pupils are grouped according to ability and are given encouragement to progress.

Your choice to ride is voluntary. We take care to provide you with a suitable horse or pony and will do our utmost to keep you safe. However, horses and ponies may sometimes be unpredictable.   

All riders ride at their own risk. Personal insurance is recommended. 

All our instructors’ hold recognised qualifications within the British Horse Society (B.H.S.). However, there may also be some trainee instructors taking supervised lessons.

Pony Club riding and stable management sessions are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Saturdays. All these last for two hours. Children must be a Pony Club Centre Member in order to be able to attend. See our Pony Club section for further details.

We can offer either regular or “one-off” lessons or training in horse care and stable management to outside groups, colleges, universities or school. We offer hacking for experienced riders only. Please contact the riding school manager, Debbie on 07496 565521, for further details or to arrange.

We are sorry but we do not allow any unaccompanied horse hire

Supervision & Safety

All our staff and trainees are given training in safety procedures including what to do in the event of an accident or fire and hold safeguarding qualifications. There are qualified first aiders on the premises at all times. They receive regular on-going ‘in-house’ and external training in both these areas.

Children will be supervised by qualified staff whilst they are participating in lessons. 

Children will not be supervised outside their allocated lesson time – this is the responsibility of the accompanying parent, guardian or carer.

Clients arriving for lessons should wait in the gallery until met by your instructor or a member of staff.

Clients should not enter the arena or stable area unless accompanied by an instructor.  Paddocks are strictly out of bounds at all times.

An incident book is kept at the Equestrian Centre for the recording of minor accidents by staff, trainees and clients.

Clothing

Correctly fitting hats with attached 3 point fastening, to a current British Standards Institute (B.S.I.) MUST be worn (securely fastened) at all times when riding or handling horses or ponies. Hats can be borrowed from the Riding School. The current standard being: PAS 015 and ASTM. If you are in any doubt please ask a member of staff to check your hat for you.

Comfortable trousers or jodhpurs are recommended, preferable to jeans.

Boots or shoes with smooth soles and small heels – NO wellingtons or trainers.

Gloves MUST be worn.

Warm, waterproof clothing must be worn in cold, wet weather.

A body protector which meets the current BETA (British Equestrian Trade. Body Protector Standard is strongly recommended, and is mandatory for cross country/arena event lessons.

All long hair must be tied back in a low pony tail, plait or hairnet.

High-visibility /reflective safety wear must be worn when riding or leading on the road and when hacking out.

Jewellery should not be worn: hooped or drop earrings, bracelets, large rings, necklaces and all body piercings can be a hazard and for your safety should be removed while riding or handling horses.

We have the right, on the grounds of health & safety, to refuse a rider if suitable clothing is not worn when riding.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be made with 24 hours prior notice.

Failure to do so or not turning up for your lesson will incur a £10 cancellation fee. Lessons may be rebooked. In the event of us having to cancel a lesson for any reason, any monies paid will be

refunded in full. There are no exceptions to this policy.