Welcome to the riding school here at Lodge Farm Equestrian Centre

We welcome both existing and new clients – children and adults of all standards. We will teach the beginner from the start, give confidence to the nervous and challenge the more experienced. We have a range of ponies and horses from 11.2 to 16.2 hh  so you can be teamed up with a mount that is suitable for your needs.

All new riders attending the riding school will be required to fill in a Rider Registration Form (R.R.F.) which provides us with your contact details and your previous riding experience, if any.  Riders are advised to book an assessment lesson before joining any groups to ensure that you are of the standard required for that group. Your first lesson will need to be paid for in advance, after this you can pay for your lessons as you attend.

We offer riding Monday to Saturday (inclusive) each week. This may change around the main holidays periods, i.e. Easter, Christmas and New Year.

Lessons are available from 10.30 a.m. until the early evening. For more details see our diary for times and days of the regular class lessons.

Prices

Prices from 1st April 2024

Session Type Duration Price
15 minutes walkabouts 15 minutes £15.00
Private session 30 minutes £33.00
Semi Private (2 Riders) 30 minutes £28.00
Group session (maximum of 6 riders) 30 minutes £23.00
Group session (maximum of 8 riders) 45 minutes £28.00
Group session (maximum of 8 riders) 1 hour £33.00
Pony Club sessions
(Must be Pony Club Centre Members)
2 hours £30.00

Stable management training (theory or practical) can be given by arrangement.

ALL Assessment Lessons must be booked & paid for in advance. All new clients will have to book an induction which will involve filling in the necessary forms and checking height & weight before you are able to book your first lesson.

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. 

Riding School Lessons

Lessons are available throughout the day and certain evenings from Monday to Saturday (inclusive).

See the full timetable of regular lessons below.

Private and semi private lessons can be arranged to suit your individual requirements outside these times. They are held regularly in the OUTSIDE arena on Monday and Thursday evenings from 5.00 until 6.30.

To see all the events held at Lodge Farm Equestrian Centre go to our full Events calendar.

Monday

4.30: Half hour lead rein group

5.00: Half hour lead rein group

5.30: 45 minutes non lead rein – trotting independently

 

Tuesday

4.30: Half hour lead rein – 

5.00: Half Hour non lead rein- Trotting independently

5.30: One hour advanced

5.30 – 7.30: Pony Club riding & stable management session

Wednesday

 

4.30: Half hour lead rein

6.00: Half hour non lead rein- trotting independently

6.30: Half hour non lead rein – trotting independently

7.00: One hour novice/intermediate

Thursday

4.30: Half hour non lead rein – trotting independently

5.00: Half hour non lead rein group- trotting independently

5.30 – 7.30: Pony Club riding & stable management session

Friday

4.00: Half hour Tiny Tots lead rein

4.30: Half hour lead rein

5.00: Half hour non lead rein – trotting independently

5.30: Half hour lead rein

6.00: Half hour non lead rein- trotting independently

6.30: One hour intermediate lesson

Saturday

 9.00 – 3.00: Pony Club riding & stable management sessions throughout the day, grouped according to ability

3.00: Half hour lead rein

3.30: Half hour lead rein

4.00: Half hour non lead rein-trotting independently

4.30: 45 minutes non lead rein – trotting independently

5.15: 45 minutes non lead rein -trotting & cantering independently

Riding School

We offer both private and class lessons to children and adults of all ages and standards throughout the week and on Saturdays. All our staff are B.H.S. qualified.

Showing

Lodge Farm holds monthly shows, offering both ridden and in hand classes, throughout the season and is host to Caverswall and District Riding Club with their shows.

Dressage

Our dressage competitions are held monthly with tests ranging from Intro through to Elementary. All our invited judges are extremely competitor friendly.

Pony Club

Lodge Farm is a Pony Club Centre which gives riders without their own ponies the opportunity to take part in Pony Club activities including Achievement Badges.