Options for Group Visits
Meet the Ponies Sessions
This is our most popular session with school and youth groups. The session lasts for two hours and mean we can give an action packed time, allowing the children get to have a go at a variety of activities including a riding lesson, grooming session and carriage ride/ gymkhana games . We can accommodate up to 24 riders. Hat hire is included in the price of the session and each rider will receive a rosette too. The two hour duration also allows us to put through more than one set of children per day. This session costs £20.00 per rider. Hat hire and rosette included.
Pony Nuts Day
This session runs from 10.00- 3.00pm and includes a riding lesson, grooming, a pony picnic ride and a pony party. This is also popular with school groups, we currently run these days for a variety of local schools, details of which are available on request. This gives the children a great day out in the countryside and lots of riding opportunities. This costs £35.00 per rider maximum would again be 24, hat hire and rosettes included.
Pony Picnic Rides
This is more seasonal but is also a really popular activity. We always have a wet weather plan too so sessions run whatever the weather, a pony picnic in the barn can be just as fun. In fine weather however, we trek out around our private woods and stop for lunch in the field then play some games before riding home. Many groups choose to theme this activity so we are often accompanied by teddies or even dressed as cowboys! This is 2 hours in duration but our numbers are restricted to 20. This costs £20.00, hat hire and rosettes included.
Riding and Pony Care Session
There is always the option of a standard riding lesson and pony care session. This is one hour in duration and costs £18.00 per rider. Numbers are again restricted to 18. Some of our local schools use this when they want to offer riding opportunities to a whole year group for instance or provide a 6 week course to a specific group of children. This gives the riders chance to develop their basic riding skills further and learn more about how we feed and care for the horses. At the end of the 6 week period we are able to offer Association of British Riding Schools Tests in both Riding and Stable Management. These are external qualifications and are nationally recognised.
Special Needs Groups
The above information is based on groups of able bodied children. We also run the above activities adapted for Special Needs Groups. This does however affect the maximum numbers we can accommodate depending on the level of support required by each client. Each group has such a variety of needs, these sessions are always best arranged on an individual basis. We currently work with a large variety of Special Schools and Groups and are happy to provide references.
Carriage Riding and Driving Sessions
For our less ambulant clients we also offer Carriage Riding/ Driving Sessions. Carriage Riding takes place in our Indoor or Outdoor Arenas and our carriage can take up to 6 adults at a time, clients often enjoy a sing song and the fresh air during these sessions, often based more on social interaction or therapy rather than the actual horse and carriage. This session costs £30.00 per 30 minute session, dividable by the number of clients.
Carriage Driving Sessions are available in our Wheelchair adapted Carriages. This allows our less ambulant clients to learn some basic carriage driving skills and the opportunity to pursue a new hobby. This can be done either in the carriage seat or from the comfort of their wheelchair (non-motorised). The clamping systems are identical to those used in mini-buses for example. For other clients with little or no communication or particularly profound clients, these sessions are often used as therapy and a chance for the client to enjoy the sensation of movement and being outside in the elements!
These sessions cost £30.00 per half an hour for the horse, carriage and instructor- often 15 minutes is enough for these clients so we are able to process two during the 30 minutes. Again, these sessions are quite specialist and we are always happy to customise and discuss your particular needs with you.