Every girl (almost!) loves ponies, they look adorable, are smaller than horses and are the perfect ride for small girls. They don’t tower above your daughter like horses do and are the easiest way to get your little girl into horse riding at a young age.
Ponies have been popularised with the famous cartoon series like MLP and with popular drawing tools and games like the online pony creators here.
Acres Hall Stables
Acres Hall Stables is a family run business that offers riding lessons for all ages and abilities. Acres Hall is located conveniently for those who live in the Leeds/Bradford area and employs qualified instructors plus is fully insured for any eventuality. The centre closes on Mondays but offers lessons daily Tuesday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturdays/Sundays 10am to 5pm.
Lessons
Private lessons of thirty minutes or an hour may be booked at Acres Hall, while group lessons are available to book and are led in groups of five people maximum. This ensures that all riders get some individual attention rather than disappearing inside a large group so missing out. Group lessons last either thirty minutes or an hour, while Acres Hall tutors are also available for outside lesson bookings too with tutors travelling to your own stables if you so wish.
Pony Parties
Pony parties can be booked at Acres Hall for children age 4 years and over. The party includes one hour of riding, games and races plus grooming lessons and lunch. Bookings can be taken for a minimum of four guests and cater for children of four years and over. Catering for your party takes away the strain, while delicious party food offered here includes sandwiches, sausage rolls, crisps, biscuits, buns, juice, carrot batons and apple sticks. Parties are charged at £30.00 per child.
Summer Camp
Summer Camps run from 10am to 2pm daily where kids will enjoy a riding lesson along with learning how to groom their pony and muck out. Children can own a pony for a whole week plus enjoy games and treasure hunts too that offer lots of fun prizes as reward. Pony Camp costs £80 for the four day week or £25.00 for just one day and children are asked to provide a packed lunch. Pony days are also run and offer a similar itinerary to the camps.
Charges
- Private lesson of 30 minutes costs £13.00
- Private lesson of one hour costs £25.00
- Group lesson of thirty minutes with a maximum of five participants costs £11.00 per person
- Group lesson of one hour with a maximum of five participants costs £20.00 per person
Outside tuition is available to book. Please see the Acres Hall website for details of charges
- Acres Hall Stables
- Acres Hall Avenue
- Pudsey
- Leeds
- LS29 9EJ
- Tele 07739 428 353
Think Like a Pony
Think Like a Pony located in Bramhope near Leeds doesn’t simply offer riding lessons but also offers riders who learn here the chance to get to know their pony in terms of caring for him and understanding what makes a pony tick. Their philosophy is quite unique as it empowers children to be able to communicate with their mount both emotionally and physically, while understanding and developing social skills that encompass every aspect of life and learning to ride.
Think Like a Pony houses ten ponies that have been given to the centre in order to be rehabilitated and retrained, while the centre also offers a series of workbooks, written by Lynn Henry that is a useful tool to use alongside learning to ride.
Pony Club
Pony Club is where kids can work towards earning awards and badges. Children must join the Think Like a Pony Club in order to participate in regular lessons here. The club has an interactive website with workbooks and worksheets available at their fingertips. Features include online video lessons, personal journals and logs and a place to store their photographs. There is also a forum for kids to share their thoughts with like minded children, while all these features cost just £1.00 per week.
Events
2015 sees many events arranged at the club including Footcare day in April where kids will learn all about looking after their pony’s feet. The course is available for those aged seven and over. Teeth Care day is in May and is where kids learn how to care for their pony’s teeth. A Teeth Badge award is presented following the course. July will see Grooming Days and Feeding Mini Mornings. Further information regarding these events is available at the website.
Charges
Think Like a Pony prefers children to learn on a one to one basis, while their prices are extremely competitive.
- One instructor to one child costs £35.00 per hour
- Private/semi private lessons( for confident fully independent riders only) cost £20.00 per 30 minutes
- Semi private lesson (for confident fully independent riders) £30.00 per hour
- Children under 4 years £15.00 for 15 minutes
- Pony days maximum 8 riders £60.00 per day (8 years and over only)
- Pony evenings £20.00
- Mini days for under sevens £35.00 (4 kids maximum)
The centre also offers family and group discounts.
- Think Like a Pony
- Woodlands Farm
- Occupation Lane
- Bramhope
- Leeds
- LS16 9HS
- Tele 07912 784193
Back Lane Riding School
Back Lane Stables in Leeds is a family run business whose seven qualified instructors offer riding lessons to children and adults alike whether they own their own pony or not. This BHS approved riding school offers two outdoor floodlit arenas, show jumping and dressage facilities and a viewing gallery in the on-site café.
The stables open every day except Monday and open late Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The stables offer a wide range of lessons and hacks for riders to enjoy and will also offer lessons for those who have their own mounts. Types of activities and lessons offered here include
Private Lessons and Hacks /Semi Private Lessons and Hacks/ Group Lessons and Hacks
Private Lessons and Hacks run throughout the week and are great for riders of all abilities and ages. Depending what it is you are after lessons consist of flat work, pole work or are show jumping themed, while hacks are best suited to those who can at least walk, trot or canter their horses. Private lessons can also be booked for riders who own their own mount. The semi-private and group lessons and hacks feature the same criteria and requirements as the private lessons and hacks.
Pony Parties/Hen parties
Children and hens will have a great time when celebrating their birthday or upcoming nuptials at Back Lane Stables. The party package includes up to ten horses, qualified instructors, games equipment and great food. The whole party comes in at £200 which is a bargain when considering it’s for ten guests.
Fallabella Club
Fallabella is a club for the little ones who attend Back Lane Stables, while kids will need to have regular lessons after which their instructor will indicate when they are ready to join the club. Fallabella Club is a lot of fun with activities to enjoy such as riding and stable management, while kids are working in order to gain certificates while having a great time with their ponies. Riding in the arena and hacking are also part of the clubs activities.
Side Saddle
Riding side saddle is not seen very often now as modern ladies ride in the same way as the men and quite rightly so you may say! Those who wish to acquire a new skill may wish to consider learning how to ride side saddle, while participants need to be competent riders in the first place in order to learn the skill. Side saddle demonstrations and clinics are also run at Back Lane and lessons run for thirty minutes.
Charges
The cost of lessons at Back Lane Stables is competitive with prices ranging as follows:
- Private lessons and hacks £32.00 per 40 minutes
- Private jumping lessons £45.00 per 45 minutes
- Semi private lessons and hacks £27.00 per 45 minutes
- Semi private jumping lessons £38.00 per 45 minutes
- Group Lessons and hacks £22.00 per hour
- Fallabella Club classes for kids on Saturday and Sunday 325.00 for 90 minutes that includes 45 minutes riding and 45 minute stable management
- Pony Club class £25.00 for 90 minutes that is split equally between riding and stable management
- Pony parties and hen parties £200 per package
- Pony days for children and teens £40.00
Gift vouchers that can be used to pay for lessons and hacks can be bought at the stables, while riding hats may be hired for those who do not own one.
- Back Lane Riding School
- Back Lane
- Farnley
- Leeds
- LS12 5HH
- Tele 01132 556 615
Yorkshire Equestrian Centre
The Yorkshire Equestrian Centre is located in South Milford Leeds and boasts first class facilities for riders of all abilities and age. The centre offers livery services that are second to none along with four indoor and outdoor arenas, grass riding paddocks, woodland and grass hacking tracks, qualified BHS staff plus all year turnout in over forty acres of rolling countryside. The centre also trains horses and offers breaking and schooling, competing and loading issues training.
YEC offers Private lessons, Semi private lessons and Group lessons along with pony camps, stable management courses, Christmas and Easter rides, hen parties, birthday parties and family reunions. Lessons are offered for total beginners through to experienced riders with ponies from Shetlands through to mature thoroughbreds available to ride. Further services in more detail include
Livery
This superb riding centre offers a range of livery services namely DIY, Part, Full, Sales and Rehab Livery all of which are to a very high quality and standard. Facilities include grazing water irrigation system, stabling, all year turnout on forty acres, secure horse box and trailer parking, quality hay, while the livery yard is open twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Breaking and schooling services are also offered here.
Competitions
YEC hosts many competitions for riders to enter and enjoy competing in. With prizes to win these events are very competitive, while rewards include sashes, rosettes, and vouchers and in some cases big cash prizes too. Why not take a look at their website to see when the next round of competitions is being held.
Charges
- Private lesson 30 minutes £22.00
- Private lesson of one hour £35.00
- Semi private with up to 3 riders 30 minutes £17.50
- Semi private with up to 3 riders one hour £25.00
- Groups with max 6 riders one hour £20.00
- Pony walk outs £10.00
- Own a pony days £60.00
- Hat hire £2.00
Bookings are made over the phone, while enquiries regarding lessons are also by phone plus can also be done via email. Visits to view the Yorkshire Equestrian Centre may be booked in advance via telephone.
- Yorkshire Equestrian Centre
- Laith Staid Lane
- South Milford
- Leeds
- LS25 6JX
- Tele 0113 397 97 47
Royds Hall Riding School
Located on the outskirts of Leeds Royds Hall Riding School is a family run business where adults and children alike can join in riding lessons whether they are complete beginners or more experienced. The school is open seven days a week and has ABRS approval, while their outdoor all weather arenas, with viewing area for parents, makes this riding school a great centre to consider when deciding where to book lessons.
Royds Hall offers riding lessons for children, riding lessons for adults, plus events that include Pony Days and School holiday activities. Children can take lessons from the age of four starting with the “lead rein” lesson that will help them get to know their pony and become confident riding him. Private and group lessons are offered at Royds Hall Riding School and riding hats can be hired by those who do not own one.
Royds Hall prides itself on having great customer service along with friendly qualified staff who takes every care to make your riding experience a fun and happy one. The school is open seven days a week 9am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm at weekends. Clothing required when starting out on your riding experience includes seamless trousers in soft fabric, shoes or boots with half inch heel and riding hat.
Charges
Private lessons are offered Monday to Friday and Sunday mornings.
- A 30 minute lesson for kids 16 years and under costs £22.00
- A 30 minute lesson for adults costs £24.00
- A 45 minute lesson for kids 16 years and under costs £26.50
- A 45 minute lesson for adults costs £28.50
Semi private lessons are offered Monday to Friday, while riders must be able to walk and trot without help.
- A 30 minute lesson for kids 16 years and under costs £17.50
- A 30 minute lesson for adults costs £18.50
- A 45 minute lesson for kids 16 16 years and under costs £20.50
- A 45 minute lesson for adults costs £21.50
Charges for group lessons are as follows
- 30 minute lead rein class (Saturday only) costs £15.00
- 30 minute group of up to 6 riders costs £12.50
- One hour group of up to 6 riders costs £19.00
- One and half hour group groom and ride with up to 6 riders costs £22.00
Contact
- Royds Hall Riding School
- Patrick Green
- Leeds
- LS26 8HH
- Tele 0113 282 3466