Our Activities

    At Durham’s farm we offer riding lessons for all levels. Private (on your own) semi-private (2 people) and group lessons (3-6 people) are all available and you can do 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 1 hour sessions. All lessons are with understanding qualified & experienced instructors and as well as basic riding skills more specific lessons in particular disciplines are available in show jumping, flatwork or cross-country. We take great care to tailor your lessons to suit your particular needs. Riding hats & body protectors are available for you to use free of charge.

    As well as riding lessons we like to make other activities available. Many of our clients enjoy hacking out and you can go privately, semi-privately or in groups for 1 hour, 1.5 hours or 2 hours. Again we organise hacking around your needs and you can just walk, walk and trot, walk trot and canter or do faster rides. We have many off-road bridleways we can follow all of which have beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.

    Durham’s Farm is a Pony Club Membership Centre!
We offer many days throughout the year when your child can come to us and work towards obtaining the achievement badges provided by the Pony Club, and designed to improve the knowledge of the youngest members in matters within the countryside and horsemanship. We also have all sorts of fun activities from Competitions and Camps to fun days and social events.
The Pony Club was formed in 1929 in response to a growing interest in riding and the care of horses and ponies. It is now the largest association for riders in the world with over 110,000 members in more than 20 countries.

The objectives are:

• To encourage young people to ride and to learn to enjoy all kinds of sport connected with horses and riding.
• To provide instruction in riding and horsemanship and to instill in Members the proper care of ponies.
• To promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty, thereby cultivating strength of character and self – discipline.

    There are 347 Branches (for children who have their own ponies) and approximately 500 Riding Schools running the Centre Membership Scheme throughout the United Kingdom. Centre membership allows the opportunity for children who do not own a pony and who ride at riding schools, to progress their riding and stable management knowledge through the structured laid down in The Pony Club.

How much does it cost?

• The annual subscription is £22 (correct as at 01/07/08). This is paid to The Pony Club and is renewable annually. A reminder will be sent directly to the member.
• All The Pony Club activities will be charged for. The costs of these are at the discretion of the Riding School proprietor but are usually very reasonable.

Contact us at Durham’s if you would like to become a member.

For more info on The Pony Club check out www.pcuk.org

    We offer Pony Camps for children who may or may not have their own pony or who may or may not be a member of The Pony Club.Adult Camps are also available through the holidays.
    Camps at Durham’s are run throughout the holidays. We usually have between 6 to 20 people taking part in these, and the riders are split into groups of between 4 to 8 children/adults.
    Camp consists of 3 days with at least 3 hours of riding each day. The children/adults are encouraged to take part in all aspects of riding that they may not get the chance to in their normal weekly lesson. Gymkhana games, jumping lanes, bare-back riding for the more experienced riders, as well as competitions, from dressage to show jumping and cross country at all heights to suit every age and ability of rider. Hacking out is also popular for children/adults who have done little outside of the school.
    Of course stable management and horse/pony care also features strongly in these well structured, fun camps. If your child is a member of The Pony Club they will also be able to work towards obtaining their achievement badges, being helped along every step of the way.
    Our more experienced riders have the chance to take their ponies/horses up the gallops at one of our local Racehorse training stables, and learn to ride like jockeys. “That was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life” was one of the comments heard as they rode back into the yard! The 2010 Summer Camps have been very successful!

We hope to see you there next year!

    Getting kids active outdoors these days can prove to be quite tricky. The riding school is the ideal place for children to pursue a leisure interest as well as an extra curricular activity outside of school. Pony Days are designed to provide children with the extra skills and knowledge they would need to manage and care for a pony. We have been running these days at Durham’s for a number of years and they have been a great success with both the children and their parents, with many coming back for more. A usual Pony Day is run from 10am to 4pm and is comprised of stable management, grooming, tack cleaning, a lesson in the school and if time permits a short hack around the countryside. The more advanced the kids become the more they get to learn, we work with them every step of the way towards achieving a better understanding of all disciplines of pony care. You can never know too much. We are a Pony Club Member Centre so children who are members of The Pony Club will also get the opportunity during the day to work towards their achievement badges.

    Jive Pony is a very versatile display team offering a wide variety of shows to cater for all events and venues. It is the team's unique blend of vaulting skills, roman riding, gymnastic dance and humour that has the whole family entertained whenever and wherever they perform.
    Currently we have a session running at Durham’s every Saturday morning through the Autumn and Winter months specifically aimed at children. So far, all who have taken part have truly loved the whole experience and keep coming back to learn more. Rebecca Townsend and Rosie Howard are true masters in their field. If we can get enough people interested we’re hoping to also organise a clinic for adults to take part in. Please let us know if you’d be keen to have a go yourself.

Training Clinics:
    Due to overwhelming demand Jive Pony are finally opening the door to their secrets. The question we get asked most over the summer is "Where can we learn to do that?" or "How can I teach my horse that trick?" and our honest answer is "No Where!" Because really there is no where in the country that teaches our style of performance vaulting, or trick training.

Confidence Lessons:
    If your a rider who loves your horses but have somewhere along the line lost your confidence then we are here to help. We will help you regain your basic seat and your mojo! Whatever your age our impeccably behaved horses along with Rebecca and Rosie's coaching will rebuild your trust and confidence. Lessons are taught on a lunge, are vaulting based and cater to your own needs and abilities.

    We like to make sure that our ponies and people have as much fun as they possibly can. So we’re more than happy to run Birthday Parties for you and as many friends as you like. The whole event will run for approx. 3 hours and includes a birthday cake, prizes, treasure hunt and of course games and races on the ponies! We are happy for you to bring a picnic for your party and enjoy it in the fields together. We will run the children’s party according to your needs. Please phone up or e-mail and enquire if you are interested.

    Want a wedding send-off with a difference? We have the perfect way for you to celebrate with your friends. We will arrange the party according to your needs. A two hour hack across the beautiful countryside, pub ride or tailored lesson is amongst the options for the day. The whole experience will last for approx 3 hours and is usually more of a Spring/Summer event as, if required, we will provide a buffet lunch produced by a professional caterer, for you and your friends to enjoy outdoors together. Please get in touch for more details.

    The pub rides are designed for adults only. Riders will leave the stables at approx 11am and return back at approx 3pm, the whole experience usually takes up to 4 hours. It involves about an hour and half hacking each way with an hours stop at the Pub. We stop off at a local pub just over half-way round and leave the horses to graze in a nearby field. Food and drink is provided and we’re normally in groups of about 8 people. There is the opportunity for a lot of cantering but those who rather not can take things at a slower pace. It is always a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

    These are rides of approximately 3 hours in duration with a break halfway for a picnic lunch. They are more specifically designed for groups of children who we ask to bring their own picnic lunch, which they eat, in the woods whilst their horses can graze amongst the trees. Again the children can choose whether or not to canter and there’s no pressure on anyone. We are also quite happy to organise Picnic Rides for groups of adults.
    Also available through the Spring and Summer months is our Teddy Bears Picnic Ride. A big success with the children this year and we plan on running many more in 2011. It is a lovely way for our younger riders to experience riding outside of the school. With teddies dressed and ponies ready we start with a few games and races and then set off around the fields for a short hack to the woods, where we have our picnics, sing a few songs and provide a treasure hunt in the woods, and then a short ride back to the stables. This usually takes approx. 2 ½ hours and is aimed at children who are 10 years and under. The first one in 2011 will take place in the Easter holidays.