FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens in a 3 hour lesson?

Our 3 hour sessions are suitable for most riders. On your first arrival you will be asked to fill out a form. Riders then join a group led by our instructors. During the session, riders take part in lots of activities — including riding in the school, out in the field, hacks and other fun activities!

A group riding lesson (school, field, hack or more)
Learning practical new skills: grooming, tacking up, mucking out, plaiting, bandaging and tack cleaning

Riders are placed into suitable groups for both riding and stable management — these can be different groups if needed — to support each person’s learning at their own pace.

Can I stay with my child during the session?

Unfortunately, for safety reasons, we cannot allow parents, guardians or friends to stay with the riders or watch the sessions — we do not have a viewing area. However, we will happily take photos during the session (with your permission) and send them through to you afterwards so you can see how they got on! If we ever have any worries or concerns, we will contact you immediately.

How long will it take me to learn how to ride?

This really depends on how often you have lessons and the goals you wish to achieve. Confident, fit riders will usually find progress easier at first. Adults and teens generally progress faster than very young children — most people master rising trot in just 4 or 5 lessons! Our aim is to help every rider become independent as soon as they can do so safely.

I am a beginner — what lesson should I book?

This depends on your age and what you hope to get out of riding:

Age 5 & under: We recommend our dedicated Tots lessons
Under 16: A walkout lesson or our 3-hour pony sessions are perfect to start
Adults: All new adult beginners begin with 30-minute private hacks — these may be walkout hacks, where we have a helper and/or instructor on the ground for support — unless you have a small group of friends wanting to start together.

How many lessons do I need before I can go hacking/trekking?

Our horses and ponies are very safe and well-schooled — so beginners or novices can go out hacking from your very first lesson! If you are small, young or nervous, we will walk alongside you to start with, then gradually build up until you are riding out independently.

What do I need to wear?

You don’t need to buy expensive gear to start! For trial lessons, just wear sensible clothing:

✅ Long trousers (legs fully covered) + long socks — leggings or stretchy tracksuit bottoms are perfect

✅ Tops that cover your shoulders — no halter tops or strappy tops allowed

✅ Long hair tied back neatly

✅ No jewellery (medical bracelets/necklaces are fine)

✅ Hard-soled, closed-toe shoes — wellies are ideal

❌ No sandals, open-toed shoes or high heels — these are unsafe

Once riding regularly: You will need proper safety equipment: up-to-date standard riding hat, body protector, gloves, jodhpurs and correct riding footwear. Long hair tied back and no jewellery still applies.

What happens if I arrive for my lesson in the wrong clothing?

We cannot take riders off the lead rein without correct safety wear. We can hire riding hats — but we cannot hire body protectors. If clothing is unsafe, you will be unable to ride, and full lesson fees will still apply.

How old do I have to be to learn to ride?

There is no upper age limit! Even young children can join us, as long as you are happy for them to be looked after by our experienced team. Please note: parents are not permitted to walk alongside children during sessions.

I’ve been riding and jumping at another yard — can I book a jumping lesson?

We do not offer just jumping lessons for riders who do not ride with us weekly. While we offer show jumping and cross country clinics for our regular riders, we cannot accommodate riders who have not been assessed by our instructors — this is for safety reasons.

Please note: we cannot offer any private lessons currently due to a waiting list.

Can I continue regular lessons at another riding school too?

Every instructor and yard teaches in their own way. Learning different styles at the same time confuses riders, can feel disheartening and slows down progress. We ask that your main lessons stay with us, so learning stays clear and consistent.

Good to know: Occasional fun rides or casual sessions elsewhere (e.g. riding a friend’s pony) are absolutely fine — we only advise against regular weekly training elsewhere.

Do I have to loan a pony?

Yes — this is something we ask of all our riders. As a loan centre, we make it clear from the start that everyone joining us will move onto one of our pony loans in time.

Loaning helps riders grow their skills, confidence and experience much faster — and it also frees up lesson spaces so new riders can join us too. We are flexible on timing, but long-term regular sessions are reserved for riders open to loaning when ready.

When do children’s loan sessions run?

Term time: Saturdays 8:00am – 4:30pm; Tuesday & Thursday 3:30pm – 6:00pm; Friday 3:30pm – 6:30pm
School holidays: Daytime sessions only: 8:00am – 4:30pm

We always try to group riders by ability, keep friends together and work around your availability — days and times may be adjusted if needed.

I’m experienced, my friend is a nervous beginner — can we ride together?

Yes absolutely! Just keep in mind: for safety, the whole group will ride at the pace of the least experienced rider.

What days do you run lessons?

Term time: Private lessons are currently unavailable due to waiting list; group lessons run weekends plus Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings
School holidays: A wide range of activities run most days — keep an eye on our website for latest updates!

Do you cater for riders with disabilities?

We are a registered RDA centre. We can support riders with a range of disabilities — we do not have specialist equipment, but we will provide an experienced side walker to walk alongside the rider at all times for safety and extra support.

Side walkers are confident working with horses; they will help keep the rider safe, balanced and supported throughout the session. We offer private lessons as well as stable management sessions to build knowledge and confidence. Every rider is different — please get in touch to talk about your individual needs and how we can help.

Please note: we are registered through Warfield RDA, who support riders from local schools but cannot accept new private clients directly.

What sort of horse or pony will I ride?

We carefully match every rider to a horse or pony based on size and ability. Even experienced riders will start on a slower-paced horse until we have assessed their riding style and confidence. Remember: bigger does not always mean faster, and smaller does not always mean slower!

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes! We are fully licensed by our local council and hold a 5-star rating — the highest standard of care possible.

How long until I can book my first lesson or activity?

We currently have a waiting list for all lessons and activities. Those waiting are added to a WhatsApp group so we can offer cancellations or free spaces quickly, fairly and easily. Once you join regular sessions or have had an assessment, you’ll join our main group and book activities via our app.

How can I book?

Email us at: info@landesendec.com

Please arrange visits or bookings in advance — we are often busy and cannot always welcome unplanned drop-ins.

Extra Useful FAQs

What happens if my child is nervous?

This is completely normal! Our instructors are patient, friendly and very used to nervous riders. We ask riders to arrive at the given timings — this gives parents/carers the opportunity to fill in forms while the rider stays close by for extra support, which usually helps build their confidence straight away.

We understand new places can feel scary — that is why we arrange sessions so lots of new children and riders attend together! This lets them make new friendships right away, which helps massively with nerves. We also start from the very beginning: we presume every rider has no prior knowledge at all — anything they do already know is a wonderful bonus! This takes all pressure off, so they can learn gently, at whatever pace feels comfortable — starting with meeting the pony, grooming or leading before riding if needed.

Cancellations for weekly sessions

For our regular weekly riders, one pre-booked cancellation is permitted per half term. During school holidays, if we are unable to fill your cancelled space, we will need to charge for the session in line with our full cancellation policy.

Required riding wear for weekly riders

We ask all weekly riders to ensure they have complete, correctly fitted safety wear meeting The Pony Club standards:

✅ Fitted riding hat: Must meet approved standards — PAS 015:2011, EN 1384:2023, VG1, ASTM F1163 or Snell E2016/E2021, marked with the required BSI Kitemark, Inspec IC or SEI mark.

✅ Body protector: To current BETA Level 3 standard (2018 blue/black label)

✅ Jodhpurs, riding gloves, jodhpur boots and half chaps

If you are unsure whether your equipment meets these standards, please just ask us — we are happy to check and advise!

Private groups & parties during holidays

During school holidays, we are sometimes able to arrange private group sessions or pony parties. Please message us directly for availability, prices and full details!