London boasts some of the best horse riding spots in the UK. Ready to saddle up? Here’s where to go horse riding in London.
Whether you’ve never ridden before, are a seasoned professional, or somewhere in between, London has the perfect horse riding spot for you.
Who doesn’t love a hobby that’s fun and great for your body? Don your jodhpurs and get ready to ride – these are the top places for horse riding in London.
Places to Go Horse Riding in London
Hyde Park Stables
Fancy riding around London’s most iconic park? Hyde Park Stables is one of the best riding schools in London that offers both adults and children horse riding all year round.
You can either go on a semi-private ride which includes two riders and a shared mounted escort through Hyde Park. Or if you’d prefer, you can go for a one-to-one ride with a mountained escort through the stunning park.
Or, if you would prefer to hone in on your craft a little more, you can also try rides with a shared instructor in the arena for a proper lesson. There’s a maximum of 4 riders so plenty of time to get some good advice from your riding teacher.
Stag Lodge Richmond Park
Stag Lodge Stables offers the best horse riding lessons in London right in Richmond Park. The gorgeous stables is home to over 70 horses ranging from shetland ponies to 16 hand hunters, all of them chosen for their good nature and ability to suit riders of all levels.
Richmond Park boasts a wonderful 4500 acres of green space for you and your horse to enjoy and ride all year round.
A dedicated team of highly-qualified instructors + beautiful bridal tracks = West London’s best horse riding experience.
Beechwood Riding School, Woldingham
Located in the Surrey Hills, a short train ride from central London, is the Beechwood Riding School – one of the best riding schools close to London. They have everything from country hill bridleways to woodlands and off road hacking.
Whether you’re a novice or a more experienced rider, you’ll be able to progress and learn so much from the Beechwood Riding school. Instructors are patient and you get the opportunity to get out into the dreamy Surrey countryside.
Not only do you have access to unlimited off-road hacking, they also have an international size sand school and indoor school – you can really experience it all.
Kingsmead Equestrian School
Another amazing horse riding school set in the beautiful Surrey countryside, just a few miles from London, is Kingsmead Equestrian School. In fact, it was voted for two prestigious riding school of the year awards. Impressive.
They offer regular lessons and hacks throughout the year on a variety of horses, depending on whether you’re a more experienced rider or total beginner.
What we love about this place is that they also offer great non-saddle activities such as horse awareness courses, equine assisted learning or horse care and stable management.
If you’re really fascinated and love horses, why not enrol on a course to deepen your knowledge?
Dulwich Riding School
Dulwich Riding School is South London’s best horse riding spot with just under 20 horses and plenty of incredible teachers. They hold a very high level of professional care to all their riders.
What do we love about this spot? The prices are very affordable compared to other London riding schools.
It’s also a lovely community to join and they’re always doing great events or fundraisers such as the recent sponsored ride for cancer research where they raised an amazing £2000.
Ealing Riding School
Looking for a riding school in East London? This is your place.
These are definitely some of the most well kept horses in London and, with its convenient location close to central London and easy access on the tube, Ealing Riding School has to be one of the best riding schools in London.
If you’re a new rider, it’s as easy as filling out a simple new rider form and heading there for your first half hour assessment before you’re given the perfect horse for you.
No gear? No problem. You can rent boots and hats and any other equipment you may need. Relish in having all the gear and no idea.
Trent Park Equestrian Centre
Trent Park Equestrian Centre is known for having some of the best hacks in Trent Park and the most passionate instructors out there. The website is by far the easiest website to book from and their facilities really trump every other school in and around the area.
They have two indoor arenas, 3 outdoor arenas, amazing access to bridle paths, and even cross country fields if you’re looking to practice 3 day eventing or show jumps.
There’s even a spot to get some grub after you’ve been riding. You deserve it.
Aldersbrook Riding School and Livery Stables
If you’re looking for a smaller, more intimate riding school, then this one’s for you. Aldersbrook caters to all abilities and has both private and group lessons depending on how you’re feeling.
Another great thing about this place is that if you pay for 5 lessons, you’ll get the 6th one free. Right by Manor Park, Aldersbrook is in a perfect location and a beautiful place to ride.
Lee Valley Riding Centre
We recommend getting an induction lesson before trying out Lee Valley Riding Centre – it’s a brilliant place to go if you already know how to ride and have a bit of experience with different horses.
It’s also an excellent place to have high-quality private lessons. And, for horse owners, they have an incredible 5* livery stables. We highly recommend this London horse riding school.
Docklands Equestrian Centre
Located in Beckton, Docklands Equestrian Centre is a wonderful place if you’re looking for private lessons, group lessons or semi-private lessons.
We love that Docklands Equestrian Centre is a member of the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and they have RDA qualified staff. They undertake lessons for a variety of disabilities and each lesson is totally tailored for the individual.
Riding has proven to be therapeutic in some cases – and potentially life changing – which makes this centre one of the best riding schools in the UK for people with disabilities.
Practical Tips for Horse Riding in London
- Schools further out of the centre of London tend to offer better value at an hourly-rate, so depending on what you’re looking for it’s sometimes best to venture out of London slightly.
- If you know you already want to book a few classes, it’s always cheaper to book a block instead of one by one. Speak to the riding school about this after your first lesson.
