What We Do
At Pet a Pony, we believe that every experience with our ponies should be unique and tailored to each individual’s interests and abilities. We don’t follow a set path because we want you to enjoy your time with the ponies in the way that suits you best. Whether it’s feeding, leading, grooming, painting, or simply spending time with them, each session is designed to create a positive and personal connection.
We focus on ability, not disability. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone, regardless of their background or challenges, can experience the joy of being around horses. We aim to get kids out of their bedrooms, engaging with the outdoors and forming meaningful connections with our ponies.
One-to-One Sessions for Individual Attention
We offer one-to-one sessions only, ensuring a peaceful, friendly, and quiet environment. Our sessions are specifically designed for children, adults, and individuals with special needs. We understand that group settings can sometimes be overwhelming, so we focus on providing personalised experiences.
Family Sessions
These are designed to offer a peaceful and accessible outdoor experience for families, particularly those with children who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and find regular children’s activities too overwhelming due to noise or busy environments. These sessions are flexible, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, making them suitable for families with varying schedules and needs.
The focus is on providing a calm, supportive environment where families can enjoy time together outdoors, in a less stimulating atmosphere than traditional children’s activities. The 2.5-hour session is the longest option and includes a therapeutic pony ride at the end. However, this ride is intended as a taster or therapeutic experience, not a formal riding lesson.
If families are looking for regular riding lessons, we recommend attending a licensed riding school, as our sessions are specifically designed for relaxation and therapy rather than formal riding instruction.
Making Horses Accessible to Everyone
Our mission is to make horses accessible to all walks of life—not just the financially better off. We work hard to keep our prices as low as possible to ensure that our services remain affordable. We are a volunteer-run organisation, and all fees go solely toward the upkeep and care of our horses, we have no paid staff.
Not a Riding School, but a Learning Opportunity
We are not a traditional riding school, but we offer something just as valuable: an opportunity to learn about horse care in a way that most riding schools often don’t provide. Our visitors, both adults and children, often come to learn about looking after horses such as, feeding, grooming, picking out hooves, lunging, tacking up, and leading. These are essential skills for anyone who wants to build a more overall understanding of the basics of horsemanship and care. Often we have clients who have riding lessons at formal riding schools, but want to learn more about the non-ridden element to horse keeping so come to us for that.
Therapeutic Visits and Supported Visits
For those who may struggle to get out, we offer visits to individuals who need our ponies brought to them. We are proud to serve individuals with difficulties such as social anxiety, as well as those in supported living environments and care homes to name a few. Our ponies bring comfort, joy, and a sense of calm, making them accessible to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity.
Special Consideration for Birthdays
While we typically don’t host birthday parties, we understand that for some children or adults with special needs, a birthday celebration might be out of reach. If this is the case for your loved one, we may consider offering a tailored birthday experience based on individual circumstances.
At Pet a Pony we want our ponies to be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background. We’re here to share the joy of horses with everyone who wants to experience it. Just get in touch