Our son has been asking to try horse riding for a while, and when Pony Trekking Thetford Forest popped up on my Facebook feed, it felt like it was a sign to give it a go. The prices seemed reasonable and the Facebook reviews were decent – and based in Santon Downham in Thetford Forest, they aren’t far from us in Bury St Edmunds.
They offer a variety of riding and pony experiences for toddlers and children, from introductory sessions and riding lessons to woodland treks, seasonal events and even pony parties. The centre provides riding hats that conform to the latest safety standards, holds a 5* licence from the local authority and is fully insured against liability, and with staff all DBS checked and holding certificates in first aid and safeguarding children in sport, we were confident that Pony Trekking Thetford Forest would be a good starting point.
We’d booked our son in for an early morning 30-minute Pony Care and Ride Session, which was split into two parts: 15 minutes spent learning how to brush and care for a pony, followed by a 15-minute walk through the forest. When we arrived, he was given his riding hat and we headed into one of the stables to meet Bluebell (Blue for short).
It turned out that Bluebell has been with Pony Trekking Thetford Forest for around 10 years, so we felt confident that he’d be a good match for a complete beginner. Brushes in hand, our son began grooming Bluebell’s coat and mane, while we had the added bonus of being able to watch a riding lesson taking place outside at the same time. Even after the brushing alone, our son was already talking about wanting to book in for riding lessons, so we’ll be looking into those soon!
With Bluebell thoroughly groomed, we headed back outside to a raised platform where our son was shown how to mount, and he was proud to manage it first time. He was then led off for a short walk through the forest – and with spectators allowed for every part of these sessions, it was nice to walk alongside him for his first riding experience.
He was very surprised by just how smooth the ride was, having said that he was expecting it to be “a lot more bumpy”! We also learned a few unusual facts about Bluebell while we walked…like the fact that he has a penchant for blackberries, but can’t have too many as he is diabetic! The walk included a stop to pose for photos, too.
On our return to the stables, our son was expecting to be led back to the platform to dismount, but this wasn’t the case, and he swung his leg over to dismount to the ground like a pro. After a few minutes to pose for some photos with Bluebell before saying goodbye, it was time for a thorough washing of the hands before heading back to the car.
It was a short session at Pony Trekking Thetford Forest, but we didn’t want to overwhelm him on his first ride. 15 minutes was enough time to get to know Bluebell and give him a quick groom, and the other 15 minutes was plenty for a ride around the forest without it being too much for a total beginner.
If you have a child who has been asking to try riding but you don’t want to commit to a block of lessons before you know if they’ll enjoy it, the Pony Care and Ride session is a great introduction. Both the human team and the ponies are brilliant with kids, and the fact that our son wasn’t even halfway through the session before saying he wanted to come back was a good sign!
Now we’re just hoping he doesn’t start asking for a pony for Christmas…
Find out more and book a session at Pony Trekking Thetford Forest here.