Every Friday afternoon, eight horse-loving pupils from Bethany School swap classrooms for the great outdoors as they travel to Hemsted Forest Riding School for their much-loved Equestrian Club. It’s the perfect way to end the week, and excitement builds the moment they arrive to board the mini-bus.

Most of the session is spent riding, where pupils focus on developing correct posture, balanced positions and gentle, confident riding. With encouragement from experienced instructors, they practice smooth transitions and work their way up to canter, feeling proud as their skills improve each week.

There are a mixture of abilities from first time riders to those with their own ponies – they make a fantastic group who are all willing to help each other and are kind, positive and enthusiastic.

Pupils also learn how to tack up and untack properly, then lovingly rug up the ponies and give them a well-earned pat. It’s hands-on cold, muddy fun – and everyone counts down the days until next Friday!

Hemsted Forest Riding School is an affiliated Centre for The Pony Club. Pony Club Achievement Badges cover a range of basic equestrian and countryside topics and, as each one is passed, the appropriate cloth badge can be sewn onto your Pony Club sweatshirt.