Lee Valley Riding Centre, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QL
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Set in the heart of East London, in the green surroundings of Lee Valley Regional Park, Lee Valley Riding Centre caters for beginners and experienced riders in a friendly environment.
The Centre is a British Horse Society (BHS) accredited riding school and the first equestrian centre in the UK to be awarded a QUEST accreditation – a leisure industry award that recognises best practice.
The Riding Centre’s 45 horses and ponies have been carefully chosen to be safe, sensible and fun and include cobs, thoroughbreds and Welsh ponies. We've horses and ponies that are suitable for lessons for riders of all abilities, from beginners to advanced riders.
Group lessons, private tuition and beginner’s ‘Have-a-Go’ sessions are available, with pupils benefiting from the use of an indoor arena, two floodlit outdoor arenas and jumping facilities. Lessons on our cross-country jumping course are available to experienced riders.
Children who learn to ride here have plenty of opportunities to get involved and learn more about ponies. “Own a Pony” sessions for all ages are a popular school-holiday activity, and regular riders can become Stable Helpers, or even try out for the Lee Valley Pony Club team.
In partnership with the Riding for the Disabled Association, Lee Valley Riding Centre provides riding lessons for adults and children with disabilities.
Schools and youth groups can arrange riding lessons as an activity for children.
There are also opportunities for party bookings, a picnic area suitable for school groups and on-site coach parking.
Lee Valley Riding Centre’s facilities are continually being improved and expanded, with a second all-weather outdoor ménage, five new stables, cross country jump series, new cafeteria, viewing area and tack shop all recently added. The Riding Centre is also a ‘green’ centre, using solar panels, recycled bedding and a waste compactor to reduce its environmental impact.
The Riding Centre is a British Horse Society examination centre and provides preparation courses for BHS examinations – please call us for more details.
Lea Bridge Road in Leyton is a great place for a day out for all the family. Try a spot of golf, visit the Lee Valley Ice Centre or simply take in the tranquil surroundings of our award-winning green open spaces and nature reserves.
Accessibility
There's full access to the indoor arena viewing area, tack shop, cafeteria and yards for people in wheelchairs. The Riding Centre has a ramp and hoist to assist riders with limited mobility to mount horses. Lessons can be provided for riders with a variety of special needs.
Age limit : minimum 5 years old for group lessons. Younger children from 3 and a half years old may ride if there's a riding hat to fit them, but only in private lessons.
Weight limit : maximum 13 stone.
Lee Valley Riding Centre
Riding Lessons
There'is an indoor arena and two floodlit outdoor arenas where we provide riding lessons. The Centre can provide dressage and show jumping tuition and there's a cross-country jumping course available for experienced riders when ground conditions permit.
There's also space to hold children’s parties on site, with coach parking and a picnic area suitable for school groups.
Beginners’ Lessons
'Have-a-Go' groups are designed specifically for complete beginners. There are small classes for children and adults and the horse or pony will be led until the rider feels comfortable without assistance.
Group Lessons
Group lessons are run on weekends and weekday evenings. Places are subject to assessment by one of the BHS qualified instructors, who can recommend the most suitable lesson to join. Assessment is available during private or 'Have-a-Go' sessions.
Private Lessons
These are available seven days a week. Visitors can ride alone, or with up to two friends. Private lessons are suitable for complete beginners and advanced riders alike. Jumping and lunge lessons can also be arranged.
Booking and Cancellation Policy
All lessons must be booked and paid for in advance. All major credit and debit cards are accepted and payment can be taken over the telephone.
Lee Valley Regional Park requires 48 hours notice of cancellation for all bookings.
We will not be able to re-schedule or refund the cost of lessons that are cancelled less than 48 hours in advance.
We require a minimum of four riders to run each hour-long group lesson. If there are three riders, the length of the lesson will be forty-five minutes, and if there are one or two riders it will run for half an hour. In these situations the lessons are effectively shared private lessons, and riders will receive the equivalent intense tuition.
Wherever possible, we will try to notify you in advance of changes to duration.
We wish to ensure all our customers enjoy their experience with us. Therefore, to avoid disruption to other riders, if your group has already started when you arrive, you will not be able to join it.
We cannot refund the cost of lessons missed due to lateness – please aim to be at the Centre at least ten minutes before your lesson is due to start.
What to wear
Riding hats to the current safety standard (EN 1384:1996; BSEN 1384:1997; PAS 015 1998: ASTM F1163 or higher) are required and must be worn by everyone who rides at the Centre.
Hats are available to hire at £2.40 per session. Hats are free for 'Have-a-Go' customers, or are available to buy from the Tack Shop.
Riders need to be suitably dressed in jodhpurs or loose fitting or stretchy trousers and a top with sleeves. It is important that suitable footwear is worn, such as strong shoes or boots
with a small block heel .The Riding Centre cannot allow customers to ride in trainers or other footwear with a flat sole.
News
The doors of the Riding Centre opened once again on Bank Holiday Monday for our annual Open Day.
Although not blessed with the sunshine of last year, the visitors still came in their thousands to enjoy the range of activities including Horseball and Riding Club demonstrations, nature activities with the Lee Valley Youth and Schools department, lambs from Lee Valley Park Farm, carousel rides, a climbing wall and face painting.
Over 500 children were also given the opportunity to have a free pony ride, and fifty people enjoyed a free carriage ride.
We would like to say thank you to all the staff and volunteers who helped us to make the day such a success, but the biggest thanks of all must go to our horses and ponies who worked so hard all day giving rides and demonstrations.
Environmental Information:
Compactor
Barrows of muck and soiled bedding are automatically emptied into the compactor, which was specially designed and built for the Centre. A hydraulic press then pushes the waste inside the compactor container.
The compactor minimizes the volume of muck produced and speeds up its decomposition rate.
Bywaters works with Waltham Forest Borough Council to dispose of the contents of the compactor. All the 'waste' generated by the horses and ponies is distributed to allotments in the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
Bedding
Rubber matting and EcoBed cardboard bedding is used in most of the school horses and ponies’ stables.
The cardboard is reclaimed from the manufacturing industry and may otherwise have been disposed of within landfill sites.
Using rubber matting means we need to use less bedding.
Cardboard bedding is biodegradable and can be placed into the compactor.
Cardboard bedding breaks down more quickly than shavings or straw when used in compost.
Solar Panels
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Directions
Location information How to get here:
Bus
The numbers 48, 55 and 56 buses all run along the Lea Bridge Road.
Car
The Riding Centre is situated on the A104, Lea Bridge Road next door to Lee Valley Ice Centre.
Train
The nearest train station is Clapton which is approximately 25 minutes walk from the Riding Centre.
