Horseback Riding Camp in England

Programme Overview

The Follifoot Riding Centre, about a 30-minute drive from Queen Ethelburga's College, is beautifully located in peaceful farming countryside close to the famous spa town of Harrogate. All Instruction is in English and The Centre offers a good choice of well prepared ponies and horses to suit riders of all ages and abilities from first timers through the intermediate stages right up to advanced and competition standards.

Riding Facilities and Instruction Programme

The Riding School is a long established, successful equestrian centre run by the Pedley family. The impressive Julie Pedley heads up the operation and the instruction of our young riders at Follifoot. Julie is also on the committee of the Association of British Riding Schools and holds the ABRS TC, Principles Diploma and BHS AI status. 

Lessons are from 09.00 o 12.00 on Monday to Friday. On the first morning the group will be divided so that some campers will be introduced to the stable and the impressive Follifoot facilities whilst the others will set off for the first lesson. Midway through the morning after a 15-minute break the order is reversed. 

For the beginners and less experienced riders the time spent on horseback will be about one hour each morning at the start and as the course progresses riding time will be increased. For more experienced riders the aim will be to spend about 90 minutes actually riding.

With the guidance of the team of instructors, riders of all abilities will make steady progress with beginners and intermediates walking, trotting, cantering then jumping logs and eventually small fences. As a break from lessons, campers will enjoy fun competitions and ‘pony games’! Experienced riders will be taken through a more advanced programme. In addition to the riding instruction, campers will also learn about the care of horses, tacking up and stable husbandry, all essential elements of this comprehensive course. On the last morning, a highlight of the course will be the our Camp Gymkhana with fun individual and team games and competitions followed by the presentation of rosettes. 

The facilities at Follifoot include: 

a spacious indoor arena with a sand and rubber surface, sprinkler system and a viewing area

an outdoor floodlit manège with a sand and rubber chipping Charles Britain all-weather surface

a spacious paddock

access to country trails

horse-walker for 4 horses

an on-site working forge

The Stouse is a room where riders can relax. However, its main purpose is to house the amazing ‘Stan the Mechanical Horse’! Stan is a life size mechanical horse used by the instructors. A large mirror enables the rider to see any problems spotted by the instructors.

The ABRS Assessment & Certificate

On the penultimate day of the course, an external, independent examiner will test each rider and give an official grading. Shortly after Camp an ABRS Certificate will be sent to the camper confirming the grade attained. Riders returning in a subsequent year will be eligible to take an upgraded assessment test to improve their grades. 

Please Note: Early booking is recommended for this course which often becomes full as numbers for each session are limited to about 20 riders.

Accommodation and indoor amenities

• Open-plan apartments that usually accommodate four campers with a few larger 5-bedded apartments – all with air-conditioning
• Each apartment has en suite facilities with a walk-in shower, separate WC, a small kitchenette area, a sitting area and modern workspace
• Free internet and VOIP telephone calls at permitted times of the day
• Individual common rooms for the Yellow, Blues and Red age-groups
• Vast new ‘Atrium’ space for evening entertainment and "chilling out".

Facilities – outdoor and on-campus

The impressive sports and leisure facilities used by our camp are all grouped close to the accommodation or are set in the extensive grounds that surround the campus buildings.

Air-conditioned Sports Hall with vast spaces for indoor sports PLUS state-of-the-art basketball courts

Superb 25 meters heated indoor swimming pool 

Impressive air-conditioned theater with a large stage, sprung floors, quality acoustics , rehearsal rooms and 300+ comfortable seats

‘Muggles’ entertainment center with 3D cinema, Xboxes with 200 games and an array of digital games and music

Outside are impressive new state-of-the art grass pitches that have been re-drained and leveled with a mix of real and synthetic grass. This spacious, professionally-designed grass playing area is modeled on the new surface at Wembley Stadium in London. The new playing area remains in great condition even in adverse weather. There is an array of spectacular floodlights covering most of this area. 

Artificial standard pitches for rugby, cricket and field hockey as well as outdoor practice tennis and basketball courts

The celebrated ’Secret Garden’ with its impressive original statues and the Gardens – ideal for outdoor events, open-air meetings and BBQs.

Fresh, nutritious meals

Vegan, vegetarian and special diets catered for by arrangement

The fresh food, prepared in the state-of-the-art, hygienic kitchens, is presented self-service style, allowing campers to choose from the daily selection. Healthy appetites are well catered for!

Efficient self-service counter with a generous choice of different dishes at each meal time – with substantial portions!

Meals are taken together in the spacious air-conditioned ‘The Undercroft’

Breakfast is usually continental style with a hot English breakfast once or twice a week and a typical American-style hot brunch on Sundays

A vegetarian option is presented for each meal - with other diets available by written advance request

Salad bar with fresh salad available at every lunch and dinner

Fresh fruit and cold drinks are available at breakfast, lunch and dinner

BBQ in the Secret Garden – once every week.

Evening Activities

The busy and exciting programme of evening events is a real mix of house nights for each color group contrasting with the spectacular, popular and favorite all-camp special nights. Here are some of our fun-events:

• Carnival Night – Stalls, games, tricks and challenges plus the thrills and spills of some spectacular 'inflatables'
• Mission Impossible - Camp version of this challenging game
• Team BIG DAY - Fast moving competitive games, sports and fun team competitions
• Talent Night  - Mainly for the campers with some fun presentations from staff members. Always a great night!
• International Night - Campers are divided into different country groups and work together to prepare and serve traditional dishes from around the world to the whole camp. Afterwards each group presents a sketch, act, song or dance, typical of the country they are learning about as part of a colorful and fun all-camp spectacular show
• Pool Party - Supervised fun in the pool - with the evening divided into color groups
• Last night Awards Night & Farewell Party Disco  - with the presentation of camper-awards followed by a farewell disco-style party.
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Excursions

Excursions and visits are an important part of our programme mission of "Education Through Recreation™."

Full Day To Manchester – Saturday.

Manchester with a visit to the extensive Trafford Shopping & Leisure Centre. Time for shopping in this large complex with restaurants, coffee bars, leisure facilities and most of the major UK and international shopping chains represented. Leisure activities include spectacular games and a possible cinema visit depending on what films are available and the ages of each color group.

Half day excursion to nearby York – Sunday

York - after a lazy late morning and lunch, there is time to chill-out before the afternoon excursion to York, less than half an hour away. There is so much to see in this historic, walled city, notably the famous York Minster. Campers are divided into groups for the York Photo Challenge, encouraging each camper to explore, under supervision, many of the impressive buildings of this great city. There is time for shopping including the traditional shops in the ancient 'Shambles' area with its medieval buildings and cobbled streets.