When you're ready to look, compare pony parties near you. We list the details each yard publishes on its own website and link to the page we took them from.
Start with age and numbers
These two rule yards in or out faster than anything else.
Minimum age. Some yards take riders from 2 or 3 on a lead rein. Others start at 4, and a few only take children from 7. If the birthday child is turning 6 but half the guests are 5, check the lower limit applies to the youngest guest, not just the birthday child.
Group size. Most yards set a minimum and a maximum number of riders, often somewhere between 5 and 15. A yard with eight ponies can't put twelve children on at once, so a bigger party usually means taking turns. Ask how the yard handles that, and how long each child actually rides.
Questions to ask the yard
Copy these into a message or have them ready when you ring.
- What ages do you take, and is that the youngest rider or the birthday child?
- What's the minimum and maximum number of children? Is there a charge for numbers below the minimum?
- What's included? Riding, grooming, games, decorating the ponies, rosettes, a party bag.
- How long do the children ride for? Party length and riding time are not the same thing, so ask for both.
- Can we bring food and a cake? Is there a room or a covered area to eat in, or do we need to take everyone elsewhere?
- What happens if it rains? Is there an indoor school or covered arena, and is it kept free for the party?
- Do you provide riding hats? Many yards lend hats. Check sizes run small enough for the youngest guests, and what footwear children need. Wellies are often not allowed in the saddle.
- What do non-riders and parents do? Siblings, nervous children and adults need somewhere to wait and watch.
- Who leads the ponies? Staff, or parents? How many staff are there per child?
- Is the yard insured for parties? Ask whether their public liability cover includes party groups, and whether they're licensed by the local council to hire out horses. Riding schools in England, Scotland and Wales need that licence.
What the formats look like
Led rides. Each child sits on a pony while a member of staff or a parent leads it, usually around the arena or along a short track. Best for the youngest children and for groups where no one has ridden before.
Lesson style. An instructor runs a short group lesson: walking, some trotting for confident riders, simple exercises. Better for children who've ridden before, and often the format that suits 7 and 8 year olds best.
Grooming and games. Children brush and look after the ponies, then play games on foot or mounted, such as bending races or egg and spoon. Some yards add pony decorating with chalk, glitter or ribbons. This format keeps a larger group busy when there aren't enough ponies for everyone to ride at once.
Many parties combine two or three of these. The split between riding time and everything else is the thing to pin down.
Comparing prices
Yards price parties in two ways, which makes side-by-side comparison awkward.
Per child. You pay a set amount for each rider. A yard charging £30 per child costs £300 for 10 children and £360 for 12.
Flat fee. You pay one price for the party, usually up to a set number of children, with a charge for each extra child. A £300 flat fee for up to 10 children works out at £30 each if all 10 come, but £50 each if only 6 do.
To compare fairly, work out the total for your actual guest list, then check what's not included: hat hire, food, extra children, the room. Our pony party listings do the first part for you when you enter the number of children.
Across the 21 yards we list that publish a per-child party price, most charge between £25 and £50 per child. Compare them here.
Before the day
- Confirm numbers a week ahead. Some yards charge for the booked number regardless.
- Send guests' parents the yard's clothing rules: long trousers, boots with a small heel, no loose jewellery.
- Ask each parent about allergies to animals or hay.
- Bring a change of clothes. Yards are muddy for most of the year.