Camps with horseback riding in Cambridge 2026

Riding camps for children in Cambridge are well-equipped, the staff is highly qualified – in addition to many years of experience in sports, many have undergone special training and received relevant diplomas and certificates. Safety is also at a high level: the boarding school grounds and training areas are guarded, animals selected for classes are calm and friendly, and younger children can start with ponies. Children are taught from day one not to approach a horse without the necessary protective equipment, including a helmet, special shoes and clothing: some camps provide equipment, others insist that it should be purchased independently, while others offer rentals.

Usually, everything is not limited to just horseback riding — many camps additionally offer an optional program that includes dozens of different sports: from football and tennis to squash or golf, orienteering lessons, swimming, hiking (there are tens of thousands of kilometers of hiking trails in England!) and cycling, and sometimes sailing, various types of rowing and kayaking. Cinema and blogging, storytelling, and photography are popular.

Most often, sports activities are combined with language practice. A holiday camp for children with horseback riding in Cambridge — is an excellent opportunity to improve your English: where else to learn it if not in the surroundings of this ancient university city? Usually, the first half of the day is devoted to language lessons — it is believed that it is easier to master new material at this time of day. The workload varies from 12-15 to 25-30 hours of classes per week. For an additional fee, you can arrange individual lessons, both general and preparatory or according to a special program.

In addition to English, camps in the vicinity of Cambridge offer educational programs in French, German, Italian, Spanish and several other languages.

In addition to language, sports and optional activities, excursions are widespread — both to Cambridge and London. In addition to visiting museums, theaters, Westminster and Parliament, you can go shopping or just take a walk with new friends.

A vacation in a camp with a horseback riding program in England with accommodation costs from 700-800£ per week, without accommodation — from 300-400£. This cost usually includes two horseback riding lessons per day, meals and some optional activities.

You will also have to pay for airfare, visa processing and medical insurance, if necessary — for round-trip transfer and additional dressage and language classes. In addition, students certainly need money for pocket expenses in accordance with their age and needs.

The choice of Cambridge for horseback riding lessons is quite obvious: this part of the country has many equestrian schools, and dozens of private schools in the county have their own rich traditions of teaching young riders.

• Cambridge is an old city with a rich history and culture, one of the most peaceful and safe cities in Great Britain. It is considered an excellent city for education and is among the top 10 best European cities for youth and students.
• The industrial era in Central England is long gone — by choosing Cambridge for your child's vacation, you can be sure that the holidays will take place in nature, they will return home physically stronger, well-rested, and with a wealth of new bright emotions and impressions.
• Interaction with a horse, the need to feed it and care for it, getting acquainted with the specifics of animal psychology will help you look at yourself from the outside, become more confident in yourself, harden your character, and caring for others will teach responsibility and independent decision-making.
• Most children's horseback riding camps in Cambridge operate at private schools or cooperate with them in one form or another, so a summer vacation can be another step that leads you to admission to one of the British schools.
• British education is a cultural, social and historical phenomenon. School graduates enter the best universities and are in demand in science, business and public service.
• Many camps with a horseback riding program in Cambridge additionally offer the opportunity to learn or improve a foreign language, improve pronunciation or learn to understand peers. The choice of language is not limited to English — it can be other languages, both European and, for example, Korean or Japanese. Research shows that learning in an informal and friendly environment of a summer camp is much more effective than the usual academic format.

Riding lessons for children in Cambridge are generally not standardized, although there are a number of camps and schools offering such classes at GCSE or A-level. As a rule, classes are held in group format: groups are formed on the first day, based on the level of training of students, their age, physical condition and availability of necessary skills.

Classes are structured according to a logic similar to professional athlete training programs, adjusted for age and basic level. As a rule, outdoor classes are held in the morning, which can be supplemented by lessons in indoor enclosures and arenas with artificial lighting.

The intensity also varies: beginners practice for 30-40 minutes a day and gradually increase the duration of lessons to two or two and a half hours. Experienced riders may practice for several hours twice a day. For an additional fee, you can agree on a plan for individual or group extra classes.

1. The theoretical component includes the history of riding as a discipline, the basics of veterinary knowledge and basic rules of horseback riding, including those related to safety techniques. Children will learn how to properly handle and care for a horse, what abilities this animal has, how hardy it is, what are its strengths and weaknesses.
2. Then follows a gradual transition to practical classes, each starting with a light warm-up. Students are taught to sit correctly in the saddle, balance, interact with the animal at different gaits and their changes. The partner animal for each rider is selected individually, taking into account physical abilities and compatibility of character. Classes can be held both individually and in groups.
3. As riding skills improve, children and adolescents can go beyond the school to try out their skills in rough terrain. The rolling green meadows of Central England, long and densely developed, are perfectly suited for walks: children will feel comfortable and safe here, no one will interfere with learning, but at the same time you can always find an adult nearby who will come to the rescue.
4. High school students with riding experience at GCSE level can obtain a national diploma of level 3 in riding, and schoolchildren in grades 10-11 (or 12th graders without previous qualifications) can obtain a BHSQ level 2.

Many schools have their own equestrian infrastructure, others prefer to establish connections with local stables and sports clubs (in this case, children are taken to classes and returned by bus).

Usually summer camps with a horseback riding program for children in Cambridge are located on the campuses of international private schools: such campuses are well-equipped, comfortable to live in, offer delicious food, and the choice of activities is not limited to horseback riding. Usually students have access to everything that schoolchildren use during the school year — from a stadium and swimming pool to computer classes, a dining room and recreation rooms.

Regarding accommodation, there are two main options: you can live on campus or with a host family.

1. Accommodation in a campus residence involves living in rooms with a capacity of 2 to 6-8 people (older children may live in single rooms), with a bathroom and toilet in the room or on the floor. The rooms are equipped with necessary furniture for rest and study, wardrobes for storing things and bedding. Many schools have internet access throughout the territory, others limit access to the network to special areas such as a computer class or library, while others equip access points even in bedrooms. Bedding and bath linens are usually provided, but laundry service is traditionally paid. If classes are held outside the campus, the school organizes transportation. Meals at these schools are at least three times a day, based in the dining room, cafes and restaurants on campus. If necessary, you can agree on a special menu that takes into account the specific needs of children: vegan or vegetarian, kosher or halal.
2. Host family accommodation is an excellent option for younger students and teenagers who need more intimate conditions and individual attention. Usually these are certified families with extensive experience. Conditions may vary, but as a rule, children live in rooms for 1-2 people, with a separate or shared bathroom, bedding is provided. Students have breakfast and dinner with the host family, and lunch in town or at the camp dining room. The food is homemade, if necessary, you can agree on a dietary or vegetarian diet for an additional fee.