Residential Pony Camps
We aim to provide a well rounded, really fun, action packed, educational holiday experience in a safe environment, and we are sure you will enjoy yourself if you decide to join us this summer. Boys and girls have enjoyed Summer Pony Camps at Valley Farm since 1986 with many returning year after year. Our riding holidays are for unaccompanied individuals or groups, and are best for children aged between 6 and 16. OFSTED Registered VC374742. Childcare Vouchers accepted.
2026 was our 40th year of Summer Pony Camps at Valley Farm.
To celebrate we are compiling a memories album on facebook which you can view or add to here (40 years of Pony Camp Album)
Five Day Summer Camp
We offer all-inclusive residential pony camps for 5 days, for children, each Monday morning to Friday evening during the summer holidays. Accommodation is in our wooden 'Summer Houses' on site. Our camps are suitable for children of all abilities. Children are provided with the opportunity to improve their riding and horse care skills, and try out lots of different equestrian sports and activities
2027 Pony Camp Dates
Price £900.00 all inclusive - £200.00 non-refundable / non-transferable deposit paid on booking.
*Due to popular request we have added an extra camp for 2027 for young adults/students aged 16-22. July 12th to 14th. It will follow a similar format to our children's pony camps with all your favourite activities.
£540 for 3 days now bookable online at www.valley-farm.ecpro.co.uk
If you wish to move weeks after booking (if spaces available) there is a £30.00 administration fee per place.
Please note that deposit payments and full payments are non refundable and non transferable. We recommend you take out holiday insurance in case you need to cancel your booking.
The balance is due in full by the 1st May. (unless paying in full after 1st May)
Non-Residential Pony Days. Pony days take place on selected days every half term and school holiday.9.30 to 3.30 daily £75 per day.
How to book
Register and book at valley-farm.ecpro.co.uk click link.
Select your desired holiday start date (or dates as quite a few children stay for more than one week), then follow the on-screen instructions. If you have any problems please email stacy@valleyfarm.co.uk
If you wish to pay by childcare vouchers / Government Tax free Childcare scheme please register as above then contact stacy@valleyfarm.co.uk to complete your booking.
You will still need to complete a PONY CAMP BOOKING FORM click link as this gives us more information, to help provide you with the best possible experience.
Methods of payment
The £200.00 deposit is taken by the online booking system, the deposit is non refundable/non transferable. If you wish to pay by childcare vouchers or Government Tax free Childcare scheme register at valley-farm.ecpro.co.uk and email stacy@valleyfarm.co.uk to allocate your space.
Our preferred method of payment for the balance is by BACS Bank payment to - Ling-Robertson Limited. sort code 20 98 07 account number 93358879. Please use the child's initial, surname and date of camp as the reference. Please note that deposit payments and full payments are non refundable and non transferable. We recommend you take out holiday insurance in case you need to cancel your booking.
If you have any problems please contact Stacy in the office on 01728 746916 or email stacy@valleyfarm.co.uk
Once you have booked, you will find a list of things you need to pack, on the bottom of this page. Don't forget to bring your Medical Consent Form in on the day. This is emailed to you with the confirmation of final payment. If you haven't received it please check we have received your booking form and have your correct email address.
Non- Residential Pony Days - School Holidays
Every half term and school holiday we offer Pony Days, which provide children with the opportunity to try out a selection of equestrian sports, get hands on with pony care and stable management as well as pony themed fun, games and lectures along the lines of the activities offered on our camps. Children can come and join in daily for as many of these days as they like, or children from further afield can stay overnight with their parents on our camping and caravan site or in our holiday lodge. Register and book at valley-farm.ecpro.co.uk click link.
Activity Days/Camps for Schools
A number of schools take part in our Activity Pony Camps. Some come for a day, but others for the whole week. It is possible to stay on site with school teachers, or come in daily. If you think it is something your school or youth group might like to do, then let them know about us! These are only available during normal school term time, Monday to Friday.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Our five day camps satisfy the requirements for your DofE gold award residential section.
What happens on Summer Pony Camps at Valley Farm:
We encourage young people to become curious about the different equestrian sports and pursuits that exist and how they can benefit horses and riders. To have a go at loads of different horsey activities including Side saddle riding, Western Riding, Horseball, Polocrosse, Vaulting, Long reining, Mounted Games, Show Jumping, Horse Care. We provide opportunities to ride and interact with lots of different horses and ponies and learn about safety, welfare and observe horses living in a herd environment. Riding lessons and different horsey activities take place every day, as well as supervised games, quizzes and entertainment.
Our holidays & activity days are based on the ideals of the Pony Club which are:
N.B. Children do not need to be members of the Pony Club UK to join us for pony camp or activity days. Our Pony Camps are suitable for all boys and girls including, members, non members, able-bodied and disabled children, please phone to discuss details if you have any concerns regarding your child's ability.
Weight limit
We have a weight limit of 10 stone. This is because the ponies trained for all the specialist activities are not all weight carriers. We have a wide range of horses and ponies to suit riders of all abilities, but children are also welcome to bring their own pony if they wish. Own ponies will be looked after and ridden only by their owners (livery fee applies).
Supervision
The children are overseen at all times and assisted when necessary, but they are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves. They do their own washing up, make their own beds and arrive for each activity when the bell rings.
Don't worry if you are a novice or have never ridden, our ponies have done it all before and will make you an expert in no time. We have around 35 well trained horses to choose from so you are sure to find a suitable companion.
24 hour supervision is provided with supervised activities during the day and evening and dedicated night staff. One of the directors also lives on site and the whole yard is covered by CCTV.
The camps are overseen by Helen (Phoebe) Ling, BHS APC level 4. She attended a number of Valley Farm Pony camps herself as a child. She now has 2 children of her own. She is assisted by a team of friendly qualified staff.
Groups
Children are divided into small groups for riding activities. The groups are allocated according to age and friendships. We also take into account the suitability of the ponies for each group based on the information provided on the booking forms.
For meals, breaks and the evening games and activities, such as ball games, campfire and crafts, the groups join together. During the day the groups rotate, so everyone has a go at every activity. The riding lessons are progressive throughout the week, and where possible we aim to keep children with the same pony so they can build a relationship with it. For the other equestrian activities, such as western, carriage driving, polo etc, we usually use one or two ponies who are trained for the specific activity. Children take turns on the ponies while the others assist or practice on the tin horses allowing for personalised instruction.
Each day includes a riding lesson, a practical lesson in some aspect of pony care, and various horse activities as listed below. Each activity lasts for about an hour. We do not aim to make anybody an expert in this time. We simply aim to provide the opportunity for children to try out loads of different equestrian sports, so they can get a feel for what the different sports are about and have fun while doing it. Every child will have the opportunity to ride lots of different horses/ponies and learn a wide variety of new skills.
Horse Activities
Non-horse Activities
In addition to the above activities we often invite guests form the equine industry to visit, so topics may change slightly from one camp to another. (If you know somebody who might enjoy talking to a group of children about their role in the equine industry then why not ask them to contact us!) Generally there are more topics than listed here and topics vary from year to year to ensure there is always something new for those returning more than once. In addition to those listed we have also covered the following, some of which we will be repeating this year:
Accommodation
Accommodation is in wooden 'Wendy Houses'. These sleep four. If you are coming with a friend, or friends, we will try to make sure you can sleep together, provided you let us know who you want to be with when you fill in your booking form! You are welcome to bring your own tent if you wish. There is CCTV in operation on the camp site at night, and night nannies stay on site with the children. Located within the fenced area in which the children camp, is the toilet and shower block. This is lit at night. The camp site is located right next to the proprietors house.
If you have your own pony....
Why not bring him on holiday with you? Own ponies live in, feed/hay to be provided by owner. (Lots of our regulars bring their own ponies, who I think enjoy the change as much as their owners!) If you haven't got your own pony, then we can match you up with one of ours, suitable for the activity of the day. Own ponies are ridden by their owners every day and take part in pony care sessions. For activities such as horseball, vaulting, carriage driving etc our ponies are used as many of the activities require specific training. Livery fee applies for own ponies. Visiting ponies must come from private disease free yards and have a current passport.
Want to see more?
You can see lots of videos on You Tube, which children have posted over the years. Follow this link to watch them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ieXE0Kj-bM
You can also find us on TIKTOK (@valleyfarmequestrian) | TikTok
You can find lots more photos on our facebook page, which you can view even if you are not signed up to facebook.
click here to link to pony camp photos on facebook
click here to link to pony camp photos from 2024 on facebook
If you would like to find out more about Valley Farm follow this link to our public facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ValleyFarmOnline.co.uk
The small print!
Bookings and cancellations Our preferred method of payment for the balance is direct bank transfer. You can also pay by debit card in person or over the phone. Please contact us if you wish to pay using childcare vouchers, or if you wish to make your payment in two installments. Please ensure you return the booking form when you make your payment. If you wish to change the week you have booked to another there will be a £30.00 administration charge. Payments are non-refundable / non-transferable, we recommend you take out holiday insurance in case you need to cancel your booking.
Valley Farm (Ling-Robertson Ltd) is not liable for refunds or expenses you incur in the event we are prevented from fulfilling your Booking as a result of circumstances beyond our control. Such circumstances shall include (but not be limited to) war, terrorism, riots or civil unrest, industrial action, flooding, natural disaster, epidemics, health risks or such similar events ("Force Majeure"). We recommend that you have adequate holiday insurance in place to cover this.
Please make sure you have adequate travel insurance in place to cover your costs if you need to cancel your booking.
Communication: We prefer the children to immerse themselves in camp and make new friends rather than continually texting, therefore the use of personal communication gadgets is strongly discouraged. To minimise disruption, if you wish to speak to your child during camp, please telephone between 7.30am and 8.30 am. It is possible to leave messages with the office staff at other times. Messages/post will be delivered to your child during break times. We often find that young children can become homesick after speaking to their parents so we prefer parents to call in the morning. If there is an emergency we will of course deliver a message to your child whenever needed.
Behaviour: Physical or verbal abuse towards staff, other children or our animals will not be tollerated. Anyone acting inappropriately may be asked to leave. Any child who is disruptive or abusive towards staff or to other children/adults or towards themselves will be asked to leave immediately, there will be no refund or credit.
Insurance: Valley Farm is licensed with East Suffolk Council and has full public liability insurance. Children may like to take out their own personal accident insurance. For your reassurance we are also Ofsted registered. We recommend all bookings are protected by travel insurance.
Meals: All meals including water and squash are included in the price. Additional Fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps are available to be purchased from the vending machines. If your child has special dietary needs, please inform us on your booking form.
Dropping off and collecting your child: Children arrive between 9.00am - 9.30am on Monday and depart after the presentations at 4.00pm on Friday. Parents are welcome to drop off their child any time from 9am on the Monday morning, and can remain until 10am to help them settle in if required. Games are organised between 9am amd 10am to help the children get to know one another.
Please note these holiday’s are unaccompanied, we ask that parents/friends do not come to see the children unless agreed with us. In which case we will arrange a time during break/lunch where you can meet up. Please do not come along to watch the activities it disrupts the day and can cause homesickness in other children.
On Friday the children are free to leave at 4.30, but if parents wish to arrive from 4pm to help pack bags and watch the prize giving, they are welcome to do so. Please ensure you check your child out with a staff member when you leave.
Photos/Social media: Unfortunately we are unable to send individual photos to parents. We try and take a range of photos of children who have given media permission and these will be published on our social media sites.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO PACK- PLEASE NAME ALL ITEMS CLEARLY !
Usual riding clothes including Riding Hat to current standard (minimum PAS 015 2011) and riding boots,
Changes of clothes (T-shirts/shorts and trainers for evening activities)
Sleeping mat or single sized mattress or Camp bed
Pillow, Blanket, Sleeping bag.
Pyjamas.
Torch,
Wellies and Waterproof coat
Soft shoes/trainers are required for vaulting
Sunblock
Hairbrush
Deodorant
Wash things (Shampoo, shower gel, toothbrush toothpaste etc.)
Towel
Any routine medications inc sanitary towels( if applicable).
Hair bands as long hair must be tied back for all activities.
Plasters, as many children suffer from blisters when wearing boots every day!
Water bottle/cup, Bowl, Plate, Knife, Fork, Spoon. Tea Towel (and carrier bag to keep items in),
Insect repellent and insect bite cream.
Medical consent form - this will have been sent to you in the confirmation email.
Optional Items
Money for Tuck Shop (can be kept in reception if required, in a named money bag), Grooming kit, Plaiting Bands/Ribbons etc. for Pony Pamper. Disposable camera. Body protector to BETA level 3 current standard for cross country.
N.B. Please keep jewellery to a minimum (watch & small earrings only)
It is recommended that expensive electronic devices, phones etc. are left at home. If they are brought, they must be clearly named, and will be collected in overnight, and returned at breakfast time.
Lost property (if found) can be collected in person, or we will package it for you to arrange a courier collection. An admin fee of £10.00 applies to find and package any item to be returned.
FAQ:
Q: DO YOU DO HOLIDAYS FOR ADULTS?
A: YES, If you are too old for a Children's Pony Camp but don't want to miss out on all the fun, we hold activity days for adults. If you fancy a longer break, you can come with a group of friends and stay on our campsite or enjoy the comfort of our holiday lodge (if camping is no longer up your street!) You can then book lessons in as many of our equestrian activities as you would like, enjoy delicious meals in the cafe, and spend your spare time relaxing on the farm, exploring the farm walks or doing your own thing.
Q: CAN BOYS ATTEND CAMP?
A: YES Although is it mostly girls who attend camps, we often have a few boys. The boys sleep in their own cabin.
Q: CAN I BE IN A GROUP WITH MY FRIENDS?
A: YES, please let us know on your booking form if you have friends you would like to be with. Our cabins sleep up to 4 and the riding groups are usually up to 8. We will do our best to let friends stay together and ride together, where possible.
Q: CAN I BRING TREATS FOR THE PONIES?
A:YES, but we do not encourage hand feeding of snacks during the day because it can cause jealousy among the other ponies. We have a treat bucket where treats can be left in reception and then divided up fairly at breakfast time.
Sample Day
8.00 BREAKFAST.
8.30 Pony Care Lesson.
9.00 Grooming and tacking up
10.00 Whole group activity or informative talk from vet etc.
10.30 MID MORNING BREAK
11.00 Activity (Horseball, Carriage Driving, Vaulting etc. etc depending on the day of the week)
12.00 Riding Lesson (Flatwork, Obstacle course, Jumping, Cross Country, Hacking etc.)
1.00 LUNCH
2.00 Pony Care lesson/Practical (Rugging, Natural horsemanship, Video, Quiz, Lungeing, Preparing for a show etc)
3.00 Afternoon activity (Mounted Games, Western, Horse boarding, Side-saddle etc)
4.00 AFTERNOON BREAK
4.30 Afternoon stables. Skip out, brush off, turn out horses.
5.30 Supervised free time: Showers, games, Videos, etc.
6.00 SUPPER
7.00 Organised evening activities, campfire, talent shows etc until bedtime.
updated August 2026
