Come to Us

Claire Lilley’s Hoof Camp

We are now able offer residential short-term training for both rider and horse at our licensed riding centre set in 10 acres of countryside at Little Copse Farm in Wiltshire. We can plan an intensive training programme for you to help you get the best from your horse and give you a written programme to follow when you get back home. During your stay, (for a supplemental cost) it may be useful for you to experience a lunge lesson on one of our Schoolmaster horses to help to improve your seat. We can help you to find a solution to any ridden problems you have been experiencing, or you may want to improve on your riding technique or your horse’s way of going.

We teach all aspects of horse management and training including, dressage, show jumping, lungeing, in-hand work, horse care and handling. We cater for all levels on an individual basis from novice to advanced. We also can help with basic training for young horses, re-schooling and remedial work for problem horses and horses recovering from injury.

Local Hotel and B&B accommodation is available. Local attractions include the historic antiquities, Stonehenge, Avebury, National Trust sites, Laycock village and Abbey. Bath is thirty minutes away.

Indicative Prices - Daily Training and horse care:

Stabled:

£52.50 per day per horse/rider (including one approximately one hour ridden or lunging session only)

£70.00 per day for horse and rider including two training sessions. One of these can be a schoolmaster lunge lesson for a supplement of £10.

Weekly Rates

Full livery:

£250 per horse per week. (includes a minimum of five daily training session and handling as necessary)

Lessons

Private:

£40 per hour per horse/rider

Group:

By arrangement – please enquire.

Livery rates include hay and straw, and basic horse care. Additional grooming, hemp bedding, haylage are available at extra cost. Owners should provide their own hard feed. All Prices exclusive of VAT. Email us or Phone: 01380 812483 or mobile 07710 420 357 / 07767 346 581 for more details.

Schoolmaster Lunge Lessons

Improve your seat on one of our schoolmasters

We can offer lunge lessons on our schoolmaster horses. This is the ideal way to improve your seat in the saddle. You can concentrate fully on improving your position and balance in the saddle without worrying about what the horse is doing! We will cast an expert eye over your riding technique, and help you to improve your body awareness and application of the aids.

Learn lungeing and in-hand techniques with our experienced horses

Learn how to work horses on the lunge and in-hand with our schoolmasters, who are very experienced in this type of work. We will instruct you in basic techniques before progressing to more advanced exercises.

Price £50 per lesson.

Young Horse Training Programme

We pride ourselves on producing well-trained young horses that are confident in their work and easy to handle around the stables. This, of course, takes time and we do not rush the training process.

It normally takes between three and six months to produce a horse that is ridden under saddle and understands the rider's aids in walk trot and canter. Of course, there are circumstances where it can take even longer, particularly when here is a history of injury or previous ridden or handling problems.

Handling training is on-going throughout the horse's daily routine, for example the horse should stand quietly in his stable while the box is mucked out, he should be quiet when being groomed or having his feet picked out. He should be easy to lead to the field and willing to come in again. It is amazing how many horses we come across who have missed out on the basics- simple good manners make owning a horse a pleasure instead of a nightmare! (Further details and training tips are in my book, The Problem-free Horse)

Our staff are specially trained to recognise signs of stress, or naughtiness, and keep an eagle eye on all our charges throughout the day. Often a friendly word at the right time over the stable door is all that is needed to reassure an anxious horse, and help to build his trust in people. We encourage owners to participate in the horses training so that they know how to continue when they have the horse back at their premises. Follow-up training is advisable to keep both horse and owner on the straight and narrow! This helps to prevent problems developing by catching issues early on.

A sample of a training programme for the young horse is as follows:

Every day

handling training

First month

Work on the lunge and in-hand work

Second month

Work on the lunge and in-hand work

 

introduction to wearing a saddle, mounting and dismounting

 

Lungeing over poles on the ground

Third month

Work on the lunge, in-hand work

 

mounting and dismounting training

 

pole work

 

free-jumping over small obstacles

 

ridden work in walk and trot, depending on individual progress

Fourth month

Work on the lunge, in-hand work

 

Mounting and dismounting training

 

Lungeing or ridden work over poles on the ground

 

Free-jumping over small obstacles

 

Ridden work in walk, trot and canter, depending on individual progress

 

Getting used to traffic and hacking

 

Loading and travelling

This is, of course, a rough guide, and various stages can take more or less time depending on how both the horse and owner cope with the regime. There is no point in progressing the horse to the next stage if the owner is not ready, and vice versa. We aim to send both horse and owner home happy, confident, and trusting each other and will do our best to achieve this, but do bear in mind we do not have a `magic wand' and cannot perform miracles!

Short term training by the week is £250 per week (plus VAT).

Our Long-term training (requires a booking of three months minimum) is at the special rate of £750 per month (plus VAT) If you would like to find out more about training for your horse, please contact us.