How to Start a Hobby Horse Club

Most UK hobby-horse clubs began as two families in a village hall. You need less than you think to begin, but a little structure makes it last.

Start with one session

Book a hall or use a park for an hour. Invite anyone interested. Run a warm-up, a couple of games and a short jumping or dressage session. See who comes back.

Then get the basics right

• Venue — safe flooring, storage if possible, and a regular slot.
• Insurance — public liability cover appropriate to youth sport activity.
• Safeguarding — a named welfare officer, a written policy, and clear rules on photography and social media.
• First aid — a stocked kit and someone who knows how to use it.

Membership

Decide whether you run drop-in sessions, termly membership, or both. Keep fees low and transparent; hobby horsing appeals partly because it is affordable. Record contact details for a parent or guardian for every child member and store them securely.

Structure

Even a small club benefits from three named roles: someone who runs sessions, someone who handles money, and someone responsible for welfare. Write down who does what.

Sessions that keep riders coming

Mix skills, games and a short challenge every week. Add a small in-house competition each term with rosettes. Progress you can see is what keeps children returning.

Growing

List your club publicly so local families can find you. Talk to schools, libraries and Brownie or Scout groups. Visit a nearby show as a group — riders who compete once usually bring a friend next time.

Looking outward

Share dates with neighbouring clubs and take turns hosting. A county-wide friendly competition is far easier to run between three clubs than alone.