Can I feed the horses?
Almost everybody wants to. The answer is a warm yes with one firm condition attached, and the condition is the important half.
You may bring suitable treats such as apples or carrots — but ask the riding staff before you feed any horse. Not every horse should have every food, some are on restricted diets, and a horse that has learned people always have food in their pockets becomes a nuisance and then a hazard. The staff know which horse is which. Ask, every time, even on your second visit.
Why asking actually matters
- Some horses are on managed diets. You cannot tell which by looking.
- Some do not take food politely. A horse that snatches is not being mean, but it is faster than your hand.
- Feeding in a group starts arguments. Horses standing near each other and one bag of carrots is a recipe for barging and pinned ears.
- It teaches a habit. A horse that expects food from every stranger goes through pockets, and that behaviour lands on the next rider, not on you.
How to offer a treat, if you are told yes
Flat palm, fingers together and straight, thumb tucked in. Let the horse take it from the flat of your hand rather than from your fingertips — a horse cannot tell where a carrot ends and a finger begins, and it is not trying to.
Cut apples into quarters and carrots lengthways rather than into coins. Long pieces are safer than round ones.
One treat, then step back. Do not stand there with a bag.
What not to bring
- Bread, biscuits, crisps, sweets, chocolate — none of it belongs in a horse.
- Grass cuttings from anywhere. Genuinely dangerous to horses, and people offer them with the best intentions.
- Anything from the hotel buffet that you would not be able to name the ingredients of.
And if the answer is no
Take it gracefully. A member of staff saying no to your carrot is doing their job for an animal that cannot say it for itself, and it usually means something specific about that horse that they are not going to explain in front of a queue.
There is always the neck. Almost every horse would rather be scratched at the base of the mane than handed a carrot anyway.
More on how the horses are looked after: how our horses are cared for.
Ready to ride?
The standard hour has a price and a calendar. Sunset, sunrise and private rides are arranged with the riding centre.
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