Old Town Riding School is a small friendly, family run riding school = in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

TESTIMONIALS

Want to know what others think before booking? Head over to our booking website to see what our visitors have to say. From the first-timers to returning regulars. Check out our reviews:

https://book.heygoldie.com/OldTownRidingSchool/reviews

My daughter, who is now 10, has been riding at Old Town Riding School since she was a toddler, and I honestly can’t recommend this wonderful place enough. From her very first lesson, she has felt safe, supported, and encouraged every step of the way. Laura and her fantastic team are not only highly professional and experienced, but also incredibly friendly, patient, and welcoming. They have created a warm, family-like atmosphere where every child is made to feel important and valued. The team have taken the time to really get to know my daughter, and they’ve nurtured both her riding skills and her confidence in such a gentle and caring way. Over the years, I’ve watched her grow from a shy little girl being led on a pony to a confident young rider who absolutely loves being around the horses and looks forward to her lessons every week. It’s so much more than just a riding school – it’s a place where children learn responsibility, respect for animals, and build lifelong memories. Old Town Riding School has truly been a big part of my daughter’s journey, and I’m so grateful for the positive impact it has had on her. If you’re looking for a riding school that combines excellent instruction with a genuinely nurturing environment, this is the place. Thank you to Laura and the whole team for everything you do! 27th June 2025.

Old Town Riding School are absolutely amazing, fantastic and friendly staff, the horses are amazing. They have been fantastic with my children who have autism. I definitely recommend this riding school. 26th June 2025.

My daughter is autistic and also has ADHD. She suffers from high levels of anxiety which make things very difficult for her and her behaviour quite challenging, especially during lock down in early 2021 when schools were closed. I'd heard a lot about equine therapy and Old Town Riding School was recommended to me by parents on a Facebook support group. It's been amazing for her. The sessions are taken at her pace, while still gently encouraging her to push herself a little bit, which has given her a great sense of achievement. She loves the mix of riding and grooming - she really enjoys getting close to the horses and sees this as a safe place for her. The whole environment is nurturing and supportive and when we've needed an extra session, for example during school holidays, Laura has done what she can to fit her in. I cannot recommend enough. Mother of a young person with autism and ADHD.

I have been going to Old Town Riding School for 18 months for Equine Support and have loved every minute. Laura and the team are really welcoming and supportive, not to mention the horses. I look forward to going every Friday, its a great escape from life and being around the horses has helped me so much with my anxiety. I would recommend Equine Support at Old Town Riding School to everyone . Young Person that attends Roman Fields Provision.

My son, Conner, has been receiving equine therapy for around 18 months now at the Old Town Riding School and he has enjoyed every minute of it. Conner has complex needs and is out of school more than he is in. However the equine support has not only helped develop his cognitive and language skills but also helped him with emotional bonds which we hope will help him further with his social and communication skills with other people later on in life. The whole team are friendly, polite and welcoming making him feel calm and settled every time he attends. Mother of a young person with complex needs.

We would like to say a BIG THANK YOU for all of you support with a young person that has been attending your sessions over the past few months. She has learnt a lot and really enjoyed coming down each week to your riding school and also the positive relationship you have built with her. This has been a transformational experience and you really "get her." Support staff of a 17yro young person.

My wife had been really struggling with her mental health especially after having to shield for over a year due to Covid-19, she became withdrawn and depressed. My wife started to spend time at the stables doing equine support as we have seen how well it had worked with our children and hoped it would work for adults just as well. Grooming the horses has helped to boost her morale and improve her well being. Being outside in the fresh air and having something to focus on enabled my wife to be able to clear her mind and forget about the worries of Covid-19. I have been ill and not been able to support and help my wife, Laura and the stables have been absolute lifesavers and helped so much at the extremely challenging, unpredictable and worrying time with constant support. They have always gone above and beyond. Thank you so much. Husband of wife that attends equine support sessions.

Our daughter first attended Old Town Riding School on her 8th birthday in 2019, where she took part in a unicorn experience. It was then that we realised just how much of a calming effect horses have on her. Laura took the time to talk to us about our daughter and her needs, and suggested that we try an equine support session specifically catered to her needs. We did and since then have never looked back. Laura and her team have made our daughter grow and blossom into the young person she is becoming. She refers to the stables as her "happy place," "it's like being home with family but better as there are horses." She has not only become a good horse rider but she has grown in confidence and gained life skills to help her in the future. She has been accepted for who she is and been able to from strong friendships with adults and children. We will never be able to thank Laura and her team enough for everything they have done and continue to do. We would strongly recommend Laura and her team. Mother of 10yro.

My son has been having Equine Support Sessions at Old Town Riding School for just 2 months now, already he is starting to come out of his shell, we've seen an improvement in his anxiety, his confidence is increasing, as is his communication and its really broadening his interests. Everyone at the stables has been friendly and welcoming, he LOVES the horses (and doggies) and as soon as he finishes a session he cannot wait for the next. It’s really been fantastic and my son is the calmest he’s ever been when he’s there. We’re just so grateful to Laura and all of her staff. May 2021.

Fantastic staff, lovely ponies, fantastic with children, would certainly recommend. Would give them an excellent rating especially with children with additional needs. May 2021.

Laura and her team are so patient with my son who has challenging behaviour and autism. From the very first day he attended he was looked after and encouraged to help out and help groom the horses. No pressure was put on my son or myself to make him do anything he didn't want to. Absolutely recommend Old Town Riding School for their patient and kindness to my son. July 2019.

These sessions have worked wonders with my daughter. Her confidence has improved, she's calmer and happier in herself. Her happy place is at the stables with the horses. Laura and her staff are amazing and very understanding. They are so good with the children who go there. My daughter never wants to leave and can never wait to go back. May 2019.

As parents of an SEN child, we had reached a situation where our child was barely engaging either inside or outside of the home or school. Being introduced to Old Town Riding School was a huge milestone for us. It quickly became apparent that our child became calmer around horses and that there was an important therapeutic aspect to their attendance. With the inspirational guidance of Laura, the manager, we were not only able to see our child engage in a healthy, outdoor pursuit, but also to open up in a safe environment where they felt free to express their worries without fear of judgement. In addition to riding, they were able to take on and even enjoy the responsibility of undertaking many tasks without feeling overwhelmed by demand. They became confident enough to mentor younger children and proud enough of their achievements to show others around and instruct them on the workings of the stables. One unexpected bonus was that they were able to function with a sibling present and not succumb to the usual rivalries found within the home. We would endorse, without hesitation, the achievements and benefits to be gained by attending the Old Town Riding School. October 2018.

I can never thank this riding school and Laura enough, I owe my daughter's life to her. My daughter was in a dark place of depression and mental health. I spent nights being her nurse, prison officer, mum, psychologist and anything I could to stop her self harming again. I never thought one person could put so much effort into getting my daughter back with horses and in a good place again, Laura spent time and effort into my daughter, giving me a break as I had only just got out of a wheelchair after my own illness. My daughter 2yrs on has completely come back to the caring girl she was. I know without Laura and the love, time and care she gave I probably wouldn't have my daughter, wonderful place - a safe haven. Laura we owe you so much. Many thanks. October 2018.

Old Town Riding School has and will always be the best thing to ever happen to me. Before coming to Old Town Riding School I was going through a really tough time; I was in counselling for depression, anxiety, self harm and suicidal thoughts and I was genuinely lost in life. When counselling wasn’t working I’d given up all hope of ever finding my way in the world and thought I’d feel this way forever, that I’d never get better so what’s the point in trying anymore. Then along came Laura at Old Town Riding School. Within the first few months of spending a majority of my time down the stables I finally started to feel better, I felt like I belonged somewhere and forward nearly two years later, I am the happiest I have ever been spending every day at the stables, I am a much stronger person and it’s all thanks to Laura and the stables. Laura and the stables work miracles for people, with nothing but genuineness I can say that Laura is a life saver. Without the help, time and care Laura gave me I wouldn’t be where I am now, let alone at all! I cannot highly recommend Old Town Riding School enough, it genuinely saved my life and I will always hold a special place in my heart for the stables for the rest of my life. October 2018.

Absolutely loved it the horses and staff are really kind and understanding, as I’ve got SEN, ADHD and dyslexia the staff made the lesson easy and enjoyable. The stables are really clean as well - really recommend it. June 2018.

As the father of an SEN child who uses the stables regularly, I have nothing but admiration for Old Town Riding School. Laura's leadership is inspirational and her expert team are dedicated, down-to-earth and friendly. The progress my child has made has been a joy for all our family. The horses are clearly loved and well-cared for and even on the dullest day, the picturesque location makes it an enjoyable place to hang out. Thoroughly recommended. April 2018.

What an amazing yard. Everyone who works there support all the younger ones to get involved and learn all aspects of owning a horse and yard management. Excellent at supporting young people with additional needs. Would never consider going anywhere else. March 2018.

Fantastic staff, lovely ponies, fantastic with children, would certainly recommend. Would give them an excellent rating especially with children with additional needs. May 2021.

My 5yro and 3yro love it here. Great with kids. August 2020.

Wonderful place. My daughter loves having her lessons there, in five lessons she is so good. Thank you very much. August 2020.

My granddaughter and her friend have been going a couple of weeks and they love it. July 2020.

We visited for the first time today. What a lovely place. Friendly, gentle people who love their horses. Thoroughly recommend. June 2020.

Ladies are so friendly and ponies are well loved and looked after. After our lesson my girls were allowed to look around the ponies in the stables and give them a little treat. An added bonus to our visit. We will definitely be returning. Thanks again to Laura and your team. June 2020.

Its amazing here, everyone is so helpful and friendly, the horses are very well looked after and loved. Mother of 7yro. March 2020.

Both my daughters ride here weekly, its superbly run, couldn't recommend enough. Father of two young girls. December 2019.

Fantastic little place tucked away. My daughter loves being here, Laura is a fab teacher, best place for all pony lovers. Mother of 10yro. August 2019.

Absolutely recommend Old Town Riding School for their patience and kindness to my son. Mother of 15yro son with challenging behaviour and autism. July 2019.

My son and daughter had a lesson today and they had such a brilliant time. They've never ridden before but they immediately asked to do it again. The instructors were so lovely and very thoughtful and caring throughout. I would definitely recommend. It has a very calm, friendly and professional atmosphere. Worth every penny. Parent of two children. April 2019.

Today my daughter and her friends had the most magical time dressing the ponies as unicorns and riding, would recommend this experience to everyone as the kids loved it so much. Mother of 6yro who had a Unicorn Party. 18/11/18

My daughter had an amazing pony party today (we booked it after attending a pony riding experience we got through groupon in the summer and couldn’t wait to return). The girls at the stables are all so friendly and welcoming. They decorated a room for us and we had the best time ever! Lots of happy children today we will definitely be back! Parent of a 4yros pony party. 27/10/18

As parents of an SEN child, we had reached a situation where our child was barely engaging either inside or outside of the home or school. Being introduced to Old Town Riding School was a huge milestone for us. It quickly became apparent that our child became calmer around horses and that there was an important therapeutic aspect to their attendance. With the inspirational guidance of Laura Bannard, the manager, we were not only able to see our child engage in a healthy, outdoor pursuit, but also to open up in a safe environment where they felt free to express their worries without fear of judgement. In addition to riding, they were able to take on and even enjoy the responsibility of undertaking many tasks without feeling overwhelmed by demand. They became confident enough to mentor younger children and proud enough of their achievements to show others around and instruct them on the workings of the stables. One unexpected bonus was that they were able to function with a sibling present and not succumb to the usual rivalries found within the home. We would endorse, without hesitation, the achievements and benefits to be gained by attending the Old Town Riding School. Parents of an SEN child. 26/10/18

I can never thank this riding school and Laura Bannard enough, I owe my daughter's life to her. My daughter was in a dark place of depression and mental health. I spent nights being her nurse, prison officer, mum, psychologist and anything I could to stop her self harming again. I never thought one person could put so much effort into getting my daughter back with horses and in a good place again, Laura spent time and effort into my daughter, giving me a break as I had only just got out of a wheelchair after my own illness. My daughter 2yrs on has completely come back to the caring girl she was. I know without Laura and the love, time and care she gave I probably wouldn't have my daughter, wonderful place - a safe haven. Laura we owe you so much. Many thanks. Parent of 16yro who suffered from depression & mental health. 25 /10/ 18

My Daughter loves this place even from only having done one lesson so far. Its a vey welcoming place and my daughter of 15 years enjoyed every minute of it and says she learnt a lot. I highly recommend for a friendly amazing experience. Parent of 15yro. 20/8/18

My daughter and Nephew absolutely loved their pony experience. Thank you for making them feel so welcome and instantly at ease. We will be back in the future I'm sure. 9/7/18

Thank you to the riding school for being so understanding and extending our voucher. Our kiddies loved it and you were great. 9/7/18

As the father of an SEN child who uses the stables regularly, I have nothing but admiration for Old Town Riding School. Laura Bannard's leadership is inspirational and her expert team are dedicated, down-to-earth and friendly. The progress my child has made has been a joy for all our family. The horses are clearly loved and well-cared for and even on the dullest day, the picturesque location makes it an enjoyable place to hang out. Thoroughly recommended. Parent of a SEN 15yro. 11/4/18

Amazing hour spent with 2 7 year olds. Thank you for a lovely time. 6/4/18

Such a friendly but professional team, lovely little ponies. Perfect for my 5 year old. So glad we found it! Parent of a 5yro. 10/3/18

Brilliant riding school, staff friendly and helpful lovely ponies and horses, both my daughters have been here for years, well worth the experience. Parent of two teenager girls. 28/2/18

I have been riding at Old Town Riding School for nearly 6 years and have learnt so much from Laura and her team, the horses and ponies are brilliant and so well cared for, its my favourite place to be! 15yro. 28/2/18

My two girls have been riding at Old Town Riding School for nearly 5 years now they have learnt so much from Laura and her staff team so if your looking for a warm friendly place to learn to ride you can’t go wrong. Parent of two teenager girls. 28/2/18

Been riding here since I was 9 and can honestly say the service and people are great, incredibly friendly and professional. All horses are the same too. Laura is so lovely and even helped me buy my first horse! 100% recommend to everyone. 18yro 28/2/18

Lovely stables, amazing ponies! My almost three year old son gets so excited for his pony rides and looks forward every single time we go there. Brilliant staff too! Parent of 3yro. 28/2/18

I took my granddaughter there last September and she thoroughly enjoyed the pony experience. She learned how to groom the pony, saddle up and then do some basic riding. She went on about it so many times I booked again and took both grandchildren. Despite the cold and damp miserable weather you could not take the beaming smiles off their faces as they rode around the paddock. Again, a wonderful experience for them both. Very kind and helpful staff. Would go again . 14/2/18

Friendly staff, fab horses. Young adult with learning difficulties. 27/10/17

Old Town Riding is a small friendly yard. I have been going there since it opened and would never go anywhere else. They have taught me everything I know. 24yro. 17/10/17

Absolutely brilliant yard! Lovely atmosphere with lovely, well behaved horses; I have learnt everything I know from here and I would definitely recommend. 16yro. 15/10/17

Friendly staff, amazing horses and ponies, excellent teaching, my kids love it here. Parent. 15/10/17

My young daughter enjoyed the pony day in mid August which included mucking out the ponies, painting one of them, some basic tack knowledge and a session in the gymkhana area. She loved every minute of it, the staff were very welcoming and there were plenty of volunteers around to assist if needed. Would definitely recommend to all pony lovers. Parent. 12/9/17

A fantastic little place my 14 year old cousin had an amazing time! I surprised her for her birthday to spend the day learning horse care and maintenance and a riding lesson all included in the pony day. Everyone was so friendly and engaging putting my cousin at ease straight away and they completely cemented her love of all things horses! On first appearance it honestly doesn't look like much it's hidden away and appears small but it turned out to be small yet perfect! I never thought I'd see the day when my cousin would love mucking out the horses and sweeping the yard but she had an amazing time and learned so much. I can't thank them enough they made her birthday surprise really special! I highly recommend them! 29/8/17

My grand daughter has a lesson here once a month and loves it, the staff are very helpful and you get to feed the horses which she loves. The lessons here are on a one to one basis which gives the rider a chance to learn more, her previous riding school was a group school and you just seem to repeat things each lesson . 9/4/17

My girls had a lovely morning here. Brushing the ponies and having a pony ride. Great morning out despite the rain. 13/3/17

Really enjoyable and friendly place, made to feel very welcome and will definitely be going again. 12/3/17

My daughter and niece had a pony experience today including grooming and riding the ponies. They absolutely loved it and Laura who ran the session couldn't have been nicer and made them both feel completely at ease, would thoroughly recommend. 15/2/17

Went for my 1st lesson on Saturday and although I had a terrible fear from childhood of riding the staff were brilliant and looking forward to another lesson on Saturday. 17/10/16

My son & I had the perfect first time riding experience here at Old Town Riding School. 7/10/16

Great place - my kids love it here, their so friendly, girls are really helpful would defo recommend. 25/9/16

Had my first riding lesson with Laura today for a one hour private. Fantastic riding school. Laura made me feel so comfortable and welcome. Thanks again. 21/9/16

What a great place. I have loved horse riding and have been lucky to have ridden all over the world. I have just had my first lesson and I can't recommend this place enough. I can't wait for my next lesson. 14/7/16

Absolutely loved it!We had a fantastic Sunday, great experience especially for beginners. Staff are amazing. Very professional and horses are lovely. Thank you . 5/7/16

My daughter had a great time. She was taught so much on her first lesson and is looking forward to the next. Everyone was welcoming and friendly including Gamble the dog. Thank you. 25/6/16

A beautiful and quiet place to teach children how to set up a friendship with horses, cleaning the stable and how to ride a horse and leadership. With qualified instructors and they have a very nice deal with kids. 6/6/16