Farm stay with guided riding breaks

Couples, families and friends looking for a rural short break, plus novice and returning riders wanting a relaxed riding holiday.

A per-person or per-room nightly rate, with riding sessions and meals charged on top or bundled into a package. Weekend and school-holiday breaks usually fill first.

• Confident horse handling and riding instruction or leading
• Warm, welcoming hosting
• Home cooking and basic housekeeping
• Organising bookings and rides safely

• Hiring out or instructing with horses may need a council licence in some parts of the UK, so check with your council
• Public liability insurance that explicitly covers guests riding and handling animals
• Food hygiene: register with your council if you serve meals
• Fire safety risk assessment for guest accommodation
• Planning permission or landlord, mortgage and tenancy restrictions
• Rider safety: assess ability, provide hard hats, and keep suitable horses
• Seasonal demand and weather affecting bookings

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your rooms, equipment and what you already have on site. This is an estimate, so check your own figures.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many guests you host and the rides you offer. Demand is seasonal and weather can affect bookings, so treat this as an estimate.

Check whether hiring out or instructing with horses needs a council licence, and whether your public liability insurance covers guests riding. Also check food hygiene registration, fire safety risk assessment, and planning or tenancy restrictions.