Acreswild Riding School

A rider jumping her pony over the tyres at Acreswild

Holiday programme group cheering at Acreswild

About Acreswild

Where kids and ponies bring out the best in each other

Acreswild Riding School offers riding lessons for riders aged 5 and up, run by Janine Emerson, who's been teaching in Hawke's Bay for more than 35 years.

Lessons are built on safety, fun and solid foundations for riders of any discipline. It's hands-on from start to finish. Riders learn to catch, groom and feed their ponies right from the get-go, building the confidence and practical skills that make riding safe and fun. Absolute beginners of any age are welcome, and keen riders can progress all the way into jumping and all-around horsemanship.

Some of today's riders are the children of parents who learned here themselves.

What parents notice

More than riding

What parents notice isn't the riding. It's the confidence, the practical skills, and the real bonds their kids build with the horses and each other. In a world that pulls kids indoors and onto screens, time outside with animals and other kids does something you can't teach any other way.

Good for the mind

Parents regularly tell us how much the time outside, working with the animals, lifts their child's mood, confidence and focus.

Real life skills

Catching, grooming and feeding their pony, tacking up, reading its body language. Kids take on real responsibility and practical horsemanship from their very first lesson.

A place to belong

Kids come for the ponies and keep coming back for each other. Acreswild is where a lot of great friendships get made.

How it works

From first hello to first canter

1

Get in touch

Call, email or send a message. Janine will check availability, answer your questions and match your rider to the right pony. You're welcome to come and watch the start of a lesson to get a feel for the place, but bookings are essential, so we can't offer a ride on the day.

2

First lesson

Introductory lessons are available before committing to a term. Helmets and boots are fitted, ponies are met, and riders are hands-on from the start, grooming and tacking up before they ever swing into the saddle.

3

Ride and grow

Most families book a block of 10 lessons per term to secure their spot. As skills develop, riders progress into jumping and more advanced horsemanship.

Pricing