Student Working Holidays - Cheston Farm Equestrian Centre

2023: Accommodation is available to exchange/working students only

Perfectly located in the South of Dartmoor National Park, in the South Hams, Cheston Farm and its Equestrian Centre is without doubt the perfect base for a riding holiday, offering an unrivalled riding experience. However, we no longer offer our BB&D farmhouse accommodation.

You may wish to bring your own horse or use ours to join in any of our usual teaching or hacking activities during your visit. The riding school page will tell you all about options and prices.

We are very popular with visitors looking to enhance their current riding skills with a few hourly lessons or gallops out on to Dartmoor. We offer a super pub ride and can box up horses to our local beach too.

We are in a popular holiday area and there are lovely local accommodation options in South Brent, Moorhaven Village, Dartington, Totnes as well as on Dartmoor.

Stay at Cheston Farm

Stay in the 16th century Cheston Farmhouse

With first class staff, indoor and outdoor arenas and access to Dartmoor, we can build an itinerary to suit every level of horse and rider.

You could choose to build your stay around a programme of lessons, take part in our competitions and clinics, arrange a day trail hunting with the Dartmoor Fox Hounds or take a trip out to gallop on the moor or along horse friendly beaches.

If it sounds exhausting don’t worry because if you are bringing your own horse it will be on full livery with us. What is more, you can combine any stay with a lazy day enjoying Devon’s fabulous coastal towns and villages, stunning beaches or wild moorland countryside – all on our doorstep.

We can develop you a package according to your requirements. However, due to high local demand, we are most likely to offer weekday options only.

‘Work Experience’: Teens, international exchange and work experience students from all over the world are also welcomed with a special ‘work’ package available.

cheston-farm-equestrian-centre-farmhouse-1

Holiday activities

Daily or Weekly Opportunities

Intensive riding courses - 5 days

Novices & Beginners to Advanced

You can get a basic level of proficiency within the week via intensive training with our instructors and excellent team of horses. With our expert armchair lunge rein horse (Frodo) you could be trotting and cantering within days and with our safe team of lesson horses, you could be mastering all the basics in the arena or on a lane hack.

Intense tuition of beginners is via one to one coaching, however, if you are of novice trot standard (able to balance in rising trot and steer your horse), it may be appropriate to join in our semi-private or group lessons with other similar adults.

Beginner intensive riding courses: Prices vary from £250-300pw for private tuition.

Advanced riding courses: Dressage, Show Jumping, Exam coaching.

Please contact us to discuss suitable options.

Your horse or ours

Competent Teens (14+) and Adults

We can put together an intense day or week of riding and horsemanship training and learning for those who already ride well. You can enjoy working alongside staff on the yard, private or group riding lessons, hacking out and taking part in all care of horses on the yard.

Our basic day fee is £60pd, 1-2 days. Work packages start from £150 for 5 days (includes a minimum 1 hour riding)

We can also put together a more detailed or individual package to include specific training and even be able to factor in a trip out to local competitions, ride on our local beaches or follow the Dartmoor Foxhounds! Ask us about accommodation or local host families if you are an international student.

Children aged 5 – 14

We run small group activities for children to join us on our ‘Own a Pony’ Days and Pony Club activities throughout the summer (Late July – End August) . Please see the Pony Club page for more details.

Please email or phone about our riding options, Work Placement and student options.

European students are very welcome