About Warminster Saddle Club

Welcome to Warminster Saddle Club 🐴

Set in the beautiful foothills of Salisbury Plain in Warminster, Wiltshire, Warminster Saddle Club (WSC) is a British Horse Society (BHS) Approved Riding Centre, Pony Club Centre and BHS Changing Lives Through Horses venue, with a proud history spanning more than 50 years.

Founded in the 1970s by Robert Sullivan-Tailyor, the Club began with just one pony, affectionately known as Goose. Alongside his wife, Sylvia, Robert dedicated countless hours to building the Club and creating opportunities for people to enjoy horses, learn new skills and take part in equestrian activities.

Robert remained Chairman of the Club for more than 30 years, and his commitment helped establish the foundations of the friendly and active riding community that exists today.

🐎 A Club for the Military and the Wider Community

Warminster Saddle Club has strong links with the Armed Forces and was established primarily to support the efficiency and wellbeing of service personnel and their dependants through equestrian courses, tuition, events and facilities.

Today, those military connections remain an important part of who we are, but the Club is also proud to welcome members of the wider civilian community.

Our civilian members and the local equestrian community are an important part of Club life. From regular riding lessons and training to competitions and events, WSC provides a place where people can come together, enjoy horses and develop their equestrian skills.

The Club is self-financing and is managed through a combination of a dedicated committee of military members and our civilian management team, working together to support the continued development of the Club.

🌱 Something for Everyone

We believe that riding and working with horses should be accessible, enjoyable and rewarding for people of all ages and abilities.

As a Pony Club Centre, we provide opportunities for young riders to develop their riding and horse-care knowledge, learn new skills and enjoy the many activities that make being involved with horses so rewarding.

Our activities include group and private riding lessons, equestrian training, competitions, events and opportunities to develop horse-care and stable-management skills.

Whether you are taking your first steps in the saddle, returning to riding after a break, looking to improve your confidence and skills, or wanting to take part in competitive equestrian activities, we aim to provide a friendly and supportive environment in which to learn.

💚 Changing Lives Through Horses

We are incredibly proud to be a BHS Changing Lives Through Horses venue, providing opportunities for young people who may benefit from a different approach to learning.

Changing Lives Through Horses uses horses, equestrian activities and the outdoor environment to help young people develop confidence, resilience, communication, responsibility, life skills and a positive attitude towards learning.

Our provision offers a practical, hands-on environment where young people can learn through horses rather than relying solely on traditional classroom-based learning.

Activities can include grooming, horse care and welfare, stable management, handling and leading, groundwork, riding where appropriate, understanding horse behaviour and learning to work safely around horses.

The benefits go far beyond learning about horses. Working with them can provide opportunities to develop confidence, independence, teamwork, communication, emotional awareness, problem-solving and resilience.

We believe that different doesn't mean less — sometimes it means finding a different way to learn.

💙 Supporting Inclusive Equestrianism

We are also proud to support Riding for the Disabled, helping to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the physical, emotional and social benefits of spending time with horses.

Alongside our Changing Lives Through Horses provision, this reflects our wider commitment to making our Club a welcoming and supportive environment where people can develop their skills, build confidence and enjoy being around horses.

🏆 More Than Just a Riding Centre

For us, horses are about much more than riding.

They can help build confidence, encourage responsibility, develop communication, create friendships and bring people together.

From our beginnings with one pony in the 1970s to the Club we have today, our ethos remains centred around people, horses and the opportunities they create together.

We are proud of our history, proud of our Armed Forces connections and proud to be part of the local Warminster and Wiltshire equestrian community.

Whether you are a serving member of the Armed Forces, a dependant, a civilian rider, a parent looking for lessons for your child, an experienced competitor, a young person looking for a different way to learn, or simply someone who would like to find out more about horses, we look forward to welcoming you to Warminster Saddle Club.

🐴 Warminster Saddle Club

A place to learn. A place to ride. A place to belong.