Heavy Horse Camp

Booking Now Open!

Friday 2nd May to Sunday 4th May 2025

Thursday 1st May - Arrival

Friday 2nd May - Training Sessions

Saturday 3rd May - Training Sessions

Sunday 4th May - Show Day

Heavy Horse Camp, although Hosted  by The Shire Horse Society, welcomes all breeds of heavy horse and is aimed at owners of all levels, from grassroots and novice to those more advanced.

It’s a great learning environment and we all take something away with us.

Each Camper can individually tailor the sessions that they would like to participate in during the two days of training sessions.

Day three is a show day, where you can put into practice all the new skills that you have learned (with a little help if needed)

Prior to camp you will be able to choose the sessions and topics that you would like to learn and participate in.

The Venue

Pickering Grange Equestrian

Ellistown Terrace Road

Ellistown

Leicestershire

LE67 1EZ

We are very excited to invite you all to join us at Pickering Grange, located just off Junction 22 of the M1 motorway in the heart of Leicestershire. A professionally run, friendly and modern equine facility set in the heart of The National Forest.  The site offers two indoor arenas and two all weather outdoor arenas (100m x 80m and 60m x 30m) with a free schooling/lunge arena and miles of off road hacking adjacent to the centre. Dedicated warm water wash-out areas.

On site catering and all meals included, new toilet and showering facilities for 2025, large areas of hard standing for campers in horseboxes, trailers, campervans or caravans with optional hook up (extra charge and pre booking essential)
Tents will be on grass pitches. Wi-Fi, classroom and Bar.
Hardstanding parking for campers in horseboxes, trailers, campervans and caravans.
Tents will be on grass pitches.

A field will be provided for hand grazing of horses, as the owners would prefer that the grass verges around the site are maintained by their ground crew and not horses.
Dogs are welcome, but they must remain on a lead at all times, and please pick up and bin appropriately.

Just prior to camp you will receive a welcome package. This will contain confirmation of your session choices, your entry passes and meal vouchers, a parking permit and hook up voucher (if you have purchased one).
You'll also receive a campers checklist and helpful feeding advice for before and during camp to help you to prepare for your stay.
You're welcome to bring your own but if you wish to purchase haylage or bedding we will arrange this for you nearer the time.

You are encouraged to join us between 2pm and 6pm on Thursday 1st May 2025

We'll be waiting to meet you, direct you to your parking area, and help you find your stable.

The welcome meeting is very important (and is nothing like the meetings that your Travel reps have dragged you along to in Spain!) It’s a great opportunity for us to meet you and for you to get to know all of this Camp’s presenters and directing staff. We'll help you to understand the layout of the venue and allay any of your fears/worries.

Stallions/colts are welcome. They must be handled with a bit/bridle when out of stables and have a stallion bridle marker on. Please let us know in advance if you are planning to bring a stallion so that appropriate facilities/stables can be provided for them.
If you have a horse who is difficult to load, please let us know in advance. We'll make sure we have experienced people on hand to assist you at home time.

What’s new for 2025?

    As many of you will know, after Camps 2023 and 2024, we undertook an online survey and feedback exercise.  Our goal was to ask you what you would like to see and experience at camp.

    We’ve studied your responses and you might see some of your suggested sessions below. 

You can also look forward to the popular classroom sessions again which will include Harness cleaning, maintenance and care, Nutrition, Show entries, and Tack fitting.

Sessions

In-Hand showing - Learn how to present your chosen breed for the show ring.

Plaiting Manes - Learn how to plait your chosen breed's mane.

Plaiting Tails - Learn how to prepare and plait a long or short tail for your chosen breed.

Harnessing Up - our expert will show you what a well fitting harness looks like and talk you through various styles of harness.

Ridden Tack Fitting  - our expert will demonstrate how tack will best fit your horse, to aid you and make your horse comfortable.

Harness Cleaning and Maintenance - learn how the experts keep their harness in good working order, get tips and tricks to help you perfect your turnout.

Rein Handling and Long Reining - with your own or a loan horse. Novice and intermediate sessions available.

Intermediate driving and/or agricultural implements - Campers will be required to provided video/photographic evidence of their horses working in either shafts or chains prior to attending camp.

** PLEASE NOTE. We are unable to offer a breaking service at camp**

Ridden Lessons - Novice and Open. Very small groups. Our kind, expert trainers are also happy to ride your horse as part of the session. (This session is not available for loan horse campers)

Ridden Etiquette - Learn the etiquette needed for a Ridden Heavy Horse Class, practical session. How to ride in the ring safely, confidently and without upsetting anyone else!

New for 2025! Handy Heavy - you may have heard of handy pony, well now you can take part in Handy Heavy. A fun and practical session which can be attended in hand, on long reins or ridden. Practice, with guidance, on a course of obstacles and then complete the whole course!

Please note: all campers, presenters and helpers will be identifiable by wristbands this year, our numbers are strictly limited. Guests must be paid for in advance.
Anyone without a wrist band will be unable to attend Heavy Horse Camp 2025.