Heavy Horse Camp

Book Now - Limited  Places Available!

Friday 3rd May to Sunday 5th May 2024

Thursday 2nd May - Arrival

Friday 3rd May - Training Sessions

Saturday 4th May - Training Sessions

Sunday 5th 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.

Including all meals and catering on site, toilet and showering facilities, large areas of hard standing with hook up for all vehicles, Wi-Fi, classroom and Bar. All access is disabled friendly. 

Hardstanding parking for campers in horseboxes, trailers, campervans or caravans. Tents will be on grass pitches.  A field will also 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 this can be organised directly with the venue (details will be provided closer to the camp dates).

You are encouraged to join us at  our new venue between 2pm and 6pm on Thursday 2nd May. 

You will be directed to your parking area, where hook up can be provided at an additional cost of £60 per vehicle for the duration of camp. 

Stables will already be allocated and our Stable Manager, Sally Jones, will direct you.  

At 6pm, we will be holding a welcome meeting in The Piggery.  This is the location where all of our meals will be served and, most importantly, the location of the Bar!  

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 Camps 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 2024?

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

    Armed with your responses, we have secured a new venue for camp 2024 and have a number of new sessions for you to choose from. See session choices below....

    We've listened to your feedback and you can look forward to the popular classroom sessions again which will include showring etiquette, farrier/barefoot, harness cleaning, nutrition, ridden theory and tack fitting.

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 2024.