A very warm welcome to Witham Villa, Leicestershire’s Premier Equestrian Centre.

All of our bookings are now taken online, so please follow these instructions:-

Step 1 - Follow this link https://witham-villa-riding-centre.ecpro.co.uk/

Step 2 - Click “Register/log in then select “are you new here”

Step 3 - Enter rider name, email, address, phone number and create a password

Step 4 - Verify your email

Step 5 - Log into your ECpro account and fill in the rider registration form

Step 6 - Once you have registered, we will assign a grading and then you will be able to book your future lessons, dates and times. You can’t book prior to being graded.

Step 7 - If you then want a regular weekly lesson slot this can be assigned to you depending on availability. Please email us on withamvillarc@gmail.com for this to be arranged.

The viewing gallery and the cafe are open and we are pleased to announce that we now have the facility for card payments in the cafe. We are pleased to announce that the cafe will be running under new management from the 1st October and will return to normal hours of opening. We hope you will all support Ruth in her new venture.

Our Premier Equestrian Centre is situated in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside but close to all main road networks and has provided excellent horse riding lessons and services to all our customers since 1992 and we endeavor to improve continuously. As a busy riding school we teach progressive horse riding lessons to all our clients. 

We are British Horse Society & Local Authority Approved 5* Riding Establishment and a BHS Where to Train Approved Centre to BHS CCH, and a BHS exam centre to Stage 2.  In our where to Train Inspection Report the general comments were:  "All the horses were in very good condition, the centre is very neat and tidy which helps give a very good impression of the high level of horse care and teaching"  In addition, the inspector commented that he felt the centre would make a very good stage Four training centre due to the high quality horses and training available. 

Animal Activity License Holder: Verity Saul Licence No AW003 . Witham Villa is proud to have achieved the highest rating possible of 5* from the local authority inspection.

We are a Pony Club Centre, enabling non horse or pony owning riders to become part of this national organisation and work to improve their skills. We run Pony Club Badge sessions on a Monday evening which are bookable via ECPro. Please note these sessions are all unmounted with no riding involved.

We welcome riders of all ages (minimum age 4 years) and abilities to our stables and look forward to seeing you at Witham Villa joining in one of our riding lessons. The maximum rider weight limit at Witham Villa is 14 stone fully dressed for riding - please note that there are a very limited number of horses that are suitable for the top weight limit. Each horse is allocated it’s own individual rider weight limit depending on it’s own capacity to ensure horse and rider wellbeing.

No dogs are allowed on the premises. Dogs must not be left in cars. We have our own dogs, Mia and Ebby here on the premises.

Horse riding is a fun and enjoyable sport - come along and have a go.  

Please continue to scroll down to “download area” for Welcome to Witham Villa pack, Witham Villa Health and Safety Policy, Witham Villa Privacy Policy

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LESSONS

We teach all abilities from the age of 4 upwards either on an individual, semi-private or class lesson basis for half hour or 3/4 hour sessions. All lessons are taught by suitable trained instructors.   

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STAFF

Here we give some broad information about our staff at Witham Villa and talk about qualifications and any other brief background information.

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HORSES

Meet our horses in The Witham Gallery. We take pride in having an excellent variety of horses and ponies, enabling us to teach from beginner level through to advanced.

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SHOWS & EVENTS

Find out more about our special and forthcoming events and shows which occur throughout the year and get the latest results as they happen.

Meet our stable of high quality horses

 

We are a Pony Club Centre Centre enabling non horse or pony owning riders to become part of this national organisations and work to improve their skills.

 

VERITY SAUL

PROPRIETOR

BHS SCCH (Senior Coach in Complete Horsemanship) BD Accredited Trainer UKCC level 3

British Dressage Accredited Trainer. Group 3 dressage rider.

Verity has trained to and competed at Prix St Georges and Inter 1 on Debutante (Abi). Verity is currently competing up to Advanced Medium level on Gaya.

Qualified First Aid at Work.

Verity has been the Owner of Witham Villa since 8 October 1992.

Verity was the winner of the British Dressage Steele Salver in 2010 and has represented the Northern Region at the BD Senior Home International riding for England on 3 separate occasions.

Winning Instructor of 17& Under, 18 and Over British Horse Society National Riding Schools Championship and 17 & Under Dressage Championship

Verity is the home trainer for India Durman-Mills and Escade, Team Bronze Medalists in the 2022 Junior Europeans and again in the 2023 and 2024 Young Rider European Championships (PSG level). They are now competing at PSG and Int 1

She has also previously competed in Affiliated Show Jumping to Newcomers, and Horse Trials at Pre-Novice level.

Runner-up in the Leicester Mercury Women in Business Awards in the Entrepreneur of the Year category in 2017 .

Verity now specialises in dressage training, with a holistic approach. Lessons on your own horse, or on one of the Witham Villa schoolmasters. Lunge lessons available. Verity is a passionate coach, keen to develop all horses and riders to achieve their individual goals in a progressive manner.

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ALISON WEST

YARD MANAGER

BHS PTT, NVQ 3

Alison was welcomed back into the team in September 2010. She had worked here as Yard Manager previously, before having her daughter and then running a private livery yard.

As well as the general running of the yard and teaching, Alison is involved in the training of the horses at Witham Villa and has competed Crossdrum Dexter in dressage. She then competed on V (Victor) in Affiliated dressage at Elementary and Medium level. In her first season she qualified for the Petplan Area Festival, finishing in 5th place with 66.4%. The pair qualified for the BD Summer Regionals at Elementary Silver.

SERINA GONCHAKOV

INSTRUCTOR & DRESSAGE GROOM

BHS CCH, ABRS ITA, NVQ 3

Serina joined Witham Villa having worked in both England and the USA in large studs and competing national standard in the UK and USA in western riding and showing.

Serina teaches at Witham Villa. She also assists Verity with the dressage horses.

Serina schools horses and ponies that are at Witham Villa.

Serina currently competes Bertie (Bolt Out of The Blue) in affiliated dressage at Elementary level, training towards Medium at home. They finished in 10th place in the Novice Silver Area Festival

She previously competed at Affiliated level in British Dressage with Monty (Monsoleil) up to Elementary level. They qualified for the Summer 2013 Regionals at Prelim and the Winter Regionals at Novice. Serina and Monty were Sheepgate Tack and Togs national Prelim champions in 2013. They qualified for the Summer 2014 Regionals at Elementary and again in 2015and 2016. They qualified for the Elementary Silver section for the 2017 BD Summer Regionals.

Monty has since retired to go and live with Serina

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KELLY MASTERMAN-SMITH

Instructor, Junior Trainee Co-ordinator

ABRS ITA, NVQ 3

Kelly joined us on a trainee scheme, she had ridden with us prior to starting work and has now achieved her NVQ 2 in Horsecare and Riding and her NVQ 3. and ABRS ITA for teaching.

She enjoys working with her clients, both children and adults and seeing them enjoy their lessons and make progress.

She has now taken on responsibity for heading up the Witham Villa Junior Trainee scheme.

 
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LOUISE MELLOR

FREELANCE INSTRUCTOR

BHS CCH, BHS level 4 Lunge, Level 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage.

Louise has show jumped affiliated riding her old mare, "Hole in One", starting out at British Novice, competing all round the country and going up the ranks to competing at Foxhunter level.

She competed Encore Soleil (Solly) in affiliated dressage from Prelim through to Elementary level and the pair qualified for the British Dressage Elementary Restricted Summer Regionals 2015.

Louise has headed up a Riding School team in the BD Team Quest competition series 2014, competing in the Novice section.

Louise also has her own show jumping horse, Coco Van Het Eelshof (Coco B), who she has competed in British Showjumping affiliated competitions. She is now also competing her successfully in Affiliated dressage. They qualified for the Elementary Silver BD Summer Regionals in 2017 and are now through to the Petplan Area Festival Semi-Finals at Medium Bronze having come 3rd at Sheepgate Area Festival. Louise has now successfully competed her up to Advanced Medium.

Louise now has a young horse, Bea who she is training up.

She is a passionate coach and is keen for her riders to achieve their personal goals.

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Nicola Monks

NICOLA MONKS

FREELANCE INSTRUCTOR

BHS CCH

Nicola has spent most of her life around horses taking the opportunity to ride her daughters advanced horse whenever possible.

She thoroughly enjoyed training for the BHS Qualifcation. Her initial training was at Brooksby Melton College. Nicola then moved onto train with Nick Creaton (BHSI & BHS Chief Examiner).

Nicola is a BHS Accredited Professional Coach and teaches riders of all ages and ability and thoroughly enjoys seeing riders progress and grow in confidence.

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Helen Jackson

Freelance Instructor

BHS CCH

Helen started teaching at Witham Villa in 2019. Having grown up through pony club, riding any pony she could borrow, then working on a variety of yards from show jumping ponies to dressage horses and point to pointers. Helen brings to her teaching a wealth of knowledge not only of different horses but also working with a wide range of riders and their differing needs.

More latterly Helen has successfully competed her RoR from fresh off the racetrack to BE 100 eventing and Elementary dressage. Qualifying for multiple area and regional championships along the way, including winning the 2015 RoR Prelim Championship on 80.58% and the RoR Novice Championship in 2017 with 72%.

Currently she is retraining her new ex racehorse who she brought home a week after his last race, with the plan that he becomes another high level all-rounder.

India Durman-Mills

Freelance Instructor. Dressage Rider.

BHS Stage 2 Teach. BHS Level 3 Groom with Riding - Complete. British Dressage Recognised Coach UKCC Level 2

India learnt to ride at Witham Villa and has trained for and passed her BHS exams here too.

India was selected for the British Dressage Foundation Camp for three consecutive years and in 2021 and 2022 she was one of only 12 riders in Great Britain chosen for the BD National Academy.

She has been selected for and represented Great Britain at two International shows in 2021, and again in 2022 as a Junior (riding tests at Advanced Medium level)

She is now on the Under 21 International Pathway Squad.

She then moved up to compete at PSG level finished in 2nd place in the Area Festival Championships in April.

In May 2022 she was selected to represent Great Britain as part of the Junior Nations Cup Team in Le Mans, France. The team finished in Bronze medal and then India and Eddie were 3rd in the Junior Individual test and 3rd in the Junior Freestyle test with 75%.

In August she was selected with Eddie for the British Junior Team for the European Championships and we are delighted that the team won Bronze. This was the first time a British Junior team had been in the medals since the 70’s, so a great achievement.

India and Eddie have now stepped up to Young Rider level and won both classes at Arena Uk High Profile show with plus 70% scores.

The pair are PSG Silver Winter Champions after winning the title at Hartpury in 2023.

India and Eddie have competed Internationally at Young Rider level at a number of shows in 2023. They were selected for the Nations Cup Team at Le Mans, with the Team finishing in First Place. They then placed 2nd in the Individual test in 70% and 4th in the Freestyle on 73.9%.

They were selected for the Young Rider team to compete at the European Championships in Pilisjasfalu in Hungary, becoming Team Bronze Medalists. They finished in 18th place in the Individual thereby qualifying for the Freestyle when they finished in 15th Place.

Sarah-Jayne King

Level 2 Equine Groom. BHS Stage 1 Complete Horsemanship. BHS Stage 2 Care and Lunge

Sarah joined the Witham Villa staff as an apprentice, having previously been on our Witham Villa Junior Trainee Scheme, having ridden at Witham for 8 years.

Sarah enjoys her job and particularly helping with the Witham Villa Pony Club.

Laura Adderley

Instructor

BHS Stage 2 Teach, BHS Level 3 Groom with Riding - Complete.

Laura has ridden at Witham Villa since she was younger and then joined us on the Apprenticeship scheme.

She has now passed her BHS Stage , 2 and 3 exams and Stage 2 Teach

She enjoys working with horses and has her own horse that she competes in dressage and show jumping.

Jessie Potter

Instructor

BHS Stage 2 Teach, BHS Stage 2 Complete. NVQ Level 2 Equine Groom,

Jessie joined Witham Villa from school and has since successfully completed her Level 2 apprenticeship, BHS Stage 1, Stage 2 Care and lunge, Stage 2 Teach.

Jessie has her own horse.

Mia Osborne

Groom.

BHS Stage 1 Complete, BHS Stage 2 Groom with Riding Complete. NVQ L2

Mia has jumped to pony fox hunter (110)affiliated with her 148 pony Carrowmeer Hero who has been her main pony for the past 3 years, he has taken her from never competing to 110’s and leading the pony bsja bronze league final, jumping at Welsh Home Pony International and British Showjumping National Championships.

Mia joined us as an apprentice and we are delighted that she has successfully completed her Level 2 Equine qualification and has passed the BHS stage 1 and 2 exams


Olivia Howe

Groom.

BHS Stage 1 Complete, BHS Stage 2 Groom with Riding Complete. NVQ L2

Olivia joined us as an apprentice and we are delighted that she has successfully completed her Level 2 Equine qualification and has passed the BHS stage 1 and 2 exams

 

To get the best results you need the best trainers…and we have them at Witham Villa.

Our Instructors

  • BHS/ABRS Qualified

  • British Dressage Accredited Trainer

  • Visiting National and International trainers for show jumping, XC and dressage clinics.

 

Our investment in the best quality facilities means you can train and ride in any weather, in our covered arena or outdoors.