Poplars Farm Riding School
Tuesday: 09:00 - 20:00
Wednesday: 09:00 - 20:00
Thursday: -
Friday: 09:00 - 20:00
Saturday: 08:30 - 17:00
Sunday: -
About Poplars Farm Riding School
With over 30 years experience, we offer riding lessons to cater for all ages and abilities.
Poplars Farm Riding School Description
Poplars Farm was bought by Mr and Mrs Warrington back in 1981 as a base for their daughter Mandy (BHS AI) to further her career as a riding instructor by running her own riding school. Over the years Mandy and her family have built the riding school to what has become one of the most reputable riding schools in the area.
Mandy herself had a passion for riding as a child and was fortunate enough to have her own ponies. She was a keen show jumper, and progressed through the ranks from ponies to horses, where she competed successfully at Grade C level, with her best horse Merry-Go-Round. Mandy gained her teaching qualifications, under Sue Snow at Field House equestrian, where she became a BHS AI before leaving to start up her own Riding School here.
It was during the early years here at Poplars, Mandy met her husband Chris, who also works on the farm, and they had two daughters, Philippa and Francesca. Mandy then started to live her passion for horses through her daughters, who both rode and competed from a very young age. Both girls competed successfully in the showing world for many years, their most famous pony being Barkway Honey Bee (Beebee), who won many prestigious competitions for the girls, as well as giving them both the first of many rides at the Horse of the Year Show.
Philippa (Pip) currently works full time as a riding instructor alongside her mum here at Poplars. Having graduated with a first class honours degree in law from Staffordshire University in 2009; she followed her heart and her love of horses, and joined her mother at the riding school. She also, is a qualified BHS AI, and has also completed her BHS Stage 4 riding exam. Over the next 12 months, Philippa aims to complete her stage 4 care exam and ITT to become a BHS II. While predominantly teaching here at Poplars, Pip also does a small amount of freelance teaching, teaching people on their own horses /ponies. More recently, Pip has also returned to competition; after retiring from the show ring 7 years ago, she has successfully evented one of the horses used in the riding school over the 2013 summer period.
Francesca (Chez) also works part time at the riding school, she is a BHS Stage 1 and is currently in her final year of studying History at Liverpool Hope University. Chez has always continued to compete after being introduced by her mother years ago, and this year joined Pip and started to event her working hunter pony, Freddie In Clover.
In addition to the riding school, Mandy’s family run business also offer a livery service, with both DIY and working liveries.
Reviews
Due to the current weather conditions we have decided to cancel all this evenings lessons. All customers will be rebooked for the same time next week, please call or message if you need to rearrange to a different time! Apologies for any inconvenience. We plan to reopen as usual tomorrow!! Xx
Merry Christmas to all our lovely customers, hope you all have a fabulous time!! Just a little clip of when Santa 🎅 nearly took a tumble in yesterday’s annual Christmas party 🙈😂🎄🏆🐴 xxx
A big well done to Vicky who recently passed her BHS Stage 2 teach exam to become a fully qualified BHS Stage 2 coach! We are super proud to boast BHS Stage 2, 3 & 4 coaches which enables us to teach all levels of rider! A special mention also to Tara who is also available for lessons with ourselves as she recently passed her BHS Stage 5 teach exam, which is an amazing achievement!! Well done to both ladies 🎉🐴 xx A couple of pics also of our horses at a recent university competition that we hosted xx
Just a quick post to let all our lovely customers past & present know we are NOT closing, it is another Poplar farm in Chesterfield that has announced they are closing!!! Think there has been a bit of confusion on social media!! We continue with business & lessons as normal!! 😀👍🏻🐴🐴🐴 xx
Three of our riding school horses were out competing at STARS Champion of Champions at Aintree Racecourse this weekend all with some fantastic placings and results. Well done George and Bonnie, Freddie and Liv and Boots and Ellie 🐴🥰
Poplars ponies out competing over the last couple of weekends... Bonnie & George and Ellie & Boots have both had some fab results 😀🐴💖🏆 xxx
Lovely day at Eland Lodge's Easter Egg Hunt with the ponies today 😃🐴🥰
One of our most recent acquisitions, the lovely Jazz looking super smart ready for her first Keele Uni competition today!! She produced 4 lovely mannerly tests!! Love her 😀🐴💖💖!!! Couldn’t resist a little pic of Freddy too looking nice and clean in the sunshine ☀️☀️ xxx
And Santa can do left rein...🎅🎅😂😂🐴🐴 xxx
Santa’s away 🎅🎅🐴🐴...
‘We want Santa’ 🎅 ...Xmas Party 2018!! Fab time had by all!! Xxx
THEY DID IT!!!! Today Chez and Alfie became BD Quest National Champions after winning the national finals. An amazing achievement and we are all thrilled to bits!! All her hard work and dedication has paid off, after what hasn’t been a straight forward journey as Alfie had to overcome a life threatening tendon sheath infection as a 2yr old!! Well done Chez, it was great to finish work to a celebratory glass of champers!!! 😀🐴🏆🎉🥂 xxx
A little update from ourselves; Firstly huge belated congratulations to Chez who won the my quest regional dressage championships with Alfie on a fabulous score of 72.12% (6% ahead of all other combinations)!! They head to the nationals this week where we wish them the best of luck!! Also some fabulous achievements for our staff; Nicky has completed her BHS Stage 3 coach award. Vicky has completed her BHS Stage 2 riding and care and is now looking to complete her stage 2 coac...h in the spring! And Pip (BHS II Stage 4 coach) has been upgraded from a trainee to listed British dressage judge!! Well done ladies 🎉🎉 We’ve also seen the arrival of two new faces; Gideon & Aggie! Both are already proving very popular with our clients!! Finally, on a much more somber note we very sadly had to say goodbye to Polly after she suffered heart failure. Pip stayed with her until the very end & we are devastated beyond words by our loss, not only was she one of our most valued riding school ponies, she was a also a best friend to Bonnie. We miss her very dearly, but have memories to treasure forever. Polls, you were a legend, one very special pony!! Xxx
See more
Team Poplars we’re out in force at the weekend at Smallwood ODE! Pip rode Dilly at her first ever event and she won a section of 20+ starters with a double clear to finish on her dressage score!! Fab result for her first ever event! Event horse in the making 🤞!!! Also a massive well done to two of our liveries/ clients Livi and Marie who both came 2nd in their respective sections again with double clears, amazing results for both riders in their first ODE! Huge well done ladies 😀🐴👍🏻🎉 xx
Lessons have resumed as normal today after our weeks holiday and all of our lovely horses/ponies looked very smart in their new matching and personalised saddle cloths! 🐴❤️
Just a reminder to all of our lovely customers that we are closed for annual holidays (staff & horses) from 23rd-30th August so there will be no lessons during this time!! Lessons will resume as normal on Friday 31st August! Nicky & Chez will be looking after the horses at home & will be able to answer any urgent enquiries over the phone!! For all other enquiries please contact us when we reopen!Thanks again and apologies for any inconvenience this may cause!! Xxx
A lovely write up about Chez and Alfie from his breeders!! It’s been a long difficult road but he’s finally out competing and winning 😀👍🏻🐴😍🏆🥇 xx
Clear round showjumping on today’s pony day, here is a little clip of Grace & Smartie 😀👍🏻🐴 xx
More about Poplars Farm Riding School
Tuesday: 09:00 - 20:00
Wednesday: 09:00 - 20:00
Thursday: -
Friday: 09:00 - 20:00
Saturday: 08:30 - 17:00
Sunday: -