Stop worrying about lockdown and let’s enjoy our 2020 Shetland Pony Club review, as it has been a year like no other, for all of us. We opened in March after the wettest February on record and were looking forward to some lovely sunny weather.
Stop worrying about lockdown!
After just two weeks of pony fun in March, the national lockdown gave the ponies an extended holiday and time to enjoy the lovely spring weather that followed. There were amazing wildflowers for the ponies to enjoy – but where were the children? The ponies did a lot of eating and playing and Hector Moonbeam even joined a birthday party on zoom.
Enjoy our 2020 Shetland Pony Club review
We finally opened in June for members only, with Shetland pony leading and extensive COVID-safe planning and training for all. We had a summer of pony fun, with camps and parties, followed by lots of Halloween Pumpkin Rides this autumn.
It was tough for our staff too, with exams and graduations cancelled, we had our own celebrations at The Ranch.
Life for the ponies went on as normal with visits from the farrier and dentist, and lots more eating!
Now we have gone full circle and the ponies are on an early holiday, as we lockdown and remember all the Shetland pony fun in 2020.
The government has ordered stables and riding centres to close from Thursday 5 November 2020 as part of the lockdown in England. So, we are now closed for the winter and we plan to reopen on Saturday 6 March 2021.
What does this mean for my November pony riding booking?
Customers with November bookings have been contacted to move your booking, or organise a voucher or a refund. If you have not heard from us please do contact the office on 07734 950 309 or email us at info@shetlandponyclub.co.uk
Members will be contacted separately in the coming days about their November riding and membership for 2021.
Urgent message – Shetland Pony Club closure from Wed 18 March 2020
I am writing to all our members, customers our team and the wider Shetland Pony Club community with an important announcement.
Following the latest government advice to avoid all non-essential gatherings we have decided to temporarily close The Ranch with immediate effect, to play our part in the global effort to stem the coronavirus spread.
The health of our members, children, staff, parents and grandparents who visit us is our priority, along with our wish to do everything we can to support the nation’s efforts at this difficult time.
We appreciate your ongoing support of the ponies and we will endeavour to get through this difficult time intact, so we can all enjoy pony riding long into the future.
With regard to the upcoming programme, The Ranch will close on Wednesday 18 March 2020, until further notice.
Bookings rescheduling
Pony Share Members will receive a separate email detailing how your Pony Share Membership will be reorganised.
Party bookings until end May – we will call all party hosts in the coming days to agree on a route forward with you.
All paid bookings for March and April will be issued with a voucher code in the coming days, (please bear with us), to enable you to rebook at a future date to suit you.
All paid bookings from May onwards – should it become apparent that we are not going to reopen from May, all paid bookings will be issued with a voucher code in due course to enable you to rebook at a future date to suit you.
Gift Vouchers – expiry dates will be extended if you are unable to utilise them within the current expiry period.
Refunds – We hope that you will support the ponies, if you are able to, by accepting a voucher code to ride in the future. Should you require a refund instead of a voucher code, please email us and we will organise this for you.
We will be working very hard to rearrange our programme for you and expect the office to be busy, so please be assured we will get to all enquiries as fast as we can.
Liz, Rosemary and Camilla in the office will be on hand to help.
We will continue to update you weekly via Shetland Pony Club TV every Wednesday at 4 pm and will be active on Facebook and Instagram and our website to keep you in touch with the ponies.
We have many loyal followers from all over the world as well as local members and we hope that wherever you are in the world as you read this, you keep safe, follow the guidelines and let’s pull together and support each other to get through these unprecedented times. Hopefully, we will be back riding our ponies over the Surrey Hills before long.
Camilla has made a lovely video this week reminding us that there is always hope and Spring is just around the corner. You can watch it here.
Keep safe, thank you for your support – we will miss you all. Please be assured that we will be caring for the ponies and endeavouring to get you back in the saddle as soon as it is safe.
Our thoughts are with you all.
Small Ponies…Big Dreams from Rosemary and all the team and ponies at Shetland Pony Club
Shetland Pony Club
The Ranch
Blue Bell Lane
Stoke D’Abernon
Near Cobham
Surrey
KT11 3PW
