November Update

by Shetland Pony Club | Nov 5, 2025

Top 3 things to do this November

1. Book a ride before we close in December – Join us for Starter Rides and Own a Pony Experiences
2. Get your Christmas sorted with:

• Pony Gift Vouchers 
• Pony Share for 2026

3. Book a Pony Birthday Party for 2026 – bookings are now open online here

From Rosemary, the Shetland Pony Club Team and all the Shetland ponies

Reminder: Thank you for your support

Please object now to second monster housing estate threatens The Ranch

We urgently need your help to object by 8 November 2025 to a planning application to build 250 dwellings next to Shetland Pony Club.

ACT NOW – Please help stop a second monster housing estate that threatens The Ranch

There is a second planning application in NOW to build 250 tall dwellings on Green Belt land below the Ranch at Clouds Hill Farm directly below Shetland Pony Club.  This will severely impact:

• The beauty of the views from The Ranch that you love
• Be bad for nature and wildlife
• Cause congestion and access issues with additional traffic

Watch the video to find out more

ACT NOW

Please object to the Planning Application 2025/2147 to preserve the environment of The Ranch for future Generations.

Objections must be made by 8 November 2025

QR code to Planning Application 2025/2147

Object Here:

• Click on the link to the Elmbridge Borough Council Planning Application 2025/2147 – Clouds Hill Farm Leatherhead Road Oxshott Leatherhead Surrey KT22 0ET
• Click – “Make a comment”
• Fill in your contact details and click “You object to the planning application”
• Add your own comments or use these words:

Objection Comments – you can copy and paste these if you wish:

I am writing to strongly object to the planning application for the proposed housing development on the green belt at Clouds Hill Farm, Oxshott, Surrey, KT22 0ET

As a visitor to Shetland Pony Club and someone who values the natural beauty of the area, I am deeply concerned about the impact this development would have on the local environment and community. My objections are as follows:

• Impact on Views and Landscape:
  The proposed development would significantly alter the unbroken, rural views from the surrounding hills, affecting both the visual landscape and the tranquillity that visitors and locals currently enjoy.
• Incompatibility with the Area’s Character:
  This large-scale housing development is not in keeping with the rural character of the valley and would result in the irretrievable loss of agricultural and green belt land. The tall height of the buildings is incompatible with the character of the area.
• Ecological Concerns:
  The valley is home to important wildlife, including bat and owl populations. The introduction of artificial lighting and the loss of the significant dark skies of Clouds Hill Farm would have a detrimental impact on these species and their habitats. The Bat report in the application has been redacted by the developer. This should be published in full as it is clear from the photographs that there are active bat roosts on Clouds Hill Farm, as there is on the neighbouring farmland of Shetland Pony Club.
• Loss of mature trees
  The proposed development threatens to cut down 114 mature oak trees and prune a further 117. The mature Oak woodlands of Surrey are highly valued both for the ecological services they provide by being the lungs of London, by the wildlife they support and the beauty they offer the landscape. The proposal is an unacceptable loss of mature woodland habitat and its associated bat ecology. Oak trees are hard to regenerate and can live for up to 1000 years. The loss of 114 mature trees equates to hundreds of years of positive ecological services which can all be lost to the bulldozer in one afternoon. Surrey County Council is constantly encouraging farmers, landowners, and schools to plant more trees due to their ecological benefits. The biodiversity net gain calculations from the SANG application are questionable greenwash in the light of the proposed destruction of this mature woodland habitat. Nature has no voice, and it is up to Elmbridge Council that we have elected to stand up for nature and listen to the will of their constituents. Once it is lost, it is lost forever.
• Thank you for considering this comment and I strongly urge the Elmbridge Council to reject this application.

Deadline: 8 November 2025

1. Ride with us this November – Starter Rides

Starter Rides are 45 minutes long and specially designed first-riding experiences for children. Includes pony grooming and a ride on their own adorable Shetland pony. Followed by a certificate presentation. £55 per child. Each child will have their own pony and helper. Children MUST be 3 years old at the time of their ride.

• Saturday 8 November – 2.15pm, 3.15pm – SPACES
• Saturday 8 November – 9am, 12.15pm – SPACES
• Sunday 16 November – 9am – SPACES
• Sunday 23 November – 9am, 12:15pm – SPACES
• Sunday 30 November – 12:15pm – SPACES

1. Ride with us this November – Own a Pony Experiences

Own a Pony Experiences are two hours long and are delightful early riding and learning experiences for children from age 4. Includes lots of riding and pony care. Followed by a rosette presentation. Each child will have their own pony and helper.

Two-hour session – £85 per child

• Sunday 9 Novermber – 14.15pm – SPACES
• Saturday 15 November – 14:15pm – SPACES

2. Christmas sorted with Pony Gift Vouchers

Shetland Pony Club Gift Vouchers are wonderful gifts for anyone who loves Shetland ponies.  You can choose Gift Vouchers for a specific ride, or an amount of money. There are two formats to choose from:

• Print-at-home Gift Vouchers are available instantly for you to customise with your message and photo, then download and print at home.
• Hard Copy Gift Vouchers – beautifully printed vouchers for any pony activity are presented in lovely gold envelopes and posted to a location of your choice by Royal Mail, First Class (£2.50 extra for P&P). They are for specific types of ride (e.g. Starter Ride) only.

Find out more here

2. Give a Pony for Christmas with Pony Share for 2026 

 Learn new skills, be healthy and make friends?

We have one space for Pony Share Members and Mini Members now and for 2026. 

You can experience a pony of your own, the easy way, with Pony Share Membership. Learn to ride, build a bond with your pony, come regularly to our club and enjoy pony fun in the countryside.

• Pony Membership – a pony of your own each week, 2 hours, age 4+
• Mini Membership – a pony of your own each week, 45 minutes, age 3+

Available Now:

• • We have spaces for Pony Share Membership and Mini Membership now
  • You can also get a pony share for Christmas with a gorgeous pack under your tree and a pony from March 2026

Interested? Contact us on 07734 950 309 or info@shetlandponyclub.co.uk

3 – Book a Pony Birthday Party for 2026

Learn to ride at Shetland Pony Parties – wonderful learn to ride Shetland pony parties for children aged 3 – 10 years old. Use of a private facility, your children can bond with our adorable ponies and learn to ride them, creating magical memories for your child’s birthday. Two hours.

Our parties for 2025 are now all fully booked… but hold your horses there is some great news!

We are now accepting bookings for 2026!!

• 2026 Maxi and Mini Pony Parties now available to book from 28 February 2026

Can’t see the date you’d like? Contact us for other dates on: 07734 950 309 or email: info@shetlandponyclub.co.uk

We urgently need your help to object by 8 November 2025 to a planning application to build 250 dwellings next to Shetland Pony Club.

ACT NOW – Please help stop a second monster housing estate that threatens The Ranch

There is a second planning application in NOW to build 250 tall dwellings on Green Belt land below the Ranch at Clouds Hill Farm directly below Shetland Pony Club.  This will severely impact:

• The beauty of the views from The Ranch that you love
• Be bad for nature and wildlife
• Cause congestion and access issues with additional traffic

Watch the video to find out more

ACT NOW

Please object to the Planning Application 2025/2147 to preserve the environment of The Ranch for future Generations.

Objections must be made by 8 November 2025

QR code to Planning Application 2025/2147

Object Here:

• Click on the link to the Elmbridge Borough Council Planning Application 2025/2147 – Clouds Hill Farm Leatherhead Road Oxshott Leatherhead Surrey KT22 0ET
• Click – “Make a comment”
• Fill in your contact details and click “You object to the planning application”
• Add your own comments or use these words:

Objection Comments – you can copy and paste these if you wish:

I am writing to strongly object to the planning application for the proposed housing development on the green belt at Clouds Hill Farm, Oxshott, Surrey, KT22 0ET

As a visitor to Shetland Pony Club and someone who values the natural beauty of the area, I am deeply concerned about the impact this development would have on the local environment and community. My objections are as follows:

• Impact on Views and Landscape:
  The proposed development would significantly alter the unbroken, rural views from the surrounding hills, affecting both the visual landscape and the tranquillity that visitors and locals currently enjoy.
• Incompatibility with the Area’s Character:
  This large-scale housing development is not in keeping with the rural character of the valley and would result in the irretrievable loss of agricultural and green belt land. The tall height of the buildings is incompatible with the character of the area.
• Ecological Concerns:
  The valley is home to important wildlife, including bat and owl populations. The introduction of artificial lighting and the loss of the significant dark skies of Clouds Hill Farm would have a detrimental impact on these species and their habitats. The Bat report in the application has been redacted by the developer. This should be published in full as it is clear from the photographs that there are active bat roosts on Clouds Hill Farm, as there is on the neighbouring farmland of Shetland Pony Club.
• Loss of mature trees
  The proposed development threatens to cut down 114 mature oak trees and prune a further 117. The mature Oak woodlands of Surrey are highly valued both for the ecological services they provide by being the lungs of London, by the wildlife they support and the beauty they offer the landscape. The proposal is an unacceptable loss of mature woodland habitat and its associated bat ecology. Oak trees are hard to regenerate and can live for up to 1000 years. The loss of 114 mature trees equates to hundreds of years of positive ecological services which can all be lost to the bulldozer in one afternoon. Surrey County Council is constantly encouraging farmers, landowners, and schools to plant more trees due to their ecological benefits. The biodiversity net gain calculations from the SANG application are questionable greenwash in the light of the proposed destruction of this mature woodland habitat. Nature has no voice, and it is up to Elmbridge Council that we have elected to stand up for nature and listen to the will of their constituents. Once it is lost, it is lost forever.
• Thank you for considering this comment and I strongly urge the Elmbridge Council to reject this application.

ACT NOW – Please help stop a second monster housing estate that threatens The Ranch

Please object to the Planning Application 2025/2147 to preserve the environment of The Ranch for future Generations.

Watch the video to find out more:

Objections must be made by 8 November 2025

Thank you – From Rosemary, Liz, the Team, and all the ponies at Shetland Pony Club –  contact us on: 07734 950 309 or email: info@shetlandponyclub.co.uk

Want to know more?

Find out more via PROTECT OXSHOTT campaign here.

There is an opportunity to support the campaign via  GoFundMe