On Horseback, Nobody Checks Their Phone
There is a reason horse riding has endured for thousands of years as something people do together. It demands your full attention. You cannot scroll, you cannot zone out, and you cannot fake your way through it. When you are on a horse, you are present — aware of the animal beneath you, the landscape around you, and the people riding alongside you. Conversation happens naturally in the pauses, and silence does not feel awkward because you are both looking at the same stretch of moor or coastline.
Devon, with its national park, two coastlines, and some of the most dramatic riding country in England, is one of the best places in Britain to experience this. Whether you have never been on a horse or you have been riding for years, there are centres here that cater to every level — and landscapes that make every ride feel like something worth remembering.
This is our guide to the best horse riding and equestrian centres in Devon, from beginner-friendly Dartmoor hacks to beach gallops at Woolacombe. For each, we have included what to expect and the kind of experience level you will need. Prices are given only where the centre publishes them — most of these are small family yards that quote on the phone, and we would rather tell you to ring than print a number that has gone stale. Consider it your excuse to do something genuinely different with your friends.
Dartmoor: Where Riding Feels Wild
Dartmoor National Park covers 368 square miles of open moorland, granite tors, ancient woodland, and river valleys. It is one of the last truly wild landscapes in southern England, and riding across it is an experience that stays with you. The terrain is varied — boggy in places, rocky in others, with wide open stretches where you can canter — and the views from the high moor are extraordinary. On a clear day, you can see both coastlines.
Several riding centres operate within or on the edge of Dartmoor, and each offers a slightly different experience.
Shilstone Rocks Riding Centre
Location: Widecombe-in-the-Moor | Experience level: All abilities
Shilstone Rocks is a long-established, family-run yard at Chittleford Farm, just outside Widecombe-in-the-Moor — one of Dartmoor's most picturesque spots. Rides go out over the open moor in small, same-ability groups, so you are not stuck behind a nervous beginner if you want to move, and you are not pressured to go faster than you are comfortable with. They also do lessons and livery.
What makes Shilstone Rocks special is the setting. Riding out from Widecombe across the open moor, with Dartmoor ponies grazing in the distance and granite tors on the horizon, is genuinely beautiful.
One practical warning: they have no working website any more, and riders have reported leaving several answerphone messages before getting a reply. Ring 01364 621281 and give yourself plenty of time before the day you want to ride.
Cholwell Riding Stables
Location: Mary Tavy, between Okehampton and Tavistock | Experience level: All abilities | Cost: £38 for one hour (2026 tariff)
Cholwell is a family-run business that has been offering escorted rides and lessons on Dartmoor for over fifty years. Situated on the A386 next to the famous Wheal Betsy silver lead mine engine house, it is one of the most accessible Dartmoor centres — easy to find, plenty of parking, and you ride straight out onto the moor with no roadwork at all.
Rides begin at 9.45am and continue throughout the day. Their published 2026 prices are £38 for an hour, £57 for an hour and a half and £72 for two hours, with 20-minute pony rides for children from £15. They are licensed by West Devon Borough Council. The terrain here is classic western Dartmoor — open moorland with views across to Cornwall on clear days.
What we like about Cholwell is how unpretentious it is. This is not a polished equestrian experience with champagne at the end — it is a proper Dartmoor hack, led by people who know the moor inside out. Book on 01822 810526 (they take calls 8am to 9pm), especially during school holidays.
Two Dartmoor riding centres we used to recommend have gone. Babeny Farm Stables at Poundsgate — for years the moor's longest-established trekking centre, and the home of the half-day pub ride — stopped trading as a trekking centre in September 2018 on insurance grounds; the livery yard continued but the public rides did not. Skaigh Stables at Belstone has no first-party presence left at all. Both of their old web addresses have since been picked up by other people and now serve online-gambling pages, so do not go looking for them.
Beach Rides: Woolacombe
Woolacombe Riding Stables
Location: Eastacombe Farm, Beach Road, Woolacombe | Experience level: All abilities, beach ride requires experience
If you have ever dreamed of galloping along a beach — and who has not — Woolacombe is where you make it happen. Woolacombe Riding Stables is British Horse Society and Pony Club approved and licensed by North Devon District Council, and it offers rides along three miles of golden sand.
Their signature experience is the one-and-three-quarter-hour beach ride, which takes you through the village of Woolacombe, along three miles of sand at walk, trot, canter, and gallop, then home through the dunes. It is exhilarating, it is beautiful, and it is the kind of experience that gets talked about for years. This ride is for more experienced riders only and children must be over fourteen.
For beginners and younger riders, they offer half-hour treks with an escort always walking alongside or leading. All rides are escorted, and boots and hats are provided free of charge. The stables are open all year round. There is a minimum age of four and a rider weight limit of fifteen stone.
They publish no prices, so ask when you call — and bookings are taken over the phone only, on 01271 870260. Book well ahead: the beach rides fill up quickly in summer and during school holidays.
Mullacott Equestrian Centre
Location: Honeycleave Farm, Ilfracombe | Experience level: All abilities
Mullacott offers a broader range of riding experiences across their farm — 600 acres to ride over, they say, with no roadwork — from confidence-building hacks for nervous riders to beach gallops for the experienced. They specialise in making riding accessible: nervous riders and small children get a walking escort, and mixed-ability groups get more than one. There are half-hour and hour-long farm hacks, longer rides out onto Exmoor and National Trust land, and beach gallops between Woolacombe and Putsborough for riders confident at canter and gallop.
They do not publish prices, and rides must be pre-booked by phone or in person on 07503 680702.
If a trip to North Devon appeals, our guide to the best day trips from Exeter covers the area in detail, including food and transport options.
The Luxury Option: Liberty Trails
Location: Various routes across Dartmoor | Experience level: Experienced, riding-fit riders
For something at the other end of the spectrum, Liberty Trails offers multi-day riding holidays across Dartmoor that combine good horses, stunning routes, and five-star hospitality. It is run by Elaine Michelle Prior and her team from inside the national park.
Their Bovey Castle escapes pair three nights at the five-star hotel with two full days in the saddle. The big one is the Dartmoor Tor to Tor 50: four nights, three days riding, around fifty miles in total at roughly fifteen a day. Horses range from large Irish hunters and thoroughbreds down to smart smaller cobs, matched to the rider.
This is not a casual hack — it is a properly curated equestrian adventure for competent riders. Prices are not published anywhere on their site; itineraries and costs come by enquiry. But if you have a group of friends who ride and you want to mark a birthday, a reunion, or just an excuse to do something extraordinary together, it is worth the email.
Most Dartmoor riding centres welcome complete beginners. You do not need any experience to enjoy a one-hour guided hack — the horses are used to novice riders and the staff will match you with an appropriate mount. Wear long trousers, closed-toe shoes with a small heel, and layers you do not mind getting dirty.
What to Know Before You Book
Experience levels
Most centres grade their rides by experience. "Beginner" or "novice" rides typically stay at walk with short trots. "Intermediate" rides include trot and canter. "Experienced" or "expert" rides cover more ground at faster paces, often across more challenging terrain. Be honest about your level — it makes the experience better for everyone, including the horse.
What to wear
Long trousers (not shorts, not leggings), closed-toe shoes or boots with a small heel (trainers are usually not allowed as your foot can slip through the stirrup), and layers. Dartmoor weather changes quickly. Hard hats are provided by all reputable centres.
Booking
Book in advance, especially during school holidays, weekends and summer. Almost every centre here takes bookings by phone rather than online — Woolacombe takes them by phone only — and the smaller yards can be slow to pick up messages, so leave yourself a few days.
Group sizes
Riding works brilliantly for groups of two to six. Most centres take small groups of the same ability level, so if you are booking as a group, try to be roughly similar in experience. If you have a mixed group, call ahead — most centres can accommodate this with separate rides running at different times.
Cost summary
Cholwell is the only centre here that publishes a tariff. Everyone else takes bookings by phone and quotes on the day, so treat the last column as a guide to what each place is for, not what it costs.
| Centre | Location | Price | Best for | |---|---|---|---| | Cholwell Riding Stables | Mary Tavy | £38/hour, £57/90min, £72/2hr (2026) | Budget-friendly Dartmoor hacks | | Shilstone Rocks | Widecombe-in-the-Moor | Not published — ring 01364 621281 | Scenic Dartmoor rides, all levels | | Woolacombe Riding Stables | Woolacombe | Not published — ring 01271 870260 | Beach rides | | Mullacott Equestrian Centre | Ilfracombe | Not published — ring 07503 680702 | Nervous beginners, beach gallops | | Liberty Trails | Various Dartmoor | By enquiry only | Luxury multi-day experiences |
The Social Case for Riding Together
We talk a lot at Dinners With Friends about the conditions that create real connection — not small talk over drinks, but the kind of shared experience that turns people from acquaintances into friends. Horse riding ticks every box.
It takes you away from your phone. It puts you in a beautiful setting. It gives you something to concentrate on together while still leaving room for conversation. And it involves a small amount of shared vulnerability — even confident riders feel a flicker of nerves before setting out across unknown terrain, and that shared feeling creates a bond that a night at the pub simply cannot replicate.
Whether you choose an hour's hack on Dartmoor or a four-night trail, the social return is the same: you will come back with stories, with shared memories, and with friendships that are a little bit deeper than they were before.
Devon is one of the finest places in England to ride. The moors are wild, the beaches are dramatic, and the people running these centres genuinely love what they do. If you are looking for something different to do with your friends this summer — something that gets you outdoors, off your phone, and into a landscape that will take your breath away — book a ride. You will not regret it.
For more ideas on getting outdoors in Devon, explore our guides to walking routes near Exeter and things to do in Devon this summer.