Horse riding fun for the kids this summer in the Scottish Borders

Summer Fun starts here with hacks and horsey activities in the summer holidays at Stable Life near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders

Our childrens’ summer programme is now live, and we are officially into the swing of summer! There is still plenty of fun to come this July and August so if your children (and/or adults) love horse riding, lessons, fun pony activities, perhaps the idea of a picnic ride or signing up for a showjumping masterclass, just register your riders on our Ecpro page, and book in with us online. We look forward to seeing you here at our beautiful yard in the stunning countryside between Selkirk and Hawick along the A7, just over an hour's drive from Edinburgh.

Stable Life stables has a lovely herd of friendly horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes, to suit any rider from a complete beginner getting ready to start primary one all the way up to to experienced adult riders. All our equines are gentle and kind, love playing games and exploring the rolling countryside around us, and are ideal for having fun with this summer.

Our horse riding and activities summer programme runs until the 13th August and includes

** Hacking out off-road in our beautiful countryside

** Our popular 'Own a Pony' sessions which include a ride and a ponycare session

** Picnic rides for all levels: enjoy a fun hack up the hill, stopping for a picnic midway.

** Showjumping sessions: come and ride one of our ponies or horses and brush up on your jumping position, or if you have your own pony bring it along for a showjumping session and improve your technique under our expert instruction.

** Our handy pony days involve an assault course for both horse and rider – a summer challenge which is a lot of fun!

** Alternatively make a day of it and sign up for our incredible summer pony camp, which includes stable management, horse riding lessons and a hack, plus lots of fun activities.

Our prices start at £15. To find out more just visit our homepage at www.stablelife.org.uk or call 01750 32277.

Selkirk Junior Rideout 2025

Today has been the 2025 Selkirk Common Riding and we've hugely enjoyed seeing all the riders "Safe Oot and Safe In'  this year. What a day it's been and the weather so good! It's also reminded us that we had a great evening out on May 28th at the Selkirk Ex Standard Bearers’ Junior Ride Out.

The junior ride out, now in its 11th year, continues to build up a reputation as a great evening, attracting young riders from across the Borders for a fun ride around Selkirk and this year's ride was fantastic for all, with weather to match.

Chief Executive Mags Powell said: "We had a lovely evening at the Selkirk Ex Standard Bearers’ Junior Ride, the sun shone but not as much as our young people who absolutely loved the experience. One young person said “it’s been my best day ever!” We are, as always, hugely grateful to the Ex Standard Bearer’s committee who have invited us along to ride behind them for a number of years now, it has enabled some of our young people to have a wonderful experience that they would never normally have had."

The Stable Life ponies taking part this year were: Billy (Sawyer), Paddy (Robert), Misty (Caja) and Smartie (Milly).

Sawyer Hogg on Billy

Caja Pearson on Misty

Emily Anderson on Smartie

Robert Hannay on Paddy

We were also very grateful for the sponsorship of the Scottish Borders Housing Association; their kind donation helped us to attend the event.

The history of Selkirk Common Riding

One of the oldest common ridings in the country, Selkirk Common Riding has a long and fascinating past. Most historians trace its origins back to the Battle of Flodden from which only one Souta, Fletcher, returned out of a group of 80 brave fighters who'd set out for the battle from the Border town.

However, as JN Newlands pointed out in his article, the Common Riding's history could well go even further back than the 16th century.:

"It is commonly supposed that Selkirk Common Riding dates from the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and it is certainly true that it has been carried out and commemorated for nearly five centuries, but all the evidence points to it being of a much older vintage.

"In 1113 King David I of Scotland raised Selkirk to the status of a Royal Burgh and referred to it even then as "mine old town". He granted much land to ensure the Burgh's survival, so these early Souters would have to ride the marches of this land for the protection of their interests. In these early years, they rode armed.

"The marches of the Royal and Ancient Burgh of Selkirk, therefore were ridden for four hundred years before Flodden, but it is by the Flodden Ceremony however that Selkirk is principally known,' he points out.

Tradition has it that 80 men set forth to the Border, and only one returned and raised a blood stained English banner aloft, an action commemorated every year in Selkirk with the Casting of the Colours.

Stable Life has supported many young people from Selkirk and its surrounding villages who needed our help at some point in their lives - we love meeting all the young people who come through our stables every year, and look forward to many more Junior Rides to come!

To find out more about our project at Stable Life helping the vulnerable young folk of The Borders, or to book a riding lesson our yard just visit our homepage.

Stable Life Easter Holidays pony activity programme

As Easter approaches we have put together a fabulous programme of Easter activities for you here at Stable Life from countryside hacks and 'own a pony' days to a showjumping competition

Running from April 7 until April 18 we have put together a fun mixture of activities for all ages, so you can come and enjoy the school holidays with your favourite horses and ponies. We have 'own a pony' sessions running for 5-18 year olds, with added horseshoe crafting activities, plenty of hacks in the beautiful Scottish Borders countryside for novice to advanced level riders, the ever popular pamper a pony sessions (with a pony easter bonnet crafting competition), and a horseback Easter egg hunt where riders enjoy a ride in the countryside then have to find the chocolate eggs before their ponies do!

We are also running a showjumping day on April 17th which will be run as a fun competition. Riders can bring their own pony to test their skill and speed, or use one of our brilliant Stable Life ponies to try for that elusive clear round.. Riders can choose their jump height on booking (from poles on the ground to 70cms) and finish the holidays on a real high!

To book just jump over to our online booking system and register if you haven't already https://stable-life.ecpro.co.uk but be quick as spaces fill up! If you have any questions just call us on 01750 32208. We'll see you soon!