Surrey is widely regarded as one of the UK’s premier equestrian epicentres. Across the county, elegant country homes with paddocks, stables and acreage are a familiar feature of the property landscape, reflecting a long-standing tradition of horse ownership that continues to shape the area today. Framed by rolling countryside, ancient woodland and an extensive network of bridleways, providing some of the finest hacking in the South East for riders at every level, many of Surrey’s rural properties lend themselves naturally to equestrian living.
Surrey’s equestrian appeal does however extend far beyond its beautiful riding country. The county also enjoys an exceptional concentration of equestrian venues. For those that enjoy a day at the races, Surrey is home to several of Britain’s best-known racecourses, including Epsom Downs, Sandown Park, Lingfield Park and Kempton Park, each hosting a busy calendar of racing throughout the year. Polo also has a strong presence in the county, with established clubs such as Hurtwood Park supporting a thriving local polo community.
Just beyond the county’s boundaries, a short distance away, lie some of the sport’s most prestigious stages. Ascot Racecourse and Guards Polo Club in nearby Windsor Great Park are both within easy reach, placing world-class racing and polo firmly on Surrey’s doorstep.
Together with the exceptional riding country of the Surrey Hills and North Downs, these venues have helped foster a thriving equestrian community across the county. Professional training facilities and established livery yards can be found throughout Surrey, offering excellent care and modern facilities for horses. Well-regarded yards such as Pachesham Equestrian, Kilnhanger Equine, Clandon Park and Downside Livery in Cobham all provide high-quality stabling for horse owners across the region.
What truly sets Surrey apart, is the remarkable depth of its equestrian offering; world-class racing, well-established polo clubs, outstanding riding country and a wealth of professional facilities. Below, we take a closer look at some of the defining elements that make Surrey one of the UK’s premier destinations for equestrian living.
Image Credit: Royal Ascot
Outstanding Riding Country
Surrey is considered to be one of the best counties in the UK for hacking, with a vast network of public bridleways that extends to 235 miles. Rolling hills and picturesque backdrops are in abundance, with the bridleways meandering across the Surrey Hills, North Downs and South Downs. The Surrey Hills are perhaps the most popular hacking area in Surrey, with Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill and Hurtwood offering stunning views and long woodland tracks that can be enjoyed by riders of all abilities. Other popular areas include Puttenham Common, Frensham and Hankley Commons, Ranmore Common and, for those that want to venture further, the Downs Link offers a bridleway route from Guildford to the south coast finishing at Shoreham-by-Sea.
Word-class horseracing on the doorstep
Few counties can claim to host four major racing venues, each with its own place in the British racing calendar. Epsom Downs Racecourse is perhaps the most famous, hosting the Derby – one of the horseracing’s most celebrated events and a fixture that has drawn crowds to the Downs for centuries. Sandown Park in Esher is another key Surrey venue, known for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, a Group 1 race that attracts some of the finest horses in training. Lingfield Park and Kempton Park also maintain busy racing calendars throughout the year, hosting both flat and National Hunt racing.
Just beyond Surrey’s borders, further enhancing the region’s racing credentials, lies one of the most famous racecourses in the world: Ascot. Perhaps the crown jewel in the local racing calendar, and widely regarded as one of the highlights of the international racing schedule, the Royal Ascot meeting each June is synonymous with tradition, pageantry and world-class competition. For five days every summer, royalty, racing enthusiasts and socialites gather at the Berkshire course, where fascinators, top hats and morning coats are as much a part of the occasion as the racing itself. The result is a spectacular celebration of British racing, transforming Ascot into a sea of colour, ceremony and sporting excellence.
Dates for your 2026 racing calendar;
Lingfield Derby and Oaks Trials- 9th May 2026
The Derby at Epsom Downs – 6-7th June 2026
Royal Ascot – 16th-20th June 2026
Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park – 4th July 2026
King George VI Chase at Kempton – 26th December 2026
Image Credit: Royal Ascot
The Pinnacle of British Polo
Surrey also enjoys a strong tradition of polo, with several well-established clubs contributing to the county’s thriving equestrian scene. Hurtwood Park Polo Club near Cranleigh is one of the most prominent, hosting competitive fixtures and training throughout the summer season. Together, these clubs help sustain a vibrant local polo community that has become an integral part of Surrey’s wider equestrian landscape.
Polo enthusiasts in Surrey are equally well served by one of the sport’s most prestigious venues nearby. Guards Polo Club, set within the beautiful surroundings of Windsor Great Park, is widely regarded as one of the leading polo clubs in the world. Its highlight each summer is the Queen’s Cup, one of the most coveted trophies in international polo and a tournament that regularly attracts many of the sport’s finest players and teams. Set against the historic backdrop of the royal park, the competition combines elite sport with a distinctly British sense of occasion, drawing spectators who gather along the sidelines to watch some of the highest levels of polo played anywhere in the country.
Dates for your 2026 polo calendar;
Guards Polo Club Queen’s Cup Final 2026 – 14th June 2026
Image Credit: MudDogs Photography
Exceptional Facilities for Riders and Horses
This wealth of equestrian heritage, landscape and venues have naturally seen a thriving equestrian community and exceptional equestrian facilities for horse owners develop across Surrey. For owners of horses in Surrey, or those considering a move to the county, you are not short of choice for livery yards, riding schools, competition centres, professional trainers and rehabilitation clinics.
Pachesham Equestrian
Pachesham prides itself in combining premier equestrian training with unparallelled care, and the livery services available align with their overall ethos. The centre makes a point of specifying the fact that all livery services can be tailored to individual needs, and the grounds sit against Leatherhead’s leafy landscape, making it one of several fantastic choices available.
Parwood Equestrian Centre, Guildford
Parwood: one of the finest Equestrian Training Centres and Livery Yards in the UK. Set in 130 acres of stunning Surrey countryside, Parwood combines first-class BHS approved livery and training facilities with some of the best riding opportunities in the country.
Oldencraig Equestrian Centre, Lingfield
Previously voted in the top 5 equestrian centres in world, Oldencraig Equestrian Centre is one of the premier establishments in the South East of England. Oldencraig is a leading destination for all things equine, offering a breadth of competition, training and rehabilitation facilities, as well as livery.
Clandon Park Livery
Set on a privately owned 1000 acre estate, Clandon Park Livery delivers high standard facilities combined with outstanding countryside views and plenty of history. The open fields make for excellent hacking trails and the grounds are also home to schooling and board arenas and turnout paddocks.
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