Contact Us

Follow Google Maps to Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat 97 Aylesham Dr, Bonogin QLD 4213

On arrival, just before the main wooden gate and mailbox is a set of black mesh gates on your right,  you will see the Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat sign, then just park to the left or right of the black gates without blocking the driveway and walk down the bitumen path to the stables.

You will walk past the tie rails and stables to an awning and seating area to be greeted by one of our staff.

ALL VISITORS TO WEAR CLOSED IN SHOES AND NO VISITOR PETS ALLOWED

We are open Tue, Wed, Thu and Sat. Please check our Activities page for real time availability.

With The Essential Starter Program – For Kids That Love Horses

• Be sure to give your child a safer start to horse riding and reduce the risk of getting hurt!
• Learn what you don’t know about horses that could cost you thousands of dollars if you buy a horse.

Education Pack

• Giddy Up Beginner Books Collection! The basics of horses, learning to ride and getting ready to buy your first horse.
• Horse Lovers First Book: The basics you need to know about horses.
• How To Ride A Horse: Riding Lessons for Beginners workbook with bonus development guide for parents.
• Ready For Your First Horse: An expert’s guide to preparing you when looking for that beginner’s horse for sale.

Go Riding

More than just a riding experience! Introducing you to horses safely through horse care and handling confidence, connecting with horses and how to be a better rider through horse communication techniques. Focused on riding development and creating a future of sensible, confident, and capable horse handlers and riders. All within an enclosed arena environment.

All pricing, services and real time availability is found on our activities page.

Group classes are usually from $75-$120pp/hr with full days in school holidays from $195pp.

Private Riding lesson development options vary between $100-$180 depending on whether you are riding on your own or sharing with another person.

We conduct lessons from 5 years old and up with a good mix of kids and adults of any age. Group lessons are a minimum age of 8 years old.

For little kids pony rides there are some great places around the Gold Coast such as Carrara Markets or the Historic Rivermill at Nerang.

Another great place to go is Currumbin Valley Horse Rides at currumbinvalleyhorserides.com.au and they do trail riding also.

Yes, we supply horses, or you can bring your own for lessons. Our horses are great for confidence building and we have a range of horse types and sizes for all levels. We have mainly 14-15.3hh stock horses, a pony and a shetland.
If you ever thought of owning a horse our HORSE HIRE or PART HORSE LEASE is a great option for the feeling of horse ownership without all the responsibilities and stress.

The maximum weight is 90kg for the welfare of our horses that we have at Bonogin Valley Horse Retreat which are mostly stock horses.

Coaching is based in a fenced area such as our round yard or mostly in our sand arena 40x20m size.

For trail riding a great place to go is Currumbin Valley Horse Rides at currumbinvalleyhorserides.com.au

Long pants, a collared shirt is ideal in the sun riding, no midriff tops, and closed in shoes are required at the stables by riders at all times and boots a requirement after the first lesson for any repeat visits. All visitors are also to wear closed in shoes. Helmets are supplied.

The focus is on coaching how to connect with your horse and use proper hand and leg techniques to develop your riding and performance. Very achievement focused on student progression ensuring constant learning at all times.

Lessons may include 5-10 minutes for preparation and put away time. Part of the time can be requested to learn horse care handling/grooming/saddle/bridle, important if wanting to own a horse one day. Competent regulars are encouraged to assist with pre and post groundwork to establish better relationships with your horse.

We supply the horses or you can bring your own.

Private lessons are ideal for beginners to learn the basics needed when one-on-one assistance is needed, or shared up to two people is recommended for quality and speed of learning.

Group lessons are good when you have achieved a good sit trot and rise trot with control of your horse so that you can progress in the group environment. Also established basic canter also a requirement.

Experienced? You can sit and rise trot, ride arena patterns, canter slow and fast and achieve transitions between all paces. Lesson focus options would be on advanced learning to be able to ride various horses and get them to perform with flexing, leg yielding, side pass, dressage test movements, western skills such as riding one-handed, handling slow and fast work, turns on front and back legs and focus on various equine disciplines.

Horse care and handling groundwork lessons are fantastic to understand horses and feel confident and in control around horses. To establish a relationship with horses, understand their behaviours, and be able to prepare your own horse for riding.

Weather can be very different at the riding centre compared to suburban areas. We will call you to cancel/reschedule on the day with as much notice as possible if required, otherwise, your lesson is still going ahead. We will generally not conduct lessons in heavy pouring rain and definitely not when there is lightning around.

Cash on last-minute bookings, otherwise most riding lessons are direct deposit for invoiced NDIS clients or credit card via our real time booking system. Bartercard also accepted.

We have some wonderful students that have earned their place at the stables to be a representative of the business and become part of a horse family, home away from home with the horses.

To become a helper you need to be minimum of 12 years old and it really is more about your length of time as a regular customer, culture fit with strong competency to work on your own with minimal supervision when the instructor is busy, initiative, confidence, capability, and size to handle the bigger horses.

Skills that you need to be competent in are catching a horse, rugging, tying up with a slip knot, grooming, saddle up and put a bridle on. The ability to be firm with the horses and confidence to manage various behaviours.

You will need to be friendly, polite, and respectful of others as well as being the face of the business working in a quiet environment in harmony with others. The helping is not just to come and play with horses but learning the responsibilities of horses and farm life.

There is a list of duties to be done from cleaning stables to cleaning the kitchen, sweeping, weeding, and organising horses for lessons.

Please download the “must read for parents” article as it has a wonderful story from a past student, helper and worker that explains a horse family and business very well and really touches the heart. See the icon at the bottom of the page.