Since 1996, Lingfield Equine Distance Learning has been one of the UK’s most trusted and respected names in equestrian education. As a specialist provider of horse care and equine management courses, Lingfield has helped over 8,000 students including horse owners, yard managers, riding school staff, and aspiring professionals build their knowledge, confidence, and ability to give horses better lives.
We’re proud to be an accredited UKRS training provider, offering BHS and ABRS-based courses designed for real people juggling work, family, riding, and a genuine desire to learn. Whether you’re caring for your first pony or working as an equine professional, our flexible distance-learning approach makes building your skills achievable and enjoyable.
Lingfield was first established as a national correspondence course provider in 1994, with an online presence since 1996. Even before that, founder Paula Clements delivered in-person lectures and practical workshops for horse owners and BHS career students, always with a focus on clear, accessible teaching and real-world horse welfare.
Paula believed that equine education should be accessible, friendly, and truly useful to real people – whether they were complete beginners, lifelong riders, or working toward professional qualifications. She knew that learning about horses isn’t just about passing exams, but about deepening understanding, improving welfare, and building genuine confidence.
Paula’s ethos was one of openness and support. She championed a humane, thoughtful approach to horse care and management based on sound BHS and ABRS standards, but always encouraging students to think critically, stay open-minded, and prioritise the wellbeing of the horse above all.
In early 2025, Paula Clements sadly passed away, but her work and passion lives on.
Before her passing, Paula donated the full body of Lingfield’s courses, teaching materials, and educational philosophy to a non-profit organisation called Equine Qualifications UK CIC (EQUK) whose aim is to make it easier for anyone with a passion for horses find and access education within the industry.
As the new steward of the Lingfield legacy, EQUK has committed to honouring Paula’s decades of work by continuing to make equine education:
Lingfield operates on a non-profit basis, which means every penny from our courses is reinvested into teaching, improving and expanding our materials, and reaching more learners. We do this because we care deeply about horses, about people, and about making the equine world safer, kinder, and more professional for everyone.
Unlike many online courses where access ends the day you finish, Lingfield students have lifetime access to their course materials. Our courses are designed to be more detailed and practical than the average online or even college course, tailored especially for private owners who need clear, thorough guidance early in their horse-owning journey without relying on term-by-term supervision or fixed curricula.
Many of our students have gone on to build successful equestrian careers: running riding schools and trekking centres, coaching freelance, managing mobile tack shops, or working as professional grooms.
At Lingfield, learning is flexible, friendly, and designed around real life: so you can grow in confidence and knowledge on your own terms.
At Lingfield, we’re proud to be known as “the friendly course” group. We’re here to help and support you, no matter where you’re starting from or where you hope to go. Many of us have stood in your shoes: new to horse ownership, eager to learn more, or determined to turn our passion into a profession. That shared experience means we genuinely understand your challenges, and we’ll always do our best to help.
While many of our students take our courses as a step toward formal qualifications, we know that’s not everyone’s goal. For us, it’s not just about certificates or achievements—it’s about nurturing the welfare, understanding, and love of horses that unites us all. That’s the heart of what we do, and the promise we make to everyone who learns with us.
If you’re ready to learn, we’re ready to help. Just get in touch, we’re here for you.
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