Club Pónei, Quinta da Boa Vista

Most riding schools in Portugal start children at six or seven. Quinta da Boa Vista, a family-run centro hípico (riding centre) in Vila Franca de Xira, has a programme for younger ones. Its Club Pónei is aimed at children aged three to six, with teaching adapted to that age. The children clean the pony, help tack it up (put on the saddle and bridle) and then go for a ride with their parents walking alongside. The centre is keen for parents to take photos and videos, so the whole family is involved from start to finish.

For many small children the first sit on a pony, which the Portuguese call a batismo (a baptism), is the moment they remember. The centre also offers baptisms as a gift, which makes a good birthday present for a horse-mad child.

Quinta da Boa Vista describes a “bichara” village of animals as well as the horses. There is a family of meerkats; a reptile house with snakes, a water turtle, a tortoise and insects; and exotic animals including dwarf rabbits, guinea pigs, an African porcupine, coatis and parrots and scarlet macaws. Dogs and cats wander about too. Allow time to see them after the pony session, as they are often what younger siblings talk about on the way home.

The farm also has an organic vegetable garden and indoor and outdoor space for parties. One room holds the family’s collection of bullfighting memorabilia from a forcado (the men who tackle the bull by hand in Portuguese bullfights), which the centre says visitors can see. Some families may prefer to skip it.

From six, children can join the riding school. The 2026 price list splits riders into Sela A (beginners) and Sela B (experienced). For enrolled pupils, who pay €30 a year for insurance, a single beginner lesson cost €30, a card of five €100 and a card of ten €190 when we checked. Five-lesson cards last six weeks and ten-lesson cards three months. Riders who are not enrolled pay €35 for a beginner lesson, with insurance included. There is an 80 kg weight limit for riders, which matters if a parent wants to ride too. Outings on horseback cost €25 for 20 minutes or €50 for an hour.

The riding pupils take part in local horse events, such as the Colete Encarnado festival in Vila Franca de Xira and the Golegã horse fair in November, which you’ll find on our What’s on page.

Whenever schools break up, the farm runs colónias de férias em regime aberto, day camps where children arrive at 9:00 and leave at 17:00. They are for ages 6 to 17, split into age groups with monitors. The day includes a guided tour of the farm, getting to know and feed the animals, the swimming pool, traditional games, riding (horse baptisms), work in the stables, walks, a cooking day, drawing and painting and table football. Meals are included: a morning snack at 10:30, lunch at 13:00 and an afternoon snack at 16:00.

When we checked, the all-inclusive price was €180 a week or €40 a single day for enrolled riding pupils, and €200 a week or €45 a day for other children, plus VAT. The centre holds a tourism activity licence (RNAAT 781/2015) with personal accident and liability insurance.

Parties include a room with a kitchen, music and table football, a one-hour guided visit of the farm and a pony baptism for the birthday child in the covered arena. They run for four hours, from 8:30 to 12:30 or 14:00 to 18:00, and cost €400 for up to 25 children, plus €10 per extra child and €30 per extra hour.

Club Pónei prices aren’t published, so ring before you go and book a time. The centre is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Parents stay with their child throughout the pony club, which suits nervous three-year-olds. Closed shoes are sensible around the horses.

The farm has a covered arena, used for party baptisms, but much of the visit is outdoors among the animals. The centre’s site doesn’t mention a café, so bring water and a snack unless you’ve booked a party or camp.

Nearby, the EVOA birdwatching centre on the Tagus marshes and the Museu do Ar in Alverca make good second stops. If the ponies spark a bigger interest, the Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre in Belém shows what trained Lusitano horses can do.

What age can children start riding?

Club Pónei takes children from three to six, riding with a parent beside them. The riding school takes children from six.

How much does the pony club cost?

The centre gives Club Pónei prices on request, by phone. Lesson and ride prices are on its website.

Can I leave my child there?

In the school holidays, yes: the day camps take children aged 6 to 17 from 9:00 to 17:00 with lunch and snacks. During Club Pónei sessions, parents stay.

Is it open every day?

No. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.

Can they have a birthday party there?

Yes. Parties last four hours and include a farm tour and a pony ride for the birthday child.