Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance

Our Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance is the most advanced centre of its kind at an academic institution. It provides the perfect place for students to develop real-world expertise and undertake exciting research, using world-leading equipment and with access to leading industry experts.

As part of your degree, you could develop your coaching, conditioning or scientific research skills here. Activities could form the focus of your final year dissertation or a piece of postgraduate research related to your specialist area of interest.

If you’re developing your own riding skills, you could utilise the centre as a client would or if you’re training as part of our performance equine academy, you’re likely to have regular sessions included in your training plan.

Racing Simulators

We house three Racewood Simulators, including a Racewood Eventing Simulator and a Mark 10 Racing Simulator. The simulators offer the opportunity for riders to train and be rehabilitated to a higher level than ever before.

The Racewood Eventing simulator, Margaret, is the first of its kind in the UK and one of only 10 in the world. Margaret allows riders to experience Grand Prix dressage movements, jump a course of show jumps or go cross country.

The Mark 10 Racing simulator allows jockeys to work on their technique and fitness either on their own or with a jockey coach.

The simulators are equipped with screen displays, saddle, leg and rein contact pressure sensors, heart rate monitors and more. Both Margaret and Mark 10 are used for teaching sessions and research.

Our other riding simulator, Hercules, is a basic simulator suitable for complete novices and is used at a lot of our events.

Alongside our Equine Therapy Centre, this facility gives you unrivalled opportunities to apply theory to practice; it also provides a unique facility for horse and rider, with regular visitors including international equestrian champions Charlotte Dujardin, CBE and Valegro.

Equine Therapy Centre

Take a virtual tour of our Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance

Equine facilities

Equine degrees