If you are looking to buy an heirloom toy for your children then you really need to look at Schleich. This is one brand I return to again and again because I know I can trust it’s quality. I was really curious to try the Schleich Horse Club Riding Centre because while we have a large selection of animals we have never owned any Schleich buildings. Also after a recent trip to try horse riding the girls are really into horses and I thought it would be the perfect toy for them to play with this Summer.
The thing I have always loved most about toys from Schleich is their realistic depiction of animals. The figures are mini works of art and are incredibly detailed. Horses are such beautiful creatures with strong personalities and these figures really capture that. The stable comes with two ponies, a rider and lots of accessories. There is a beautiful Arab mare and foal. Both are so detailed and life-like.
The riding centre itself is a really striking looking building. It took me less than half an hour to put together and the instructions were very easy to follow. It seems very sturdy and well built. Just like the animals, this will be a long-lasting toy which you can pass down to your grandchildren. There are a few stickers which mean you can personalise the riding school and make it your own.
The colours are attractive and I like the pretty burgundy and green colour scheme. There are even flower boxes which go on the windows.
The Schleich Horse Club Riding Centre comes with lots of accessories. There are bundles of hay, fruit and vegetables to give the horses a treat, and brushes to keep the horses coats shining. Everything you need, in fact, to have a fantastic game.
The girls love the horse blanket, perfect for keeping the horses warm after their exercise.
Inside the riding centre, there are individual stables for all the horses. There is space for them to have fresh water and to put their food. If you already have some Schleich horses from the riding club then you can house them in the other stables. The doors and windows are easy to open and closes.
I think it is a brilliant touch that the Schleich Horse Club Riding Centre comes with stickers for the doors of each stable so you can name your horses. There are some fence posts which you can attach to the outdoor areas to give each horse their own area. These are easy to attach and you can use them to make a large paddock.
One of the best things about this set for us is how large it is. This is great for two or more children to play together as they don’t bump into each other. You can take the middle part of the riding centre off to form a covered area for the paddock. This makes the toy really versatile.
The riding centre encourages such lovely collaborative imaginative play. I put it outside as it was a lovely day and the girls took their horses for long rides up and down the garden.
Young children learn the best through play. This toy really encourages them to explore the world of animals and to learn how to take care of them. Schleich have produced a16-pagee brochure which has been designed to be a guide to imaginative play and development.
The girls loved caring for the horses and it enocurgaed them to think about how to look after animals.
The riding centre costs £99.99. This really is an heirloom product which will provide years of fun for the children in your family. There are several other products in the pony club range which you can buy to add to your riding centre, including ho0rse trailers and jumps so you can have your own races. If you already own some horse club figures then this will definitely extend your play. It provides so many different opportunities for imaginative play and for learning.
The Schleich collection is available to purchase on their website here and you can keep up to date with all of the latest news and offers by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclaimer: we were sent the toy for the purposes of this review.
