About

Turville Valley Stud was founded some fifty years ago by the late Nan Thurman, and was originally a riding school for children. However, for the past thirty-five years it has been specialising in training horses and riders influenced by traditional Portuguese Classical methods.

Nan and her husband, Eric, fell in love with the Lusitano horse after a chance trip to Portugal.  At the time the breed was not well known in the UK, but return trips were made by Nan and her daughters, Angela and Diane, to learn more about these beautiful Iberians and the Portuguese way of training.

Nan sadly died of Leukaemia in 1995 and later Eric passed away. The yard passed to Angela (Fois) and Diane (Thurman-Baker).  Both Angela and Diane have competed successfully in various disciplines.  Starting with The Pony Club, they were in show jumping, eventing and mounted games teams. Later they moved to BSJA, British Eventing and British Dressage.  Diane was also on the first British Team for working Equitation on the home bred son of Diabo,  ‘Lucca’. See Dianes page

Turville Valley Stud is now the home of several enterprises run by the family. Between Diane and her two daughters Samantha and Joanna, the  Classical Dressage training yard  continues  incorporating the classical training methods into modern competition horses.

Angelas eldest, Lauren, is a Body Control Pilates Instructor and teaches from her studio at the yard. She previously competed showjumping up to 1.40m and rides some of the young horses so really knows how to help riders.  Sophie is a full time Artist and is following her passion of horse related Art  and is busy doing commissions. Her studio is in on the site of the old barns over the road.

The yard is calm and well organised  and is set in the beautiful village of Turville, nestled in the Chiltern Hills.

There are two very good outdoor arenas, one 20m x 40m and one 20m x 60m. Turnout is limited in the winter, but for the rest of the year all the horses get individual turnout for a few hours each day.

Although there are a few stallions on the yard no stud work takes place here.

Further info on training/lessons please call Diane on Tel 01491 638 598

Please note: We have our own dogs loose here. NO VISITING DOGS ALLOWED onto the yard, any dogs must be kept on a lead in the car park area only. Thank you.

For more memories join our facebook group.  For more regular updates see our facebook page. See here to follow on Instragam

Turville Valley Stud is an Association of British Riding Schools  Approved Establishment.