More than half a century ago, several Riding Clubs in the South East of England approached The British Horse Society about the provision of an affiliation scheme.

These clubs wished to affiliate themselves to a main equestrian organisation in the UK, but wanted to continue to manage themselves and remain independent. The affiliation scheme was set up on this basis and British Riding Clubs was born.

Over the years, the network of affiliated Riding Clubs has grown into a body that now has in excess of 430 Affiliated Clubs and 21 Riding Centres, from the Orkneys to the Channel Islands, with more than 34,000 members.