Customising your MaxiBlocks WordPress horse riding home page template

The MaxiBlocks WordPress homepage design template for a horse riding school or equestrian centre is a powerful starting point for building an engaging website that brings the experience of riding to life. In this guide, we’ll show you how to make the template your own, going through each section in detail, explaining the content, images, icons, and design elements that make up the template. We’ll also give you ten tips per section on how to personalise and maximise your layout to best suit your needs. Finally, we’ll cover the different types of websites that could benefit from using this WordPress homepage template.

Hero section: born to ride

The hero section of this MaxiBlocks WordPress homepage design template features a bold headline, “Born to ride. Saddle up when you’re feeling down,” set against a beautiful image of a rider on horseback in a vast open field with mountains in the distance. The scene conveys a sense of freedom and tranquility, instantly connecting with horse enthusiasts. The section also includes two calls-to-action: “Find a ride” and “Learn more,” both highlighted in orange to draw immediate attention.

Customisation tips for the hero section:

1. Change the headline: Adjust the headline to resonate more with your specific audience, e.g., “Experience the joy of horseback riding” for beginners or “Master the trails with our expert guides” for advanced riders.
2. Replace the hero image: Upload a custom image of your riding school or a scenic trail in your area to create a more personal connection.
3. Custom CTA text: Change the calls-to-action to be more specific to your services, e.g., “Book your lesson today” or “Explore our trails.”
4. CTA button colours: Customise the button colours to align with your brand’s colour palette, ensuring consistency throughout the site.
5. Hero section layout: Use the MaxiBlocks Full Site Editing (FSE) feature to adjust the layout slightly, for instance, by centring the text or repositioning the CTA buttons for better visual balance. Learn more about Full Site Editing (FSE).
6. Add an overlay: Add a subtle colour overlay to the hero image to make the text stand out more clearly.
7. Incorporate a video background: Instead of a static image, use a video of riders on a scenic trail to make the hero section more dynamic.
8. Typography update: Change the headline typography to something that matches your brand’s voice—either modern and bold or classic and elegant.
9. Add social proof: Include a small testimonial in the hero section, highlighting customer satisfaction.
10. Link the CTAs to specific pages: Make sure the CTAs lead to relevant sections of your website, like lessons or booking. For guidance, check out the WordPress navigation menus.

Information cards section

This section includes four cards that highlight different offerings: “Riding school,” “Our horses,” “Summer camps,” and “Trail rides.” Each card is accompanied by a distinct icon and a brief description.

Customisation tips for the information cards section:

1. Update card titles: Rename the cards to reflect your unique services. For instance, you could add “Private lessons” or “Corporate team events.”
2. Change icons: Use the WordPress icon library to replace the icons with ones that better represent your offerings.
3. Update descriptions: Modify the descriptions to add more detail or personality about each service.
4. Card layout: Adjust the card arrangement from a two-by-two grid to a carousel layout for a more dynamic appearance.
5. Add a CTA button on each card: Include a button like “Learn more” to take users to a dedicated page for each offering.
6. Background colours: Assign different background colours to each card to make them stand out.
7. Icon animation: Add subtle hover animations to the icons to make the cards more engaging.
8. Add links to related pages: Ensure each card is linked to a relevant section or page of your site. Consider using block compatible themes and plugins.
9. Typography customisation: Adjust the font style for each card title to align with your brand.
10. Card shadows: Add soft shadow effects to each card for more depth.

Feature section with large image

This section focuses on building trust, with a headline that reads, “Guided by experts and accompanied by gentle-natured horses.” The image of a rider on a horse walking through shallow water adds a scenic element, making the experience look peaceful and enjoyable.

Customisation tips for the feature section:

1. Replace the headline: Adapt the headline to reflect your brand’s values. For example, “Our experienced trainers will guide your adventure.”
2. Image replacement: Use a custom image from your location to make the page more relatable.
3. Adjust text layout: Move the text to a different position if needed, such as over the image or in a contrasting box.
4. Add a testimonial: Include a brief customer testimonial to reinforce the trust factor.
5. CTA addition: Place a call-to-action button beneath the headline to prompt users to book a session.
6. Text colour customisation: Ensure the text colour contrasts well with the background image for better readability.
7. Add video clip: Replace the image with a short video of a training session or a scenic trail.
8. Background overlay adjustments: Use a gradient overlay to help the headline stand out.
9. Font update: Change the font to better reflect your website’s personality.
10. Custom badge icon: Add a badge icon next to the headline to further showcase your credentials.

Horse profiles section

This section introduces the horses, each with an image and name—like Dancer, Star, Rebel, and Sugar—creating a personal connection with visitors.

Customisation tips for the horse profiles section:

1. Update horse names: Use the real names of your horses to make it authentic.
2. Profile descriptions: Add short, playful descriptions about each horse’s personality or background.
3. Change the layout: Shift from a four-card grid to a scrolling carousel for better engagement.
4. Replace images: Upload professional photos of your actual horses to create authenticity.
5. Add links to horse stories: Link each horse profile to a dedicated page with more photos and stories.
6. Icon addition: Include small icons that represent each horse’s traits, such as a heart for a friendly personality.
7. Custom backgrounds: Add a different background colour or pattern for each profile to differentiate them.
8. Include rider testimonials: Add testimonials from riders who have enjoyed their experience with a specific horse.
9. Use hover effects: Add hover effects like enlarging the image when the mouse cursor is over it.
10. Profile carousel: Implement a carousel display for mobile users to make browsing profiles easier.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) section

The FAQ section is straightforward and answers common questions. This is paired with a highlighted CTA card encouraging visitors to “find out more.”

Customisation tips for the FAQ section:

1. Add more questions: Include more detailed questions and answers based on customer inquiries.
2. Change layout: Make the FAQ section expandable for better user experience.
3. CTA button update: Change the CTA button text to something like “Learn about our process.”
4. Add icons: Use icons from the WordPress icon library to differentiate each question.
5. Link answers to detailed pages: Link longer answers to detailed information pages on your website.
6. Add customer quotes: Insert a customer quote below the FAQ to provide social proof.
7. Change colours: Use alternating colours for each FAQ to help visually separate them.
8. Integrate a search function: Add a small search box to help users quickly find specific FAQs.
9. Add images: Include images or icons related to each question for visual interest.
10. Customise font style: Use a friendly font style to make the FAQs approachable.

Different types of websites that can use a WordPress home page template

This MaxiBlocks template is highly versatile and can be used across different types of websites, including:

• Riding schools and equestrian centres: Perfect for showcasing lessons, horses, and trail experiences.
  • Use case: Replace the images and update CTA links to schedule lessons directly.
• Outdoor adventure companies: Ideal for companies offering experiences like horse riding, hiking, or kayaking.
  • Use case: Replace horse images with other outdoor activities and add booking links for different adventures.
• Petting zoos and farm experiences: Use this template to highlight animals, farm activities, and events.
  • Use case: Update each horse profile with different animals and add a calendar for seasonal events.

Incorporate MaxiBlocks templates for a unique experience

The MaxiBlocks pattern templates offer numerous ways to make your horse riding website truly unique. Whether it’s through different WordPress block templates or utilising Gutenberg blocks, there are endless ways to create a memorable user experience.

Final thoughts

This WordPress homepage template from MaxiBlocks is an excellent choice for any horse riding or outdoor adventure business. With the flexibility to customise everything—from imagery and icons to CTA buttons and content—it can truly reflect the experience and passion of your brand. For more on getting started with WordPress, check out our guide here.