Pferdehof

What Pferdehof does

Pferdehof Ruhnau is a family-owned agritourism and equestrian center operated as a sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen) by Dr. Ralf Ruhnau in Potzlow-Abbau, Oberuckersee, Brandenburg, Germany. Founded in 1993/94 with a riding hall added in 1999, the 20-hectare property sits within the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve roughly one hour north of Berlin. The business is managed day-to-day by Annette Ruhnau since 2011 and runs on a small team of family members plus approximately 8 supporting staff across animal care, stable work, hospitality, and kitchen/garden roles.

The core product portfolio is vertically integrated across four revenue streams: (1) six DLG-certified 4-star self-catering vacation apartments (~50m² each, €110/night minimum 2 nights) accommodating up to 24 guests; (2) full-service horse boarding (Pferdepension) at €495/month or €20/night with ~16m² boxes, daily pasture turnout, and access to riding facilities; (3) year-round riding instruction from beginner lunge lessons (€35) to dressage Class M and competitive driving, including a Zwergenreitschule children's program (€40/session); and (4) recurring equestrian events — jumping training camps with trainer Hannes Prehl (20+ year relationship), Western camps, driving tournaments (Fahrturnier), and riding days (Reitertage). Infrastructure includes a 20m x 53m indoor riding hall, an 80m x 40m floodlit outdoor arena, 15 guest boxes, a horse walker, and 20 hectares of pasture supporting 35+ school horses and ponies.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer enterprise with cash-only payments, distributing through its own TYPO3 CMS website (hosted by ALL-INKL.COM), WhatsApp Business messaging, telephone, and the affiliated Reit- und Fahrgemeinschaft Pferdehof Ruhnau e.V. (RFG) riding club (40+ members, founded 1995). Marketing relies on organic search, embedded YouTube content, Webwiki review integration, multiple third-party certification badges (FN, DLG, Wanderbares Deutschland, Bauernhof PLUS), and event-driven acquisition from training camps and competitions. No external funding, parent company, or acquisition activity is disclosed; the firm is privately controlled by the Ruhnau family.

Name

Pferdehof

Legal name

Ralf Ruhnau

Website

https://pferdehof-ruhnau.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pferdehof Ruhnau is a family-owned equestrian farm and agritourism operation in Brandenburg, Germany, offering 4-star vacation apartments, horse boarding, riding lessons, and training camps to leisure tourists, riding students, and horse owners in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Tourism and Agritourism Services

NAICS

Horses and Other Equine Production (112920)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations (AFAEAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sport/Show Horse Training & Performance Programs (AFAEAGAF), Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers (THAAAKAL), Equestrian & Rodeo Facilities (MPAKAEAM), Equestrian Teams & Stables (Racing/Show Jumping/Eventing) (MPAKABAG)

Keywords

• Equestrian vacation rentals
• Horse boarding services
• Riding instruction
• Agritourism accommodations
• Equestrian training camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Potzlow-Abbau / Oberuckersee

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Vacation Apartment Rentals (Ferienwohnungen): The farm rents six 4-star DLG-certified self-catering apartments (~50m² each), each accommodating 1-4 persons (double bedroom plus fold-out sofa bed). Apartments are available year-round. Revenue is generated through nightly rental fees (€110 per night from 2 nights), plus extras for additional guests, pets, horses, electricity, and end-of-stay cleaning deposit. The farm offers a bread delivery service as an additional revenue stream.
2. Horse Boarding / Pension (Pferdepension): Full-service horse boarding is offered, including large bright boxes (~16m²), daily pasture access, hay twice daily, straw bedding, grain feed, and use of riding facilities. Services include farrier coordination, vet visits, and blanketing. Day pension and overnight boarding are also available. Boarding prices are €20 per night or €495 per month.
3. Riding Lessons and Instruction: The farm offers riding instruction for all levels: beginners on the lunge line, individual lessons, and group lessons (Abteilung). Pricing ranges from €35 for a 20-minute lunge lesson to €45 for 45-minute individual or group lessons. The Zwergenreitschule (mini riding school for ages 4-7) is offered at €40 per child. Riding lessons are available year-round using the farm's own school horses and ponies.
4. Equestrian Events and Training Camps: The farm hosts paid equestrian training camps (Springlehrgänge, Westernlehrgänge, Fahrlehrgänge) featuring professional trainers. These events generate revenue through training fees, guest box rentals for participants' horses, and apartment bookings. Coach and trainer Hannes Prehl runs recurring jumping camps (3 riders per group, €60 per participant). Western instructor Tom Beetz charged €200 per participant for a weekend. Additional revenue comes from spectator attendance at public events like the Fahrturnier and Reitertage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Pferdehof Ruhnau operates a family-run equestrian farm and vacation destination in Brandenburg, Germany, offering DLG-certified 4-star self-catering apartments, full-service horse boarding (Pferdepension), year-round riding lessons from beginner to advanced levels, a children's riding school (Zwergenreitschule), and recurring equestrian events and training camps led by professional trainers. The facility includes an indoor riding hall, outdoor arenas with floodlights, 20 hectares of pasture, and 35+ school horses and ponies.

Product overview

Pferdehof Ruhnau operates as a diversified agritourism and equestrian center offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core offerings comprise six 4-star holiday apartments for self-catering accommodation and a full-service horse pension with daily turnout. Riding instruction spans from lunge work for beginners through dressage Class M, complemented by a specialized dwarf riding school for children ages 4-7. The facility maintains professional equestrian infrastructure including an indoor arena, outdoor arenas with floodlights, and a horse walker. The company also organizes equestrian events including driving tournaments and show jumping competitions, supported by an affiliated riding and driving club with over 40 members. External trainers conduct regular clinics on-site, with the venue available for rental to outside organizers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferienwohnungen (Holiday Apartments) Six identical 4-star (DLG quality seal) barrier-free self-catering apartments of approximately 50m² each, accommodating 1-4 persons, available year-round. Each unit features a bedroom with double bed, living kitchen with fold-out couch, bathroom with tub, and terrace with panoramic view of the Uckerseen lakes.
• Pferdepension (Horse Pension) Full-service horse boarding with large bright boxes of approximately 16m², daily pasture access, hay feeding twice daily, and grain feeding per owner preferences. Includes use of riding hall, outdoor arenas with floodlights, and a horse walker. Day boarding available at €20/night or €495/month.
• Reitunterricht (Riding Lessons) Year-round qualified riding instruction from lunge work for beginners through to dressage Class M. Available as individual lessons, group division lessons, and training courses using well-trained school horses and ponies.
• Zwergenreitschule (Children's Riding School) Riding program for children ages 4-7, modeled after vaulting. Small groups of 1-3 children learn balance and basic riding aids while grooming ponies on the lunge. Each session includes collective grooming, theory, and 20 minutes of riding per child. Available exclusively to on-site guests of the farm.
• Equestrian Events and Training Camps Year-round equestrian events including driving tournaments, show jumping competitions, rider days, Western training camps, and Springlehrgänge with professional trainers such as Hannes Prehl and Tom Beetz. Events include guest box rentals for horses and apartment bookings for participants.
• Training Venue Rental (Lokation) Facility rental for external equestrian clinics and training courses. Includes approximately 15 guest boxes for horses, large bright indoor arena (20m x 53m), rider's lounge for theory and catering, outdoor arena with floodlights, 6 apartments and multi-bed rooms for accommodation, and full catering available upon request.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4-star DLG (German Agricultural Society) quality certification for vacation apartments — a formally audited quality standard
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hannes Prehl (Professional Jumping Trainer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHannes Prehl, a professional jumping trainer, has been conducting recurring jumping training camps (Springlehrgänge) at Pferdehof Ruhnau for over 20 years (since at least 2003/2004). The camps run monthly from January through March and November, attracting competitive jumping riders from across Germany. Each camp accommodates 3 riders per group for 60-minute sessions. Prehl charges €60 per participant; guest boxes for horses cost €16/day. The partnership brings a steady stream of high-value equestrian customers to the farm.
• Tom Beetz (Western Riding Instructor)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Beetz, a Western riding instructor, conducted a Western training camp (Westernlehrgang) at the farm in April 2023. The camp featured 8-10 participants with 60-minute sessions (2 riders per arena), 2 sessions daily, at €200 per participant for a weekend of 4 riding sessions. Sessions covered reining, Western pleasure, trail, and working cattle, with individualized training for competition and leisure riders as well as young horse training.
• Lucille Hirschfeld (Western Trainer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLucille Hirschfeld is listed as a trainer conducting a Western training camp at the farm scheduled for April 2026. This represents an ongoing partnership for Western riding education at the facility.
• Hannelore Rassow (Driving Instructor)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHannelore Rassow conducted a driving training session under competition conditions at the farm in April 2024. She provided morning training on proper driving technique ('Wie fahre ich mein Pferd richtig an die Hand'), complementing the afternoon style obstacle driving practice. This partnership supports the farm's driving sports program.
• ERGO Reiseversicherung (Travel Insurance)minorOthersERGO Reiseversicherung is recommended on the farm's booking page for travel cancellation and interruption insurance coverage. The farm embeds a link to ERGO's online booking portal. This is a referral/advertising relationship where the farm promotes ERGO's travel insurance products to its guests as a service enhancement.
• ALL-INKL.COM (Web Hosting Provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe farm's website is hosted by ALL-INKL.COM (ALL-INKL.COM - Neue Medien Münnich), based in Friedersdorf, Germany. This is the web hosting infrastructure provider for the farm's primary customer-facing digital channel. The website processes bookings, displays pricing, and serves as the main marketing and distribution platform.
• Cookiebot by Cybot A/S (Cookie Consent Management)coreTechnology or IntegrationCookiebot (Cybot A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark) provides GDPR-compliant cookie consent technology on the farm's website. This is a required integration for EU website compliance, managing user consent for cookies before collecting analytics or marketing data.
• Landesverband Pferdesport Berlin-Brandenburg (Regional Equestrian Sports Federation)coreOthersDr. Ralf Ruhnau serves as a member of the presidium (Präsidiumsmitglied) of the Landesverband Pferdesport Berlin-Brandenburg, the regional equestrian sports federation for Berlin and Brandenburg. This governance position connects the farm to the broader regional equestrian sports ecosystem and provides legitimacy and networking opportunities.
• pro agro (Verband zur Förderung des Ländlichen Raumes)minorOthersDr. Ralf Ruhnau serves on the board (Vorstandsmitglied) of pro agro, the Association for the Promotion of Rural Space. This association supports rural economic development, agricultural tourism, and regional food. Membership and board participation enhance the farm's visibility in regional agricultural and tourism networks.
• Reit- und Fahrgemeinschaft Pferdehof Ruhnau e.V. (RFG)coreOthersRFG is the riding and driving club affiliated with the farm. Founded in 1995, it has 40+ active members (majority youth). The club organizes training days, competitions, and social events. The farm provides facilities (riding hall, arena, club lounge) and the club drives customer acquisition for riding lessons and farm stays. The farm's Annette Ruhnau serves as youth warden (Jugendwartin) in the club.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bernsteinreiterhof Hirschburg: A German equestrian farm located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (near the Baltic coast) offering horse boarding, riding lessons, vacation apartments, and equestrian events. Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau's vertical mix of services, but operating in a different regional geography.

Direct peers

• Reiterhof am Rursee: A family-run German equestrian farm combining horse boarding, FN-recognised riding instruction, and events. Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau as a FN-recognized family-owned equestrian operation with multiple revenue streams.
• Hof Erlenhof: German agritourism farm with vacation apartments and equestrian offerings including horse boarding and riding lessons. Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau's combined vacation rental + equestrian business model in a rural German setting.
• Reit- und Pensionshof Berdux: A German riding and pension stable providing full-service horse boarding, dressage/jumping lessons, and equestrian events with FN-recognised status. Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau as a German boarding + lesson + event operation with recognized instructor credentials.
• Landhotel Pferdehof Steltenkamp: A German "Landhotel" combining lodging with on-site equestrian facilities (horse boarding, lessons, and rides). Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau's combined rural accommodation + equestrian services model, though with a hotelier emphasis rather than apartments.
• Pony- und Reiterhof Sallerup: A family-run northern German equestrian farm offering horse boarding, riding lessons for all levels, and themed riding programs for children. Directly comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau's combination of family-focused equestrian education, school horses, and boarding services.
• Ferienhof am Schönberger Strand: A German vacation farm with 4-star-rated holiday apartments and equestrian facilities including horse boarding and riding lessons. Comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau's combined model of certified holiday apartments alongside an equestrian operation.
• Gut Panker: Gut Panker is a historic German equestrian estate in Schleswig-Holstein combining horse boarding, riding instruction, and event hosting on a 20-hectare-equivalent campus. Closely comparable to Pferdehof Ruhnau as a German equestrian experience provider with a similar mix of recurring boarding, lessons, and equestrian events.

Broad incumbents

• Gestüt Birkhof: One of Germany's most prominent performance horse breeding and training operations offering boarding, training, and sales at a larger scale. Comparable as a German equestrian operation with FN-recognized status, but operating at significantly greater scale and breadth than Pferdehof Ruhnau.

Others

• Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof (Brandenburg): An association/portal representing certified farm-vacation providers across Germany (and Brandenburg specifically). Pferdehof Ruhnau is a member cert-holder; comparable as a peer in the farm-stay category competing for the same Berlin-Brandenburg guest base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pferdehof

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pferdehof