Our Vision

‘To inspire disengaged individuals to reconnect with society through working with horses.’ 

The Mission 

‘To give young people, regardless of their background, the opportunity to develop their skills enabling them to return to education and/or employment.’ 

What is the Changing Lives Through Horses programme?

The British Horse Society Changing Lives Through Horses programme engages young people at a critical point in their lives, where they are offered a safe & caring environment where they can learn alongside highly trained coaches at British Horse Society Approved Riding Centres. The BHS believes that horses have a remarkable role to play in impacting on a young person’s life when other methods have not been successful.

When was the programme developed?

The Changing Lives Through Horses programme was developed and piloted in 2016 with excellent feedback from the twelve centres involved. Since then, the programme has grown, with centres delivering the programme nationwide and over 700 young people having accessed the programme to date. 

Who is the Programme for?

The programme is aimed at participants who are age 10+ years who have become, or are at risk of becoming disengaged, from mainstream education, or training. Participants who have benefitted from the programme include those with learning difficulties, anxiety, depression, and those dealing with bereavement or those dealing with abusive pasts. Participants aren’t required to have previous equine experience, just a passion to learn and a want to re-engage.

What does the programme involve?

The main aim of the programme is to develop the young person across six key life skill areas: Communication, Confidence, Teamwork, Building Relationships, Perseverance, and Responsibility. Participants are monitored across these six areas monthly by their coach. The programme is structured around two frameworks: The Achievers Framework, aimed at younger participants, consists of 16 awards, 10 for stable management and six for riding. The Explorers Framework, for older participants, has 18 awards covering several different topics all based around riding or caring for the horses. Activities contained in each award provide opportunities for the participant to develop in the six key life skills as well as practice key skills linked to their national curriculum.

Who are the target audience?

The programme will be aimed at young people in secondary school education who would be more suited to an alternative provision to mainstream school. We envisage over time the programme will be expanded to support a wider disengaged community.

Changing Lives Through Horses

Currently we are providing a 16-hour week which is broken down into 4 daily sessions of 4 hours. Each session is made up of a 2-hour training session towards BHS qualifications and then 2 hours work experience where each participant will gain relevant skills and experience from working in a farm type environment and riding school.

The course that we are working towards is designed for beginners, so it is not important for the young person to have any experience working with horses or the outdoors, they simply have to show a desire to be in this environment.

It is also not necessary for the young person to learn to ride a horse although this is certainly an option and, in our experience, a big attraction for being on this course.

This project can be made as flexible as possible to suit an individuals’ needs and can adapt the sessions accordingly. We would however recommend that weekly attendance is necessary to ensure good progression and continuity of learning.

We understand that schools are already under financial pressure so we intend to keep the costs to a minimum in the hope that it will be affordable.

Post 16 – 1-2-1 – £175 Plus VAT

School age from year 7-11— – 1-2-1 – £165 Plus VAT

Our days run between 10am-2pm, Monday –Friday.

Please note that a full terms commitment is required.

Please note our 13-stone weight maximum. Riding is not compulsory

Changing Lives Through Dogs

Currently we are providing daily sessions of 4 hours. Each session is made up of a 2-hour training session where each participant will gain relevant skills and experience from working in a farm type environment with dogs

The course that we are working towards is designed for beginners, so it is not important for the young person to have any experience working with dogs or the outdoors, they simply have to show a desire to be in this environment and of course, love dogs!

This project can be made as flexible as possible to suit an individuals’ needs, and we can adapt the sessions accordingly. We would however recommend that weekly attendance is necessary to ensure good progression and continuity of learning.

We understand that schools are already under financial pressure, so we intend to keep the costs to a minimum in the hope that it will be affordable.

Post 16 – 1-2-1 – £175 Plus VAT

School age from year 7-11— – 1-2-1 – £165 Plus VAT

Our days run between 10am-2pm, Monday –Friday.

Please note that a full terms commitment is required.

Please note our 13-stone weight maximum. Riding is not compulsory

The course will cover:

DOG WALKING 

The role and responsibilities of the dog walker

Assessing the exercise needs of dogs

Practical experience in the community of walking other people’s dogs

Building an effective professional relationship with dogs and people

Providing effective varied exercise in all seasons

Safety and risk assessment skills including management of emergencies

Correct use of ethical dog training equipment for various dogs and

situations

DOG GROOMING (Takes place in our Dog Grooming Parlour)

Basic trim of a dog

Bathing and cleaning dogs

Cleaning and maintaining equipment used for grooming or removing hair from animals

Controlling and restraining animals

Drying dogs and preparing their coat for styling

Preparing and grooming dogs prior to bathing

DOG HEALTH

Discover the importance of pet grooming, why it is needed, and the equipment needed.

Learn the history behind pet grooming.

Understand the basic health of dogs, along with their anatomy, parasites and maintaining health.

Learn the importance of pre-grooming health assessment.

Learn why pre-grooming checks are crucial and when a dog must be referred to a vet due to a possible skin or eye infections.

Identify and understand good bathing techniques, along with drying methods i.e. air flow, towelling, shaking, drying between the pads on their paws etc, and appropriate clothing.

DOG OBEDIENCE

Attention to owner

Excite and Settle down

Walk on lead without pulling

Come when called (recall with distractions and distance control)

Manners greeting people without jumping

Sit and lie down on first command

Wait at doorways, for meals and in a down stay

Fetch & Drop

Leave it (no stealing)

Socialisation with dogs and people

DOG AGILITY

In these agility sessions, we teach the student and dog how to negotiate more pieces of agility equipment which include tunnels, jumps, dog walks, a-frames, weaves and more. 

As the student and dog gain more experience, the sequences and courses that are designed, become more exciting, challenging, and faster!

Changing Lives Through Small Animals

Currently we are providing daily sessions of 4 hours. Each session is made up of a 2-hour training session where each participant will gain relevant skills and experience from working in a farm type environment with small animals.

The course that we are working towards is designed for beginners, so it is not important for the young person to have any experience working with animals or the outdoors, they simply have to show a desire to be in this environment and of course, love animals!

This project can be made as flexible as possible to suit an individuals’ needs, and we can adapt the sessions accordingly. We would however recommend that weekly attendance is necessary to ensure good progression and continuity of learning.

We understand that schools are already under financial pressure, so we intend to keep the costs to a minimum in the hope that it will be affordable.

Post 16 – 1-2-1 – £175 Plus VAT

School age from year 7-11— – 1-2-1 – £165 Plus VAT

Our days run between 10am-2pm, Monday –Friday.

Please note that a full terms commitment is required.

Please note our 13-stone weight maximum. Riding is not compulsory

This course is ideal for young people who are very interested in working with animals. 

On this course, we will teach the basic skills and knowledge you need to work in a safe environment around small animals

The units will include:

Assist with the care of animals and principles of the care of animals

Principles of dealing with feedstuffs for small animals and assist with feedstuffs for small animals

Assist with animal accommodation

Maintain the safety of self and others in the workplace

Assist with maintaining structures and surfaces and principles of maintaining structures and surfaces

Provide controlled exercise opportunities for animals.

Understand the rehoming process of rescued animals

Changing Lives Through Forest School

Our Alternative Provision programme which includes Horses, Dogs & Small Animals has proven to enhance and change the lives of young people who aren’t quite suited to mainstream school.

Here at Carrington Riding Centre, we understand that some young people respond better to our environment and flourish within our surroundings.

What is Forest School?

Forest School is a form of outdoor education which has enormous value to young people who don’t quite fit into mainstream school.

Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world and makes our centre the perfect place to deliver this initiative.

We aim for our Forest School to promote wellbeing, development and learning as well as instilling resilience, confidence, independence, and creative learners by exploring and working in our outdoor environment.

All learners will:

• explore & discover new and exciting things in our farm and woodland environment
• develop positive relationships with themselves, other people and animals
• develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world and animals

Our Forest School’s learner-centred approach interweaves with the ever-changing moods and marvels, potential and challenges of the natural world through the seasons to fill every session and programme with discovery and difference. Making each session and every experience a valuable one.

Costs & Timetable

Our Vision

‘To support people to develop the skills,and the desire, to return to education and/or employment’

We passionately believe that horses have a remarkable role to play in the help available to young people when more traditional methods have failed them. The equestrian environment provides a powerful way of inspiring young people to connect, improve well-being and become productive members of society.

With our 531 British Horse Society Approved Riding Centres in the UK, supported by more than 20,000 BHS Instructors, we intend to bring this formidable infrastructure to the forefront of helping young people connect into society through education and employment.

Changing Lives through Horses is a new educational programme which will be shaped over time to provide a wholly sustainable intervention which will change the lives of those it reaches.

Our Mission

The BHS will work in partnership to deliver a programme which meets the needs of disengaged young people, to change their lives through the development of key life skills and engage them back into society. The success of the programme will be measured through the evidence of change within key skill areas. We will be led by the following core principles:

• To change lives through horses, dogs, small animals, and the outdoors
• To be sustainable
• To build effective partnerships to create a world class education initiative
• To be knowledge based
• To nurture now for the future

If you know a young person who you feel would suit this programme or for further information regarding our courses please call us on 0161 969 5853  

We are based in Carrington, Manchester M31 4BH.

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