Ride High

Ride High transforms the lives of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people in Milton Keynes. We effect lasting change in their attitude, self-confidence and life prospects so they become happy young people who are positively engaged in the outside world.

All the children are referred to us by childcare professionals so we can prioritise those most in need of our help. Each faces overbearing challenges that make everyday life a struggle. Many are very poor or non-school attenders when they join us.

88 children come to our home at the Ride High Equestrian Centre in Milton Keynes every week for up to a year. They follow a programme of structured learning which includes riding and caring for the horses and associated educational and creative projects in our clubroom. Time spent with the horses promotes confidence, responsible behaviour, trust and pride. Clubroom activities teach life skills such as literacy, communication and teamwork.

Why horses? They enable us to connect with the most disengaged children in a way other more traditional interventions such as counselling fail. Many of them won’t speak – but they’ll put their arms around a horse and whisper in its ear – and that’s where the transformation starts.