Horse riding to help youngsters.

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Disengaged children are benefiting from an inspirational horse riding project thought out by the British Horse Society and Somerset’s Activity and Sport’s Partnership programme.

The ‘Back on Track’ scheme began as a way of engaging pupils and children who have previously been disengaged with the modern educational system. The aim is to quite literally get the children back on track by helping them to gain self esteem so they have the confidence and ability to integrate back into schooling.

Pupils were fully kitted out with all manner of equestrian clothing, including jodhpurs and riding boots and have since become regular visitors to their respective horse riding centres.

A spokesperson from the BHS said: “The results have been truly outstanding, smiling has been the usual order of the day with happy children doing something they can relate to. Most of them delight in the stable chores of mucking out and grooming…

"The children demonstrated that they could manage their anger effectively and show understanding and empathy for their horses – mutual respect between child and horse helped them gain rapport.”

With motivation and social skills being seen as a contributory factor, the regeneration programme has, with the help of the equine community, managed to integrate children on the programme back into school life successfully.

The belief is that the ‘Back on Track’ scheme can be rolled out across the country to enable many others to reap the benefits of the calming and regenerative effects that dealing with horses and horse riding can have.

The British Horse Society’s spokesperson finished by commenting: “We plan further fundraising so the scheme can take place again but we do need education organisations to get involved so it can become more enduring and widespread.”