Ride High is unique in using horses as a vehicle to connect with the children. Learning new skills such as riding and caring for the horses pushes the children out of their comfort zones, building their self-confidence and resilience.
Enhancement of Social and Personal Skills
Dealing with horses builds confidence and self esteem.
Riding gives a feeling of doing something special, something many of these children will never have had before.
Learning to ride and care for a horse brings the satisfaction of learning a new set of skills and a sense of achievement.
Looking after a horse encourages responsible behaviour and a positive attitude to safety issues.
Riding in a group environment teaches the importance of teamwork and consideration for others.
For most children, time spent with horses is enjoyable, fulfilling and absorbing.
Membership of a club engenders a sense of belonging to a community.
Health Benefits
Riding provides outdoor, physical activity for those children who may not have the confidence to enjoy mainstream sport.
Riding for one hour burns on average 350 calories.
Riding develops balance and coordination.
Riding is very therapeutic and helps our children to manage negative feelings relating to anxiety and depression, and promotes postiive mental health.
Educational Benefits
Riding helps to improve the children’s attention and concentration, leading to better performance at school.
When the children are around the horses they have to pay close attention to detail and remain focused at all times.
"Ride High helped me gain confidence and have more control over panic attacks. It gave me a reason to stay happy and stay smiling. It changes lives, it really does help, it helped me more than anything."- Ride High member
