Inner-city riding school SOS

Sobering news suggests that Britain's riding schools are on the brink of disaster - and in desperate need of our support. Lottie Morgan takes a look at the powerful impact of inner-city equestrian centres and the challenges they face

"WE'VE had young people come to us who have never spoken a word. After six months, they start - and speaking to their horse. Another six months later, they start speaking to the staff it's the first time they've communicated in their life," says Sid Holdsworth, chief operating officer of Ebony Horse Club. "It speaks to the power of horses".

Ebony Horse Club is an inner-city stables in the heart of London's Brixton. Working with vulnerable people from low-income backgrounds, the team there uses horses to deliver a structured programme of youth work to improve the emotional, physical and social health of young people.

"We're a charity and don't operate like a commercial riding school," says Sid. "It's all about helping young people to develop relationships with horses and people, and build self-esteem. We want to break the cycle of poverty that they come from, help them to have fun in a safe environment, and support them into further education or employment and apprenticeships."

Ebony is one of a handful of urban equestrian centres that operate in innercity areas, providing access to horses for local residents who might not otherwise be able to it. While the structure, mission and status of each of these centres depends on their own circumstances, they are all united in a desire to bring horses to a more diverse community and those from disadvantaged or marginalised groups.

Imran Atcha runs a riding school at St James City Farm in Gloucester. He charges just £5 for 20-minute, one-to-one riding lessons. “Gloucestershire is a very horsey area, but where we are, no one sees a horse,” he explains. “These kids have never had access to horses. We’re in a very multicultural area – with 60 languages in a square mile. Lots of them have challenges at home, and going to a riding school would be utterly unaffordable for them.