‘Caring for the horses teaches the kids as much as learning to ride in terms of empathy and how they behave’

crazy here today, because tomorrow we’re going on our summer camp,” says Sue.

“We’re taking all 10 horses to Hampshire. Eight kids are coming out there to look after them, and then we’re running day trips with some of the other kids to come out there too.”

One of the kids at the camp will be Khadijah, who still has riding lessons every week.

Her friend Grace, who lives with her mum and brother and has been riding since she was eight, is going too.

“When I tell people I ride horses, they think I’m rich but it couldn’t be further from the truth,” she says. “Brixton is known for gang violence so when I say I ride here they’re really surprised.” She admits that if she wasn’t part of the horse club, it would have been easy to fall in with the wrong crowd.

“I’d just be at home and going out with friends a lot. I’d probably have got on to a bad path,” she says.

Instead Grace has competed in charity matches at Ham Polo Club, and even raced at Ascot, sponsored by the Pony Racing Authority. “I was really nervous but everyone told me to just enjoy myself,” she says. “In the end, I came last but it was still a great experience.”

Her success at the club has shown her that anything is possible.

She is now going to college to do business studies, Spanish and music A-levels. “I really want to be an accountant, but I’d like to have horses and maybe enter competitions if I can,” she says. Now Sue hopes Khadijah’s success will inspire their other members too.

“There is no ceiling to how far we want them to go in terms of their riding,” she says. “Khadijah is a shining example.”