Gillian Harvey finds out about the Brixton riding school transforming young people’s lives
Gillian Harvey talks to Naomi Howgate, manager of Ebony Horse Club, to find out how it’s transforming the lives of young people in Brixton.
WHEN we picture a riding school, most of us would conjure up a stable block down a bumpy country track set in rolling countryside.
You might imagine the pupils – children whose parents can afford to stump up for expensive lessons or even their very own horse.
Put simply, riding is not seen as an activity that can be easily accessed by those on low incomes, or living in the heart of a city.
Ebony Horse Club turns those preconceived ideas on their head.
Not only is it set in the heart of Brixton, its one-acre grounds looking incongruous against a backdrop of tower-blocks, but the majority of pupils it welcomes daily through its doors come from deprived backgrounds or are battling with a range of problems problems,problems from learning disabilities to issues with their mental health.
The club is a charitable organisation which works with local children, prioritising those with special needs or living in challenging circumstances.
Not only does it give these children a chance to ride, for many it has also become a supportive home from home, a haven where they can escape their difficulties and find comfort and support.
“Everyone that comes to us lives locally and over ninety per cent of the children we work with come from low-income families,” Naomi Howgate, Ebony’s manager, explains.
“We focus on working with children who have additional challenges.
“It could be a learning need, it could be family break-up, mental health issues.
“We prioritise those who need that extra support.”
The horse club started as an individually run enterprise conceived by
Ros Spearing in the early 1990s.
As someone who’d grown up with horses, and realised the joy they could bring, she wanted to help children in the local area for whom this activity seemed out of reach.
Working with local organisations, she raised money for horse-riding lessons, and even began to run an annual trip away to a trekking centre in Wales where city kids could experience riding in rolling countryside, leaving the noise, pollution and any personal problems behind.
Ten years ago, with the help of several organisations including Comic Relief, the charity was able to fund its own bricks and mortar, settling on a patch of land in the heart of Brixton.
From the outside, it may look like an ordinary stable, but the team of volunteers that work within have created something so much more valuable.
The club currently has eight horses and about 75 active volunteers and offers riding lessons to around 150 local children and teenagers per week.
It also provides individual support for those who need it most, as well as a youth volunteering programme, meaning that children can sign up to work at the stables even when they’re not riding.
Friendships have been formed between children who might never otherwise have met, and children who struggle socially or with academic learning have been able to develop valuable skills and connections.
“All the children have riding lessons at least once a week, but we also have volunteering slots they can sign up to.
“There are activities run by youth workers and we also offer one-to-one mentoring.
“Some kids will come three to four times a week, and there are some of them who would be here every day if they could be,” Naomi says.
“Brixton is amazing, it’s lively and multicultural and ever-changing, but it can be quite hectic.
“Many of the kids are living in overcrowded housing or on the estates, so it’s wonderful for them
to have a place they can come, where they don’t have to worry about who they walk past on the street, or compete with brothers and sisters for desk space or attention.”
Horse riding and interaction with horses has been proven to help with mental wellbeing and benefit those with learning difficulties.
“Harry* came to us with his local primary school when he was eight years old. He had quite complex learning needs.
“He loved being here and seeing the horses, but he was really scared to touch them or go near them. But we didn’t give up.
“It took Harry five or six weeks to actually get on a horse.
“Every week we made little steps closer, touching the horse with his fingertips, then moving on to stroking.
“The day he actually got on to a horse, it was incredible, and he was beaming from ear to ear.”
In giving children the gift of riding, Ebony Horse Club also provides opportunities to develop socially and harness new skills.
Learning how to work with these animals enables children to develop life skills, work in a team and improve communication.
“When Emma* first came to the club she was in her mid-teens and in a very precarious situation.
“She was hanging around with local children who were part of a gang.
“Without Ebony, she would have gone down a very different path.
“Emma now works at one of the world’s top racing yards in Newmarket, she’s looked after valuable horses and travelled as far as Australia as part of her role.
“It’s so amazing to think what a different path she could have gone down.
“Most wonderful of all, when Emma has a week off she’ll come down and volunteer with us, working with the children and really showing them what can be achieved.”
Riding gives the children something to occupy them and the chance to learn a new skill.
But in reality, this is only part of the overall benefit the children experience from working with these animals.
“We work hard to make sure they feel really safe and supported.
“Often when they are here, they’re taking part in a structured activity, working with the horses or riding.
“But sometimes they come here to hang out with their friends and drink hot chocolate.
“Some even choose to do their homework here, taking advantage of the peaceful situation and homely feel.”
*The children’s names have been changed for reasons of confidentiality.