A Social Enterprise with Horses at its Heart
Registered Community Interest Company number: SC748117
SOCIAL IMPACT
“Horses are able to bring magic to young peoples' lives and relationship building tools to their existence…the investment in time and energy to help these hard-to-reach young people is a good one with a more predictable return than Wall Street.”
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-Terena Thomas, Pioneering Therapeutic Riding Instructor
The horse world is synonymous with privilege and has a poor track record when it comes to creating opportunities for people with lived experience of disadvantage, disability or discrimination. With Horses CIC exists to help redress the balance. As a social enterprise, we're not just interested in making money- each of our products offers social value too. The profits from every training course, curriculum or CPD service that our customers buy, help some of the hardest to engage young people in the UK, including those who are service children, NEET, in care, or living with the effects of trauma, disability or discrimination, to achieve their fullest potential. They provide free training scholarships and equine assisted services, opening up access to horses and careers pathways in the equestrian industry to those from underrepresented communities. As well as training scholarships, we offer therapeutic bursaries for young people who are on the cusp of leaving care or are survivors of trauma.
To date, we have provided 34 training scholarships and 23 therapeutic bursaries. The impact is holistic, encompassing all areas of participants’ lives and long-lasting. Recipients gain soft skills as well as practical, transferable work skills, enabling them to build better relationships and contribute more fully to their communities. This year’s outcomes show that 98% of participants have reported increased confidence, 89% improved work skills, 85% improved communication skills, 78% improved coping skills, and 73% better physical and mental health and wellbeing.
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Professional Training Scholarship
Recipient
The scholarship program offers professional training and skills, in a relaxed, supportive and 'allowing' atmosphere, and being able to be around the horses is therapeutic in itself. Knowing that participants have different backgrounds and experiences, also makes it less intimidating. Having someone believe in me, when I wasn't really able to do so myself, made a huge difference in so many ways. Experiences and ' baggage' which I had seen as negative, a failure and something to be a bit ashamed of, now turned out to be something positive, even a strength. 18 months on... (I have) now actually started working towards having my own donkey EAT business!
Therapeutic Bursary Recipient
No two snowflakes are the same, and we as individuals need to feel that our journey into better mental health is not based on one size fits all. My mental health journey has not been easy it has had its peaks and troughs, I was literally like a limpet stuck in the past and holding on to my ingrained behaviours so tightly and only letting go when conditions were perfect which they very seldom were. I now feel less afraid of being judged and accept my weaknesses as well as my strengths. My journey is not over but I am happier now than I have been for a very long time because of the support and friendship I have had through attending the Alpha Mare Peer Support Group.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Equestrianism
Horses for All, a 2023 report from the British Equestrian revealed that bullying, racism and classism are rife in British equestrianism. These findings from their survey underline the vital nature of our work:
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While 33% of white respondents agreed working in an equestrian environment was a viable career option, figures from black, Asian or mixed background people were 6%, 10% and 16% respectively.
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76% said they agreed with the statement 'people like me are underrepresented in horse riding and other horse related activities.
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Only 9% of respondents from socioeconomically underserved communities felt working in an equestrian environment was a viable career option.
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At present the demand for equine activity in diverse communities often goes unmet and many equestrians from diverse backgrounds struggle to find their place within the industry.
This research project and response document have been touted as an opportunity to effect systemic change throughout our industry. British Equestrian has "created a strategy to act as a framework to build action plans which will deliver meaningful, generational results to ensure equestrianism is reflective of society and that equestrian activity as a sport, leisure pastime or career remains relevant in the 21st century a safe, respectful and inclusive community with a culture that values and welcomes everyone and is accessible for anyone from any background to participate in."​
Horses for All outlines six key strategic objectives under the headings of:
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Leadership and governance – structures and behaviours which lead by example
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Data and diversity indicators – a data driven approach to support actions and ambitions
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Workforce – creating diverse, safe and welcoming teams
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Partnership and collaboration – building alliances for increased accessible opportunities
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Education and accountability – build knowledge and empowerment to meet other’s needs
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Communication and engagement – clear and consistent messaging which connects everyone.
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While this is a good start, we have a long way to go before we have a truly diverse, trauma informed equestrian industry in the UK that is welcoming to people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Jordan Allen
“People need to be exposed to stories like mine. That you can do this and not have all the money… Without mentorship, scholarship, and access, getting to the top may not have been possible.
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BEF Survey Respondent
It would be nice to have trainers that look like the children or students that aren’t represented normally, so that there is a sense of safety and comfort
Shaquilla 'Shaq' Blake
“If you can’t see people who look like you doing it, living it, how can you dream of becoming that thing?”