Friday 20th June - Road Safety

We were thrilled to welcome Alan and Des, Directors of Road Safety at the British Horse Society, for a truly inspiring and educational day. Our Young People were fully engaged as we - Learned about their incredible experience, exploring exciting career opportunities in the equine world, dug into why our Ride Safe Units are so important and topped it all off with a Ride Safe lesson to put our skills into practise! The energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge shared made the day unforgettable!

Saturday 10th May - Badminton Cross Country Horse Trials

We had an unreal time at the Badminton Horse Trials with five of our incredible young people. It was a truly unforgettable experience! From cheering on the legends in the Shetland Grand National, to being blown away by the world-class skill on display in the cross-country trials, the day was packed with unforgettable moments. We were lucky enough to spend time in the beautiful Lakeside Pavilion, hosted by the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, where we chatted with the brilliant Martin Clunes (once again!), James Hick, and so many fantastic members of the BHS and Saddlers - all from our front-row seats overlooking the iconic water jump. The group had a blast exploring the shops and even got in the saddle on the Mechanical Horse, coached by the amazing Julian.

Thursday 3rd April - Manor House Stables

What an incredible day for Five of our Young People who spent the day diving into the world of racing at the very prestigious Manor House Stables, owed by Michael Owen and Hugo Palmer. The girls spent the day watching the horses on the gallops, touring the stables, meeting some exciting cols and talented two-year olds. The group explore explored the Owners' lounge, got a glimpse of the swimming pool and witnessed the horses being trotted up. Gilbert looked after the girls and our staff all day and shared all of his knowledge and expertise.

A huge thank you to Grosvenor House Insurance Brokers who made this trip happen!

Friday 7th March - Petty Pool

We were very lucky to be invited to take a small group of our Young People along to Petty Pool's Outdoor Education Centre where we worked with instructor Dan for the day, experiencing and challenging ourselves with activities like archery, rock climbing and abseiling. It was great fun and helped us to trust each other, push ourselves out of our comfort zones and ultimately, feel proud of ourselves for trying something new and different!

Friday 28th February

A visit from Martin Clunes (President of the BHS and famous British Actor), James Hick (CEO of the BHS) and other members of the community who support our CLtH programme including Ian Puleston-Davies!

We had an incredible day celebrating the achievements of our young riders, with special guests Martin Clunes and James Hick joining us to present awards!

Twelve inspiring young people proudly received their PDQ Level 1, Level 2, or BHS assessments, marking a huge milestone in their equestrian journeys.

Surrounded by parents, carers, education settings, and our wonderful community, the day was filled with joy, pride, and inspiration.

Inspiration in Action - A Visit from Franny Norton and George Wilson - Friday 22nd November

 

Today, we were thrilled to welcome legendary jockey Franny Norton and his nutritionist George Wilson to our yard!

 

Franny shared his incredible journey, offering our young people invaluable insights into the world of professional racing, the importance of nutrition, and the dedication it takes to achieve your dreams. He and George spent time chatting with our participants, touring the yard, and meeting our amazing rehomed racehorses—proving that second chances and perseverance can lead to remarkable things.

 

Their visit reinforced a powerful message: you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Franny’s story and George’s expertise have left our young people inspired to dream big and work hard, no matter what challenges they face.

 

Thank you, Franny and George, for sharing your passion and wisdom. Together, we’re proving that the possibilities are endless!

Changing Lives through Horses Centre Award 2024 - Thursday 7th November

 

Exciting News! Wirral Riding Centre Wins Prestigious Award

 

We are thrilled to announce that Wirral Riding Centre has been awarded the Changing Lives through Horses Centre Award for 2024! This remarkable achievement recognises our unwavering commitment to enriching lives through equestrian experiences and promoting positive change in our community.

Our dedication earned us an invitation to an exclusive presentation at Newbury Racecourse on Thursday, 7th November. This prestigious event was graced by HRH Princess Royal, the president of the BHS - Martin Clunes and the Chief Executive of the BHS - James Hick, underscoring the significance of this honour.

 

We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who supports Wirral Riding Centre. Your belief in our mission has helped make this achievement possible.

Look at the fun that we had!

 

The whole day was a wonderful celebration...

Changing Lives through Horses Showcase, Saddlers' Hall - Friday 4th October 2024

We were honoured to be invited to speak at Saddlers' Hall for the Changing Lives through Horses Showcase. We were asked to deliver a 10 minute presentation on the impact of and beyond Changing Lives through Horses at Wirral Riding Centre. The room was full of members of the British Horse Society who invest a lot of time in this life changing programme. Amongst these guest was HRH The Princess Royal, Martin Clunes, President of the BHS and James Hick, Chief Executive of the BHS. A huge thank you to the British Horse Society and Your Royal Highness for the kind invitation. It was a privilege to share how this incredible programme creates life-changing opportunities and how the team at Wirral Riding Centre makes dreams become a reality.

A special thank you to one of our inspiring Young People and her mum for joining us - Olivia's story truly highlights the power of CLtH in building confidence, skills and brighter futures.

Here's to continuing the journey of changing lives together!

Changing Lives through Horses promotional video for the British Horse Society - Thursday 5th September 2024

We were beyond excited when the British Horse Society invited our amazing young people and dedicated coaches to be part of their special social media video for Changing Lives through Horses! From building confidence to learning new skills, this programme has and continues to be a life-changer for so many. It's all about transformation, and we're thrilled to have our team representing that journey.

A massive thank you to everyone involved in the video - Our Young People who were happy to be filmed and talk to the camera, Our parents/carers that gave up their time to talk about the impact of the programme, the BHS staff who made our Young People feel so valued and all of the staff at WRC for helping to shape brighter futures through horses!

Kelsall Trip - Tuesday 9th July 2024

At the beginning of the academic year (2023-2024) we started a suggestions box. One of the suggestions that was made by one our Young People was to visit an eventing ground. Today we ticked that off and took 21 of our CLtH Young People on our first ever trip!

We had an incredible time at Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre and were thoroughly looked after by Phil, the owner. We learnt about the progression of Kelsall, we toured the stables, met some of the race horses, helped prepare the show-jumping arena, listened to Michael Florence who shared his wealth of experience and finally, we watched some show-jumping!

See the positive impact on our Young People and watching their confidence was truly heart-warming. Thank you to everyone that made this trip unforgettable.