Helping children, young people and adults to learn, grow and heal with horses. 

Many people find that caring for and riding or driving horses benefits their mental, emotional and physical well-being. 

Horses are non-judgemental and as a result can be perfect companions for vulnerable people and those with additional needs. Caring for them helps develop life skills including responsibility, teamwork, communication, commitment and perseverance.

Achieving realistic tasks and goals while building relationships with horses and people can help create a sense of belonging, especially for individuals who find emotional connections difficult in social or other educational environments. 

The horse-human relationship is very unique. It requires a huge amount of trust and non-verbal communication from both sides. Building a strong relationship takes patience, acceptance and understanding, which are all helpful skills that can be transferred to other areas of life. 

Valley Farm is a British Horse Society Changing Lives Through Horses Centre, a registered Care Farm and Riding for the Disabled Centre

You might also be interested to read the information on our SEND page. www.valleyfarm.co.uk/content/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities

What is the Changing Lives Through Horses programme?

Changing Lives Through Horses (CLtH) was launched in 2017 by the British Horse Society(BHS), with the aim of inspiring disengaged individuals to reconnect with society through working with horses. It is an alternative education programme where children and young people can learn in a safe and nurturing environment alongside highly trained coaches at British Horse Society Approved Riding Centres. The BHS believes that horses and equine facilitated learning can have a remarkable role to play in impacting on a young person’s life.

Who is the Programme for?

The scheme is aimed at children and young people aged 5-25 years who have become, or are at risk of becoming, disengaged or excluded from education or training, or those with additional needs that mean they need more support to maintain their school placement. Participants who have benefited from the initiative include those with special educational needs, including social and emotional mental health needs, and those who may have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences.

What does the programme involve?

The main aim of the programme is to develop and support 6 key life skills: Communication, Confidence, Teamwork, Building Relationships, Perseverance, and Responsibility. The initiative is linked to the school curriculum and structured around two frameworks aimed at younger and older participants. Both offer horse care and ridden modules with structured awards and certificates that recognise and reward achievement. Activities contained in each award provide opportunities for the participant to develop in the six key life skills that are transferable back to school or college or to build a portfolio of equine knowledge and experience that could lead to a pathway of further industry qualifications..

How much experience is needed?

None- topics covered include everything from the first time meeting a horse through to topics for experienced riders.

Qualifications offered -

Changing Lives Through Horses offers an exciting new suite of accredited personal development qualifications that will be available to participants at their Changing Lives Through Horses Centre, assessed by their programme lead coach, internally verified by the BHS and awarded by BHSQ.

• 610/1225/7       BHSQ Entry Level 3 Personal Development

• 610/1226/9       BHSQ Level 1 Personal Development

• 610/1227/0       BHSQ Level 2 Personal Development

Participants can be entered for any level, and this will be discussed with the young person and their school or referral partner. The qualification is based on a portfolio of evidence that can be gathered within the existing CLTH programme activities and can be continuously assessed to determine that assessment criteria for each outcome has been achieved.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria for each award are based around our 6 key CLtH life skills of communication, confidence, perseverance, building relationships, teamwork and responsibility.

I'm interested, or I know someone who will benefit. What should I do next?

You can call 01728 746916 or email phoebe@valleyfarm.co.uk to express an interest. We can then arrange a visit to meet the ponies and the coaches and see the facilities and discuss your individual requirements.  Referrals can be made by anybody wishing to gain additional support for a young person. We can consider referrals from schools, parents and guardians, social services and local authorities. 

How can your school get involved?

Contact us using the button at the bottom of this page or email phoebe@valleyfarm.co.uk to discuss the options further. We can cater for 1:1 sessions or small groups.

How much does it cost?

In some cases costs may be covered by the local authority but we also welcome self-funded participants. We would need to discuss how many sessions and the type of sessions with you in order to budget precisely for each individual. 

Valley Farm an equestrian based registered Care Farm, and as such are able to provide educational and therapeutic care services for individuals from a range of vulnerable groups including those over 25 and those who do not qualify for the CLTH programme.  

We are able to work with children or adults who can visit with their carers. In some cases we are also able to accept unaccompanied children.  People can be referred by their care coordinator or in some cases people self-refer.  Some sessions can be funded or part funded by local authorities and specific groups such as Activities Unlimited or RDA.

Valley Farm's care farming clients are encouraged to help feed and look after the animals. We don't focus on the things you can't do, but rather on the things you can do. Your achievements, physical work you have done, bonds you have made with your new community will make you feel better about yourself. Some clients have noticed improvements in appetite, mood and sleeping patterns as a result of regular visits to the farm. 

We encourage clients to break down difficulties with tasks or activities to manageable levels and guide them through the learning process as they work things out, leading to a great sense of achievement upon the completion of a task, however small.

When do sessions take place?

We are able to offer sessions during school term times on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays, between 10am and 4 pm.  All sessions must be booked in advance.  It is possible to join us for a one-off session or to come regularly, for half hour or one hour sessions, or stay for a morning, afternoon, or whole day session from 10am to 4pm. We are able to work with groups or individuals.

What activities are available?

Clients are able to partake in feeding, grooming, cleaning, handling and checking the animals including ponies, donkeys, cattle and horses, pygmy goats, chickens, peacocks and alpacas, while enjoying our beautiful countryside surroundings. 

We provide a quiet gentle pony along with brushes and grooming equipment, as well as guidance and encouragement, so that children and adults can benefit from the enjoyment of being close to a large animal, while it patiently lets itself be handled, stroked and brushed.

We are also able to provide exceptionally patient horses and ponies for ridden sessions, or in hand sessions, where the client works with the horse in order to negotiate obstacles within an enclosed arena.

There are some indoor areas in case of very inclement weather, but it is recommended that all clients and carers are dressed appropriately for outdoor conditions for the time of year, and wear sturdy boots. Safety hats are available to borrow when required.

How do I get started?

Please get in touch with us if you think that we could be of benefit to you or your child, and we can put together an individual program to suit your needs and budget. If you would like to visit the yard and the horses prior to booking, so that you are able to become acquainted with the layout of the yard, and the staff, then please call us on 01728 746916 to arrange an appointment, and we will be happy to show you round, and discuss your individual requirements.

How do horses help?

• Being with horses, whether it be grooming and looking after them, or riding them can be of huge benefit to increase confidence and self-esteem for all sorts of people, including those with physical or mental disabilities.
• Horses can be great healers. They can be a source of comfort in times of personal unhappiness. Just watching their interactions, sitting with them, touching them or actively becoming involved with their care can be used as therapy for various issues, such as anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders and selective mutism.
• For some people, being outside in natural light, closer to nature, and interacting with our gentle horses can greatly improve mood. 
• Horses can be better listeners than people. We can talk to horses about anything, knowing that we will not be judged for wht we think or feel.
• Horses help us to be more aware of our own emotions which can help resolve issues with relationships.
• Learning to read their behaviour helps us to understand our own.
• Movement is good for us. When we feel low or anxious, our activity levels tend to drop, but riding or caring for a horse provides motivation to move more.
• All horses are different and each partnership is unique. Learning to interact with different horses helps promote problem solving skills and  improves self-confidence.
• Horses help us to learn to live in the moment and focus on what is happening now rather than worrying about the past or the future.
• Many activities around horses require using our senses. Brushing a horses uses touch, sight and smell and calm repetitive movement which can be particularly soothing.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you or your young person take their first steps on the Equine Facilitated Learning Pathway. Horses are such inspiring healers and teachers. 

Updated April 2026