The Grand Opening of Our New Stables
A fun packed day in the sunshine was recently had by over 700 visitors as Strength and Learning Through Horses threw open the gates to their equine therapy stable yard on Mays Lane in Barnet for their first ever public open day.
The event was formally opened by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Nagus Narenthira, who gave a short speech, acknowledging the hard work and commitment of the staff and trustees in making a safe accessible space for people who need it the most, saying: “I welcome and encourage everyone to use these stables and make maximum benefit of this fantastic community project.”
Visitors braved the 30 degree heat to enjoy meeting the horses, watching demonstrations in the arena and sampling the games and food and drink stalls.
Having taken on the lease in May 2022, the Strength and Learning Through Horses team spent months fundraising and working hard to bring the site up to a usable condition and finally moved in at the beginning of 2023. After a successful year, they now face the challenge of raising further funding to undertake phase 2 of the project which involves building barns to provide stabling for the horses, along with office space and learning spaces for the young people.
The charity currently supports up to 500 young people each year to improve their mental wellbeing and life prospects through their equine therapy and alternative education programmes. Horses have a natural ability to read and respond to human emotions which engages the young people in the process of learning about their own behaviours and emotions and the impact that they have on others around them. Using this learning, young people can begin to make positive changes in their wider lives.
Visit www.strengthandlearningthroughhorses.org to find out more, make a referral or help by making a donation.
