ASH LEE RIDING CENTRE LIVERY SERVICE

The British Horse Society Ireland (BHS Ireland)

​

Learning with Horses Programme

​

Professional accredited coach Julie Duffy delivers this course at Ash Lee Riding Centre. 

​

Northern Ireland has many young people who for a variety of reasons have become negative in their approach to education and life in general.

The BHS Ireland wants to provide those young people with a unique opportunity to learn through working with horses.

We have sourced funding for and delivered approximately 96 courses since 2007, touching the lives of approximately 730 young people in Northern Ireland.

In our Learning with Horses programme students not only learn about the horse, but they also rediscover themselves; how they can better interact and communicate with each other by working together to achieve tasks.  The Learning with Horses programme offers an opportunity to experience something new and exciting while helping to improve self-esteem and confidence. For some the course could also lead to future learning opportunities within equestrianism.

Learning with Horses gives young people between the ages of 9 and 17 a snap-shot introduction into the basic care and management of horses, as well as fundamental riding skills. They also discover how to communicate and work with horses, encouraging positive engagement and motivational learning experiences that will be remembered long after the event.

We want to encourage more young people into the healthy sport of equestrianism.

This course has been designed to have a positive effect on the future lives of young participants and any horses with which they may come in contact.

We work with Northern Ireland’s Educational Guidance Centres, schools, and EOTAS (Education other than at school) to identify students who will most benefit from attending the course. We have regular courses in county Derry, Down, Antrim, Armagh and Tyrone.

This project has benefitted vulnerable children who are unable to attend mainstream education due to long term medical, social, emotional or behavioural problems. Student selection criteria includes: children with disabilities such as autism, deafness, speech problems and moderate learning difficulties; challenging behaviours, social depravation, emotional/anger management issues, communication deficit, difficulty in engaging with aspects of the curriculum. Many are economically deprived e.g. qualifying for free school meals. Some may be excluded or in danger of exclusion and who are marginalised as a result.

All courses take place at a British Horse Society Approved Riding School. BHS Approved Schools have horse and pony welfare along with client safety and satisfaction as priorities. All are insured for public liability and comply with the latest health and safety legislation. Every BHS riding school is subject to annual unannounced inspections in order to uphold the scheme’s standards and ensure quality teaching.

Each course will be taught by a riding instructor/coach from the BHS Accredited Professional Coach Register.

Julie Duffy is a  BHS Accredited Professional Coach.

Coach Regulations:

• Attend at least once in every period of two years, commencing from the date of registration, a refresher course from a list issued by the Training Department of the Society, demonstrating that he or she has continued to maintain the requisite standards of horse care and horsemanship.

•  Hold and update as required a certificate in First Aid, awarded either by a BHS First Aid Course or a full Health and Safety First Aid at Work certificate

•  Attend a Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport course. 

• An Enhanced Check with Access NI.

The ‘Learning with Horses’ programme is a six week, two hour session for eight students or one hour session for 4 students and is aimed at young people with little or no experience of horses. 

On successfully completing this six week course each participant will receive a BHS Ireland ‘Learning with Horses’ certificate, and future training possibilities may be planned.  We now also have a Level 2 course in place to suit those who are keen to progress further.