Welcome to our stables
“I love coming here. It doesn’t feel like London. You can think, it is calm and all the stuff I have to deal with (at home) is gone while I am here”
Nestled amidst the tranquil greenery of Barnet, our stables provide a peaceful haven where young people can step away from the noise and pressures of city life. Easily accessible via London's transport network, this special place offers a unique blend of nature and nurture – a safe space to unwind, connect with horses, and simply be.
Since our humble beginnings on city farms in 2010, we’ve supported thousands of vulnerable young people through working with horses.
As the demand for our services grew, we relocated to small stables in Edgware, which we leased yearly. In 2022, this lease was terminated, and Barnet Council stepped in to grant us a 25-year lease on a derelict stable yard and 40 acres of land in a beautiful greenbelt within the London Borough of Barnet. We launched an emergency fundraising campaign and successfully raised the £400,000 required to get the derelict site safe for use:
Installed 60x30m arena thanks to Ascot, Barnet Council and Martin Collins
Boarded up unsafe buildings
Fenced the land to create a track system for the horses
Installed portacabin offices, toilets and a classroom
We moved the charity into the new site in January 2023, and the Mayor of Barnet officially opened it in the Summer of 2023.
Help us GROW
We’re operating at full capacity, turning away young people who need us, and working in increasingly unsustainable conditions.
There is minimal drainage in place on the site, so in winter, flooding and extreme mud create challenging conditions for the horses, staff and young people
Most of the buildings are boarded up or unfit for use
There is no sheltered area for young people to work with the horses in inclement weather
The site isn’t fully accessible for wheelchair users and those with physical disabilities. Access to the classroom, arena and portacabin toilet is challenging
There are only three permanent stables for our 12 horses, and one of these leaks
We’re building London’s first purpose-built equine therapy centre
Once complete, we will be able to nearly double our capacity and welcome over 800 young people in need a year. We will create two separate ‘service delivery zones’ each with facilities for horses like stables, barn and surfaced exercise area; and new classroom, breakout spaces and facilities for our young people.
Our new site will be fully wheelchair accessible and have allocated 10 acres of land to be returned to woodland and used by local community organisations for community-driven rewilding and woodland school projects.
