Make a Difference by Donating to The Pony Club
As the largest equestrian youth charity in the UK, The Pony Club is on a mission to inspire greater understanding and spark interest in horses and horse riding among the public. The Pony Club’s community projects have reached over 2000 young people across the country, facilitating access to horses to those who may otherwise not have the opportunity. The Pony Club is passionate about ensuring as many young people as possible have the chance to benefit from engaging with horses – no matter the circumstances.
Horses are sentient, emotional beings, who have been by our side in society for generations and are deserving of considerate care. Horses give so much to humans around them and so rely on equestrian organisations like us to ensure they are publicly understood and well cared for.
While we know not everyone will own a horse, we believe all young people should be able to explore, question and wonder about these animals. Engaging with horses can have a range of benefits to young people, from assisting with emotional regulation to learning core life skills such as responsibility and confidence. Horses are known to mirror human body language, offering understanding and calming without judgement.
Your donations can make a difference in supporting youth development, building life skills and leadership through equestrian programmes designed to encourage confidence and resilience. You’ll also be joining us in working to break financial barriers, enabling all youth access to activities by subsidising fees, ensuring the next generation of equestrians are kind to horses, with a deep understanding of their welfare needs.
The Pony Club’s recent community projects include hosting pop up events during National Racehorse Week, where members of the team welcomed young people from across the country to learn, engage and interact with horses, with many meeting a horse for the first time.
As part of The Pony Club’s partnership with Active Madrassah, an initiative which aims to increase the activity levels and overall wellbeing of children and young people who attend Madrassah*, we were pleased to facilitate a series of Pony Club Experience Days at a Pony Club Linked Centre this July for 140 young people.
Thanks to the support of Eccleston Equestrian Centre in Lancashire, participants were able to gain hands-on horse riding and horse care experiences, as well as taking part in archery and unmounted games. These community initiatives enable us to reach new audiences and broaden access to equestrian opportunities, progressing our industry and ensuring the relevance of horses in our society for years to come.
Equestrian sport can feel out of reach for many young people, we’re working to change that. No matter the amount, every penny of each donation is used to benefit a young person within the equestrian community. Just £10 could provide a young person an activity pack about ponies, nurturing a love for animals. £50 could provide a young person from an underserved community their first riding experience, supporting their journey into the equestrian world.
To learn more about how far your donation can go for a young person or to make a donation, head over to www.pcuk.org/donate.
*Madrassah settings are where 92% of the young Muslim population attend each evening to learn about Islamic teachings, limiting the opportunities for them to participate in out of school sport sessions.