CLtH Schools FAQs

The British Horse Society Changing Lives Through Horses 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.

The programme welcomes children and young people aged 5-25 years who have additional needs in the widest sense who would benefit from access to equine facilitated learning. Participants may include those with special educational needs, including social and emotional mental health needs, those who may be disengaged or excluded from education, those who are without a school place or are electively home educated and those who may have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences.

The main aim of the programme is to develop and support 6 key life skills: Communication, Confidence, Teamwork, Building Relationships, Perseverance, and Responsibility. The programme is structured around two frameworks aimed at younger and older participants.  Both offer horse care and ridden modules (some centres only offer horse care) 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 widely transferable back to school, further education opportunities or socially, practice learning skills linked to their school curriculum and build a portfolio of equine knowledge and experience that could lead to a pathway of further industry qualifications.

Some centres also offer an Ofqual accredited Personal Development Qualification integrated within the programme at Entry Level 3, Level 1 and Level 2.

Our approved Changing Lives Through Horses centres all offer the programme differently – from full school days for small groups to 1:1 sessions at certain times depending on the needs of the individual and what the referring school is looking for.  To find out more about what the programme offers in your area please contact the Changing Lives Through Horse’s team on 02476 840545 or by email at changinglives@bhs.org.uk