Just a random day in August
By Natalie
We’ve featured a lot of different participants and activities over the years, but what’s a ‘typical’ day like over at Park Lane Stables? To give you an idea, we picked a ‘random’ day, Wednesday 12 August. Here’s how it went.
Lexy (RDA coach and our Deputy Manager) and Louis (a pony racing Pony Club coach) were both away that day, coaching at a Pony Club camp near Guildford. So the rest of us were holding the fort!
9am – volunteer Allegra, who was a non-rider when she joined the team, recently won a Jack Petchey award for service to the community, and chose to spend her award money on … riding lessons! So it was our pleasure to start the day with her latest lesson on favourite horse Abella. And she’s doing great.
Volunteers Kayla and Aurelia went for a ride to stretch the horses’ legs while the day was still cool. This is an important part of the daily routine as we have no ‘turn out’ facilities at the Stables and it’s important that on the weeks that the horses are there they get out into Bushy Park for fresh air, exercise, and stimulation.
10am – we welcomed a group of children from Richmond Mencap for the first time. Most had never seen a pony at close quarters. Afterwards Carlos, who accompanied the children, had this to say of the experience:
“The visit to Park Lane Stables was truly one of the highlights of the summer for the Children and Young People’s Programme at Richmond Mencap. From the moment we arrived, the energy of the staff and volunteers was warm, welcoming, and deeply attentive. A small gesture – writing each child’s name on the pavement – spoke volumes about their care and thoughtfulness.
Once the young people were on the horses, everything shifted into calm and focus. Some of our children can be reactive when facing new experiences, but the gentle contact with the horses, combined with the staff’s encouragement, created a sense of safety that was remarkable. I could see it in their bodies: they were comfortable, relaxed, and fully present. Many of them even took gentle, controlled risks while riding, which showed how it had boosted their confidence.
After the ride, every child and young person was engaged – even teenagers who often choose not to participate were eager to join in. They pushed wheelbarrows, fed the horses, brushed them, and took part with genuine enthusiasm.
For me, the most meaningful part of the visit was how something seemingly simple carried something deep and transformative. Park Lane Stables delivered the experience with passion, care, and authenticity. It was a wonderful day, and I truly believe it will become a treasured memory in the lives of our young people.”
10.45: Kate, Anne and Caroline took Trigger (who loves humans more than horses) to visit the residents at Homemead care home, just round the corner. These visits are all about the simple pleasures of stroking a pony, inhaling that wonderful warm smell, and reminiscing about horses in their memories. And Trigger revels in all the attention.
Midday: Six families from Skylarks charity came to visit for an hour. This fabulous charity supports children with disabilities and their families. This means that when they visit us, siblings can share the experience of riding together.
Afternoon: it was too hot for any more riding, but our regular adult group of 12 came for an afternoon of activities and social catch-up, with honouring the life of inspirational Monty Roberts as our theme. And of course we all bathed the horses to keep them cool in the heat, bedded them down, and filled the haynets.
To round off the day Arun, Lexy and Trigger did a home visit to someone currently struggling with mental health issues. Visiting the stables can be daunting for someone feeling vulnerable, but when someone reaches out to us to ask about a home visit we know it can give them confidence to visit us later. Each visit we do is completely relaxed and taken at the pace of our host.
This is a pretty typical day, though writing it down makes me feel more tired than actually living it! A big thank you to our volunteers and the whole team for making it possible, we couldn’t do this without you!