Health & Wellbeing Education & Young People 2025
Ride High

Impact Report 2025

Ride High is a children's charity based in Milton Keynes using the unique connection between children and horses to effect lasting change in the wellbeing, confidence and life prospects of disadvantaged young people. In 2025 — its 17th year — the charity transformed 374 young lives. 100% of participants increased their physical activity, 56% showed improved school attendance and 95% said they felt able to talk about their troubles. 70% of participants faced mental health challenges and 33% lived in the city's most deprived areas. Ride High works as a trusted referral partner with CAMHS and Children Looked After services. The charity launched Aim High, a new Alternative Education Provision in partnership with Haddon Training, offering accredited qualifications in Horse Care for young people with EHCPs. A new site in Chester was announced to double the charity's charitable impact. Treacle, the charity's beloved 27-year-old pony, won the British Horse Society's Equine Personality of the Year.

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📋About

Horse riding and horsemanship programme; groundwork and sensory sessions (including SEN provision); clubroom projects (arts and crafts, science and nature); group counselling (62 children); individual counselling (15 children); school referral partnerships (71 referring agencies, 12 schools in Schools Programme); Activities4u activities; free minibus transport; Aim High Alternative Education Provision (launching Spring 2026 with Haddon Training — Level 1 and 2 in Horse Care and Animal Care); Ride High Equestrian Centre social enterprise; new Chester site announced Custom geography from upload: Milton Keynes

📊Key Metrics

374 young lives transformed in 2025; 100% of participants made progress in one or more target areas including emotional resilience, communication, self-esteem, relationships and self-awareness Key Metric 1
97% of children look forward to coming to Ride High; 95% said they felt able to talk about their troubles; 99% achieved the Ride High Award; 56% showed improved school attendance after joining Key Metric 2
100% of 2025 participants increased their physical activity; 70% faced mental health struggles; 33% lived in Milton Keynes' most deprived areas; 89% relied on the free Ride High minibus to attend Key Metric 3

✅Key Outcomes

  • Aim High Alternative Education Provision launched in partnership with Haddon Training — delivering accredited qualifications in Horse Care and Animal Care for young people aged 14-25 with an EHCP; first intake starting Spring 2026; new site announced in Chester to double charitable impact
  • Treacle, Ride High's 27-year-old pony, awarded the British Horse Society's Equine Personality of the Year award for the horse that does the most for people; first-ever Volunteer Manager appointed April 2025; 100% of volunteers report Ride High has a positive impact on their own wellbeing
  • Social value of £3,500 per year per young person riding weekly (British Equestrian 'Power of Horses' research); fully self-funded through fundraising events, corporate partnerships and donations; £12,000 raised through Big Give Christmas Challenge match funding; 17 years of operation in 2025

📍Geography

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