Horses for courses at Teesside

A student volunteer from the University of Teesside is sharing her love of horse riding to inspire local disabled people take up the hobby.

Emma Harbron, 27, from Middlesbrough, is in the final year of the LLB (Hons) law degree. As well as studying, Emma volunteers at the Unicorn Riding for the Disabled Centre in Hemlington – a purpose built horse riding centre for disabled people.

Emma said: “I knew about the centre and had thought about volunteering here for a while, but I just never got around to it. I was then chatting to the people at the Community Volunteers Programme at the University, when I noticed that they had the details of the centre on their books! That made my mind up to have a go. After an interview and induction, I started helping my first group. That was over 12 months ago and I’ve seen a huge improvement in the riders’ skills and confidence on the horses.

“Learning about the horses and how to ride them helps the people develop confidence in themselves and can be a really important part of their ongoing therapy. The riders who come to the centre have different levels of disabilities and need different help. Some need help to stay on the horse while others just need us to lead the horse for them.

“I love helping out here - it’s an incredibly rewarding thing to do. Volunteering has taught me skills that I wouldn’t have learned before. My communication skills are better because I have to really think through everything I say. I’ve built up some great relationships with some of the riders and I look forward to coming to the centre every week. Anyone can volunteer here at the Unicorn Centre, even if they don’t ride horses.”

The University of Teesside Community Volunteers Project enables students and staff to join a variety of activities across the Tees Valley. Any charity organisation or community group interested in finding out more information, can call Jayne Villiers, Volunteer Project Co-ordinator, on 01642 384280, or email: j.d.villiers@tees.ac.uk.

The Unicorn Riding for the Disabled Centre is a registered charity and welcomes donations and volunteer support. To find out more about the centre, visit: www.communigate.co.uk/ne/unicorn/ or call 01642 576222.

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