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Wigan Teens Ready to Ride with Unique
Equestrian Centre
A mother and daughter team with a passion for horses are hoping to
inspire young people across Wigan through the ancient art of horse
whispering.
Animal loving Shauna Gracey (17) and her mum Susan, from Ince, have
raised four ponies using the unique techniques pioneered by world famous
horse whisperer, Monty Roberts.
Now they are hoping to pass this knowledge onto Wigan’s young people by
opening one of the first equestrian centres in the world which teaches
young people the art of horse whispering – and they have been handed
more than £19,000 from the Government’s Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) to
help them realise their dream.
Shauna, who has kept ponies for 14 years and regularly rides in
competitions, said: “There’s not much to do in Ince. Everyone will
benefit because the world of horses is so appealing. You see the young
kids on the street and they have nothing to do. I’m confident and find I
can bond with people because I have always worked with different horses.
Everyone can relate to horses and everyone can benefit from them,
including children from all different backgrounds and young people with
disabilities. We’d like everyone to get involved.”
“When I found out about the Youth Opportunity Fund, I was so excited I
screamed. It’s such a big opportunity for young people around here, I
thought I just had to take it.”
YOF is part of 'Aiming High for Young People', a Department for
Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) strategy investing Government
funding in areas across the country so that young people have places to
go and things to do all year round.
Horse whispering is a method which employs equine psychology to read the
body language of horses and relate to them and it often used as a tool
for rehabilitating traumatised horses.
Shauna’s dad Paddy Gracey is a Recommended Associate for Intelligent
Horsemanship, the only instructors allowed to teach Monty Robert's horse
whispering concepts.
Shauna’s mother Susan Gracey said: “The biggest selling piece of
equipment in the horse world is the whip, but Monty uses special
techniques and body language tools to help you communicate with the
horses without resorting to violence.
“Teaching young marginalised people these techniques has a marked effect
on their behaviour, because if you are aggressive or hostile, the animal
picks this up and won’t work with you, so you have to be patient. This
type of activity has been used with people from youth offending schemes
in the past and has yielded excellent results.
“Working with animals is really therapeutic and I think that this could
benefit all young people, including children who have grown up in more
challenging circumstances.”
Teenagers who would like to get involved will also learn other skills
associated with horses, such as handling the horse, horse and stable
management and confidence building courses.
The pioneering pair, who are planning to open the centre in Henfield
Road, Ince in the Spring, have used their YOF money to purchase a horse
pen, fencing, seating and a sand paddock and say that there are a lot of
opportunities for promising young riders in Wigan.
“I know lots of people from my years on the competition circuit who will
pay young people with a talent to ride their horses for them, so they
can put them into shows,” said Susan
“There will be real opportunities for young people who are interested.
They can enjoy a great hobby or take it further if they have a
particular talent. The YOF money has been a huge help. This is the first
time that many young people in Wigan will have had the opportunity to
get involved with horses and that’s a brilliant opportunity for them.”
For details of local activities for young people in Wigan, please visit
www.direct.gov.uk/getinvolved
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF DCSF BY COI NEWS & PR NORTH WEST. CONTACT: JENNIFER
HOLLAMBY AT
jennifer.hollamby@coi.gsi.gov.uk or 0161 618 1642
Notes to editors.
1. Media enquiries and interview requests to Jennifer Hollamby at COI
News and PR North West on 0161 618 1642.
2. Experience shows that young people are more likely to get involved in
positive activities when they have a say in what is available, and that
taking part helps them to learn new skills, as well as divert them from
behaviour that might be considered by the wider community as
anti-social.
3. All local authorities receive funding from the Department for
Children, Schools and Families for the Youth Opportunity and Youth
Capital Funds, the purpose of which is to enable young people to make
decisions about positive activities and places to go in their
communities. A total of £173 million is available for YOF and YCF in
England between 2008 and 2011 with an extra £25 million invested to
expand into the most deprived areas. Local Authorities also receive
funding to provide intensive activity-based programmes targeted at young
people at risk of negative outcomes such as involvement in anti-social
behaviour and crime. In total the Government is investing £222 million
in such programmes in England between 2008 and 2011.
4. More information on Aiming High is available at:
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/youthmatters/aiminghigh/
5. For information on the Youth Crime Action Plan and related
initiatives visit
www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ytf
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