Stable Life

Stable Life was established in 2008 to provide opportunities and enhanced support to children and young people who are experiencing personal challenges in the Scottish Borders. Stable Life uses the horse and its environment to build self-belief, confidence, resilience, relationships, skills and other outcomes. Stable Life has secured a long-term lease on a local riding centre, which allows additional income generation by way of a riding school. Each year Stable Life provides on a referral basis support to more than 100 young people aged 10 18 years with behavioural issues and neurodiversities (e.g. Autistic spectrum, ADHD) that can make them feel isolated and leads to exclusion from school and community. Young people are referred from across the Scottish Borders from a range of agencies, including school, Social Work, NHS, school nurses, CAMHS and voluntary agencies Stable Life helps young people to break the cycle of damaging behaviour and feelings of helplessness, that may lead to anti-social and risk-taking behaviour, substance abuse, mistrust of adults and failure to reach their full potential. Currently Stable Life runs four main programmes:  EQUINE PROGRAMME - This programme uses Equine Assisted Therapy/Learning as an experiential treatment programme working with the horse and the young person to facilitate change. Using a variety of different activities such as handling, grooming, structured exercises, and ridden exercises the programme focuses on the young persons identified outcome objectives. It offers unique non-verbal opportunities to build selfconfidence, self-awareness and self-esteem, identify and change negative thought patterns, beliefs and behaviours, which can result in a change in mood, behaviour, insight and learning  ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME- This programme is a mixture of environmental and horticultural experiences where young people learn skills in landscaping, planting and growing fruit and vegetables as well as learning about the countryside and our environment. This helps them to develop confidence and self-esteem, team working and social skills.  LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMME– This programme provides practical skills incorporating Equine Assisted Learning to gain transferable skills such as budgeting, cooking, social skills, personal safety, looking at career opportunities leading to increased confidence, independence and emotional and physical wellbeing.  OUT OF THE WOODS PROGRAMME- This pilot programme provides young people, who find classroom teaching difficult and are in danger of disengaging, the opportunity to develop skills for life as well as gaining an SQA Level 4 in Horse Care. IN ADDITION Stable Life also provides Transitional Work Placement Support, Peer and Adult volunteering opportunities and summer programmes. STABLE LIFE EQUINE CENTRE: Offers Adult and Child Lessons, Hacks, Tiny Trotters, Hoofbeats Friday After School Club, School and Facilities Hire, Liveries, All of which generate income in support of the Stable Life Programmes listed above.