Karen Place

I help out at Ride High twice a week. I didn't have any prior knowledge of horses before I came to Ride High but I wanted to help with the children. I help the children with the equipment, safety and riding. I encourage and praise, helping to their build confidence. I help in the Clubroom with various activities; sticking, colouring, story writing and making things.

My highlight so far was taking a group of children to London to meet the Metropolitan Police horses. Some of the children had never even been on a train before let alone to London so it was great to be involved with the excitement.

My son has ASD. Working with the children helps me to give back to other parents and children who are struggling. I struggle with confidence myself so it's helped me to get out of the house and challenge myself to do something out of my comfort zone. The experience has also enabled me to study to be a support worker in a school.

Have a go! It's so much fun. The children are lovely and it's so nice to see the improvement and the smiles on their faces. It's an amazing team to be a part of. I go home feeling like I've really made a difference. I love children and the outdoors and it's perfect for me to combine both.

Sarah Lindau

I work at RSM in Milton Keynes – we are one of Ride High's corporate supporters. I'd been interested in volunteering for some time but hadn't found anything that grabbed me… until I found out about Ride High that is! I now help out at the Centre once a week.

I get involved in allsorts from running with the horses, helping the kids with their equipment to arts and crafts in the clubroom.

My highlight has been seeing the kids open up and come out of their shells. A few weeks back many of them jumped on a horse for the first time which was great to be a part of.

It's great fun and really rewarding to know that you are making a difference.

Katie Goh

I joined Ride High as a volunteer in February 2016.

Both my children are finally in school so I was looking for somewhere I could volunteer to gain some confidence regarding getting back into work.

When I heard about what Ride High do my eyes just lit up. I've always been fond of horses and wanted to learn more about them. I was also looking to gain some experience in working with young children so I can start my career in school to help young children. I rang Ride High straight away and enquired about volunteering with them. The process was simple and I was there volunteering within a couple of weeks.

I was quite nervous in my first session, but the team made me feel so welcome and I fitted in straight away. The first hour of each session is the riding class. Afterwards we go to the clubroom where the children have their lunch and participate in clubroom activities.

My highlight at Ride High is when I see the children gaining confidence every week. They come in all shy and scared of the horses, and as each week progresses, they gain more and more confidence. They also improve dramatically on their team building skills as a group.

I myself have benefitted dramatically whilst volunteering here, I always look forward to each session I participate in. The smiles on the children's faces is enough to ensure I always leave the sessions on a high and with a big smile on my face too!

I would definitely recommend Ride High to anyone who is looking to volunteer to make a real difference in children's lives.