Summerfield Stables is a Birmingham-based registered charity that has been bringing horses and young people together since 1970. Based in Hall Green, with additional riding facilities in Solihull, the stables has a strong community focus and works particularly with children and young people from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. It aims to make horses accessible to as wide a range of people as possible, including those with physical or additional needs and young people who may find mainstream education challenging.
Riding at Summerfield is about much more than learning to ride. Alongside individual and group lessons, riders are encouraged to develop practical horse-care and stable-management skills, building confidence, responsibility, teamwork and independence. The stables also provides alternative education provision, opportunities for schools, work experience and volunteering, giving young people different ways to learn and develop through horses.
Horse welfare is central to the Summerfield ethos. A number of its horses have come from rescue or difficult circumstances, and the charity places considerable emphasis on rehabilitation, re-schooling and providing them with long-term security. Horses are regarded as individuals and companions rather than simply as animals used to provide riding lessons, with riders and volunteers encouraged to understand and contribute to their care and development.
At the heart of Summerfield is a belief that financial circumstances should not unnecessarily prevent someone from experiencing horses. Its combination of riding, horse care, education and volunteering creates an environment in which young people can develop both equestrian and wider life skills, while learning to respect and care for the horses with whom they work.
