Special EEA Members - Park Palace Ponies

Park Palace Ponies was originally set up as a ‘pop-up’ Riding School in 2017, to show there was a need for the children of Liverpool to have access to ponies. All the riding schools that were once in the city, had moved to the out-skirts, so there was no access to ponies in the city.

Park Palace Ponies was set up in an old, disused theatre, in a disadvantaged area of Liverpool. It enables the children of Liverpool to have access and exposure to riding, stable management and being around the animals.

Once the pop-up had finished, the local area didn’t want them to close – they recognised the importance of this community establishment and therefore rallied around to help the Park Palace Ponies stay open and continue to offer riding lessons to all.

As well as lessons, which are priced at £10, anyone aged over 12 years can go down to the stables at any time to volunteer, learn about the ponies and help the staff with jobs. The stables are open during the evenings and weekends, so it enables access to the outdoors, exercise, interaction with the ponies, but also offering the young people of Liverpool a safe place to go to. Children aged between 5-10 years old can ride.

Park Palace Ponies can see the difference they have made since 2017. Some of the young children who popped their heads through the doors when the riding school first opened are now young adults who are embarking on careers in the equine industry. 

Special events

People from the local care home enjoy going in and spending time with the ponies. There is also a local high school which is a special needs school for young adults who visit . It is very community focussed and offers these people the chance to be around the ponies. Park Palace Ponies also offer ‘quiet days’ for children who may have any additional needs. There is no pressure for them to engage with the ponies, there are toys or activities they can do instead but they can access the ponies if they want to.

Why are Park Palace Ponies members of the EEA?

Thank you to Catherine for shining the light on this important stables. 

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