We are based in Berkshire, near Mortimer Common,
in amongst rolling hills, pasture and forest
Creating a stable base to learn and grow from.
We've created a safe accessible space for children to feel understood, be themselves, unpressured or judged.
A space to learn, test and grow with or in the company of our gentle herd of horses.
Providing a connection to nature and activating the senses
A sense of space & nature.
The centre is in a beautifully tranquil spot, at the end of Simms Lane. As you approach, you are surrounded by the fields where the horses graze and you are enveloped in a sense of space and nature.
On arrival, you will be greeted at the stables (by humans and horses!), the heart of the Stable Futures centre.
The stables are set in the heart of the facilities
A flexible learning space.
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18 stables
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20 x 40 sand school/ménage
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Therapy room
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Kitchen
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Petting learning zone
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Art and craft room
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Indoor spaces created for younger and older children
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Sensory wall
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outdoor covered learning zones
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Play area and trampoline
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Horticulture area
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Vast open space and access to miles of bridleways!
We cater for groups and individuals, ground work and riding
Client centered.
We can consider referrals from:
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All Schools
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Pupil Referral Units
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CAMHS
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Community and Youth Work Services
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Children and Young People at Risk of Criminal and Sexual Exploitation
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Addiction/Drug Misuse
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Young Carers
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Children and Young People effected by Domestic Abuse
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Local Authorities
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Colleges
Our service is not exclusive to children.
A learning space full of resources
to support all children
We have a fully equipped learning space with resources for all ages
and abilities.
The space is therapeutic and is used for education and therapy sessions. Children and young people benefit from inside and outside activities such as:
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Animal Welfare working across our 32 acre farm supporting our Animal Care team on the stable yard with our 13 Horses
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Animal care, grooming and mucking out stables.
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‘Poo picking’ the horse’s fields! Using their numeracy skills on counting the poo!
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Preparing hay nets and animal feeds
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Caring for the large goats and 2 sheep
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Caring for our 6 pygmy goats
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Caring for our 8 rescue hens- egg collecting each morning!
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Learning from the professionals visiting the animals, i.e; the farrier, chiropractor, vet and equine dentist!
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AQA’s available for all learners’ interests, including a dedicated Equine learning Group.
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Bespoke learning with the horses via the Yard Manager as well as our EFL (Equine Facilitated Learning) tutor. Includes in hand work with the horses.
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Career and aspiration sessions to develop interests and progression for the future.
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Cooking and baking, healthy eating menu planning, preparing our fresh produce and serving for other peers. Who’s our next Michelin star chef?!
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Horticultural sessions– growing veg and plants in our polytunnel
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Art and design in the ‘Shetland’ room
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New Forest Provision- The Paddock’. Exploring our new forest site; zip wire, balancing beams, swings, archery plus an eco sawdust toilet!
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Development and implementation of wildlife ponds
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External trips as and when arranged, such as crazy golf, museums, trampolining.
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Charity and Community engagement plan- supporting the young people to get involved with monthly engagement.
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Although not a school, we are registered on the Ofsted voluntary service and support young people to transition back into mainstream/ special schools. We can offer baseline academic attainment for numeracy and literacy, via our online IDL platform.
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CV writing, interview preparation and employability schemes
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First aid courses
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Vocational qualifications
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Independence skills
Learning Zones
Over the summer of 2023 the Stable Futures team worked hard on expanding the provision with new learning zones ready for the Autumn term, including a 26ft x 20ft fox proof chicken run with two shelters for our rescue chickens and a large field where they can be let free during the daytime hours.
A perfect retirement for these 8 hens. The children thought hard to name them, and we now have Omelette, KFC, and Miss Fear, to name a few.
We welcomed our 6 pygmy goats (Moo Moo, Sparrow, Marshmallow, Robin, Eeyore 1 and Eeyore 2) and built our outside barn learning zone where they can be viewed up close to enrich the learning experience in a natural environment.
A space for children to
learn and engage
The bottom field has shelters for our 3 large goats (Basher, Brown girl, and Betty) our two sheep (Dolly and Frank) and Bandit the golden Guernsey goat who has been reared by humans, nurtured by the sheep, and taught life lessons by the goats, he’s not sure if he is a goat, sheep, or a human. The main thing is he is happy and content.
The Haflinger barn has our petting zoo Aviary, with our two very popular Guinea pigs, Twix, and Caramel where the young persons can sit, hold, feed and groom them.
During the delivery of our learning sessions, our young people are offered an array of learning with our animals, from daily welfare routines, bespoke animal safety lessons, targeted professional learning via our local vet, farrier and chiropractor. Adapting our learning delivery to ensure we meet the need for each individual child that engages with our offerings at Stable Futures.
Therapy
We have a range of skilled therapists we work with to ensure all referrals have a tailored therapy program which works for them.
Choosing a therapist is a key part in a young person’s journey and we are flexible with how the young person would like to access therapy.
Therapy available:
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Equine therapy
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Art therapy
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Play therapy
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CBT
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Types of Psychotherapy
Well-being is promoted daily through therapeutic learning, being in nature and the therapeutic benefits of the animals on site and the location.