Equine charity in funding plea after ‘perfect storm’

The charity, which is based at Dryden outside Selkirk, supports vulnerable young people across the Borders through Equine Assisted Learning, where specially-trained horses and ponies help children to overcome mental health issues by breaking cycles of damaging behaviour and feelings of helplessness.

Stable Life has been at Dryden for nearly a decade, and despite the high costs of keeping the project running, it’s been a clear success.

“Up until this year we thrived thanks to a combination of our commercial riding school, grant applications, council funding, and donations,” said chief executive Mags Powell. “But funding sources have dried up post-Covid, and we anticipate a long hard winter through which we need to keep our ponies safe, fed and healthy so we can continue to support the young people referred to us in distress.

"The work we do has a real impact: Stable Life has supported around 1,120 young people since the charity was formed in 2008, but post-Covid, Stable Life is needed more than ever.

“Before Covid we were working with children between 10 and 18 years old, but now we are being asked to support youngsters as young as five and our increased waiting list is proof of that need."

A crowdfunder has been launched in the hope that it provide some temporary help from the community to see the charity through the next few months as it restructures to reflect the priorities of the organisation.

The aim is to raise £40,000 in the next eight weeks to allow the charity to continue delivering for vulnerable children in the Borders while changes are implemented in order to secure its long-term future.

To donate, please visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-stable-life-charity

Mags added: “We realise this is a difficult time for everyone in the community, but as a local charity we are asking those who can help to donate what they are able to now. With everybody’s support we know we can stay the course and come out ​​​​​​​even stronger.”