A Youth project that helps young people with troubled backgrounds has taken over a horse-riding stables in the Borders.
A charity that helps troubled young people in the Scottish Borders has turned to horses for therapy.
The Gala Youth Project has changed its name to Stable Life after opening a specialist riding school near Selkirk.
Jenny Longden reports:
Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell has been visiting Borders Charity Stable Life today.
The youth project use horses as therapy for young people with behavioural difficulties and confidence issues.
Ms Campbell said the work done by the charity could work elsewhere in the country.
"It is really good that this has found its niche here in the Borders. Other parts of the country are doing what they can to help children that are at risk, are vulnerable or are just in need of some more help and attention.
"I see lots of different fantastic different groups, organisations who are doing lots of different things in an innovative way and this is one of those many projects, and if this could be shared and expanded elsewhere I think that would be a good thing."
– Margaret Powell from Stable Life"We use horses as a tool to engage with young people, and help build self-confidence, self-esteem and teach them life skills that they can transfer to their lives, and to give them dreams and aspirations for the future.
"Horses are very sociable animals and mirror our behaviour, you can learn so much from a horse. They can be stubborn and you have to give them a lot of patience and time.
"They can also be very comforting for some young people, they can get a cuddle, and horses accept young people for who they are, no matter what their background is."
A Youth project that helps young people with troubled backgrounds has taken over a horse-riding stables in the Borders.
Charity Stable Life, which was formerly called Gala Youth Project, now has a ten year lease of Dryden Stables near Selkirk.
The project offers young people with difficulties ranging from behavioural problems to confidence issues the opportunity to learn how to ride and care for horses and ponies.