ACommunity Interest Company in the Lake District has welcomed dozens of children to its equestrian centre this summer as part of the governmentsHoliday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.Harness Change, based at Bigland Hall in Haverthwaite, iscommitted to providing equestrian experiences and support for individuals of all abilitiesacross Cumbria.Its summer HAF programme sessions gave children from the local area the chance to learn about horse care while taking part inpractical activities, outdoor exercise and well-being sessions.The HAF programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families.Our sessions run for four hours each day on Mondays and Tuesdays and groups of children are able to get hands-on experience of pony care, grooming and stable management, said Jane Simon from Harness Change. We have about 15 children attending each day, many of whom have never been around horses and ponies before.By filling hay-nets, watching the farrier at work, helping make up the horse feeds and preparing home-made horse treats, they make the connection between caring for the horses and understanding their own well-being. Children watched the farrier at work.Canon EOS R10 f/11 1/250s 24mmJorgies storyEleven-year-old Jorgie first attended a HAF programme session during the May school holidays and returned for the summer programme.Jorgie is normally very shy and reserved but everyone at Harness Change the staff, the other children, the horses and even Duke the dog made her feel so welcome, said Jorgies mum Kathleen Burke.Jorgie has had the best day ever and hasnt stopped talking about it since we left.Being around animals brought out a brand-new confidence in her.Im so glad she had this opportunity. Ive never seen her so passionate about anything and I think we have found something that can really help her thrive.Remarkable benefitsThe children also took part in activities such as treasure hunts, wildflower identification missions and equine agility courses giving them opportunities to make friends and build their confidence. Riding lessons were available as an optional extra.The feedback we have received from parents is fantastic and for those children who may not respond well to a structured school environment, the benefits of having contact with horses has been remarkable, said Jane.Harness Change will next run HAF programme sessions in the Christmas holidays.Participants learnt how to groom horses.Canon EOS R10 f/11 1/500s 18mm ISO400Images Harness Change.The post Learning through horses: youngsters benefit from summer HAF programme appeared first on Your Horse.