The British Horse Society (BHS) has welcomed members of the Sikh Community to Bourne Vales Stables, Walsall, with hopes of increasing accessibility to the equine industry. This is the second of such events run by the charity, having held a participation day last year at a BHS Approved riding school in Romford.
Funded by Sport England’s Together Fund, through British Equestrian, these initiatives help to ensure more people have access to horses and equestrian activities.
The day included rider taster sessions, with over 50 participants joining in, as well as an opportunity to experience riding via a mechanical horse. A variety of other activities were also on offer including horse care education, grooming and hobby horse showjumping, along with the chance to learn more about riding equipment with a qualified saddler.
“Khalsa Panth UK are delighted to be partnering with The British Horse Society (BHS) to put on another fantastic event, this time at Bourne Vale Stables,” said Jasmeet Singh a member of the Khalsa Panth UK community. “Horse riding was historically part of the Sikh way of life. Our hope is to re-establish this horse human bond which has been lost by many of today’s generation.
“Working together enables us to break down the barriers to horse riding, making it accessible for all communities. We are very grateful to the BHS team for their commitment towards diversity and inclusion, in particular their efforts to educate riding centres on the Dastar [Sikh turban].”
Established over 60 years ago, Bourne Vale Stables play a large role in their local community.
“It was a privilege to host the Sikh community this weekend and showcase the important role horses can have in all our lives,” said fourth generation owner of Bourne Vale Stables, Anna Cooper. “Since 1962, Bourne Vale Stables has helped thousands of people learn to ride, build friendships and enjoy the sport of riding.
I’ve been fortunate enough to witness countless of individual’s love for horses flourish here and it’s important that we continue to work hard to make sure more people, from all communities, are able to experience this magical feeling.”
