Flora – the journey of a Park Lane Stables volunteer
At 15, Flora loved horses and dreamed of working with them when she left school. Other areas of life could be overwhelming, she was shy and lacked confidence. But horses made her feel calm and safe.
She asked her school about work experience at a stables, and first came to Park Lane Stables in June 2022. It turned out to be a perfect fit for her and for us, and the initial week of work experience quickly became a day a week as a volunteer ever since.
Natalie says: “It’s been fantastic to watch Flora’s progress, she’s just blossomed! She’s learned so much and made huge leaps in confidence so that she now uses her initiative, shows other volunteers what to do, and happily welcomes visitors. She’s become such a sunny member of the team and is always calm around the horses and participants.”
“I really like it because the people are so friendly and the horses make me happy”, says Flora. “I’m always much happier when I leave than when I arrive. We have lots of fun and some of the horses can really make you laugh. It was very funny when Prodney managed to open the gate by himself to go and look for his girlfriend Abella. I found out recently that Trigger thinks like a human – that’s why he always wants to lead on walks, he is very clever. I am very excited for the return to Teddington, and hope all the horses settle in quickly.
Thank you to all the horses and the staff for looking after me so well.”
“I can safely say that Flora’s days at PLS are the highlight of her week”, says Flora’s mum Frances. “It’s been lovely to see the positive impact on her wellbeing as well as to her levels of confidence and experience. A big thank you to all the PLS people and horses!”
With everything she’s learned, and with her new confidence and life skills, Flora’s dream of working with horses is now a realistic goal for the next stage in her life. We know she’ll be fantastic. Watch this space!
Thank you to Canbury School for introducing Flora to Park Lane Stables in the first place, and for the photographs in this article.
We regularly host visits from school groups, especially pupils who are vulnerable or have additional needs. We’ve been privileged to see young people start to relax and blossom in the company of horses so many times. It’s a service we’re passionate about providing, and one you can help make possible for more young people by donating.