A city riding school is urgently appealing for help to avoid “imminent closure or the sale of ponies at the end of April”.
Park Palace Ponies in Liverpool was set up as a pilot seven years ago and has since given thousands of children the opportunity to learn to ride and discover the joy of being around horses. But issues including rising costs and decreasing income mean its future is under threat.
It has seven ponies in its care and in addition to riding, it offers equine welfare and therapeutic sessions to people in the area.
Karen Scott, whose day job is writing grant applications and costing for research calls for a university, became a trustee in January. She told H&H she became involved as her daughter, Maddie, rode at Park Palace Ponies and is now a volunteer there.
“We wanted to help save Park Palace Ponies and Maddie suggested, ‘Mum, you could help, you do this all the time,” she told H&H.
“We also have new chair Pamela Allen at the helm who is breathing new life into this and the charity’s plans. But applying for funding can take weeks and then waiting for the outcome takes time – three to six months on average.”
Park Palace Ponies launched crowd funding in September 2024, while it was awaiting advice from the Charity Commission. Charity status has since been granted.
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Former chair Jane Beirne worked hard to try and secure funding at the time, which has been vital in keeping Park Palace Ponies operating. The charity is now building on her work.
Park Palace Ponies’ aim is to make riding accessible to all in Liverpool city centre and to bring the benefits of equestrian education to an urban environment.
It costs £10,000 a month to run Park Palace Ponies. Lessons and parties provide some income, but rising bills and loss of funding connected to schools that used its facilities have hit hard.
“Our utility bills have doubled, which I have now applied to cap with the local council, and vet costs, farrier costs, horse feed, bedding and general care costs are increasing,” said Mrs Scott.
“While lessons are much in demand, we must keep our lesson prices low. We want to be a riding school for the community, to dispel the myth that horse riding is only for those who can afford it. There is nowhere else in Liverpool city centre that offers riding lessons like ours.”
She added: “We are based in Dingle, Toxteth, an area of Liverpool considered a low socio-economic area with lots of young families and first-time buyers there and in surrounding areas.
“We also create an environment for young volunteers and groups who can come and spend time in the yard, in a safe space while learning new skills, making new friends and being around these amazing animals.
“We will be working with local businesses to offer children the chance to ride and have subsidised lessons, and we will be working with local charities to identify those children who would most benefit. Young adults too can benefit from our pony therapy and pony care course.”
She added that the charity is reworking its sponsorships and business partnerships and developing a new website.
“Our plans are to apply for funding and partnerships that will make Park Palace Ponies a more sustainable charity and we have developed a business plan with the help of Sport England. But we just need time to enable us to get going and ‘keep the lights on’ in the meantime.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
