Rosie Bensley, Co-Founder and CEO of Strength & Learning Through Horses talks about building confidence and changing lives for young people through the power of horses
I’m Rosie Bensley and I’m proud to be Co-Founder and CEO at Strength & Learning Through Horses – a London-based youth charity.
As a horse trainer, I’m passionate about the life lessons that horses can teach us; this was my inspiration to set up the organisation 15 years ago with my co-founder, Clinical Psychologist Dr Jemma Hockley.
Who we are and what we do
The charity’s mission is simple: to help vulnerable young people build the confidence, resilience and skills they need to move forward positively in life. We currently support over 700 young people each year to achieve positive change in their lives through engagement with horses, including former racehorses, with plans to develop our site to grow this number of beneficiaries.
Many of the young people we support are facing significant challenges, such as mental health difficulties, experiences of trauma, exclusion from school, or lack of access to safe opportunities.
Through equine-assisted therapy and alternative education programmes, we create a safe and supportive environment where young people can learn about themselves, build essential life skills, and discover new strengths.
Olympic dressage rider Carl Hester MBE became an ambassador for the charity earlier this year.
Authentic teachers
Horses are incredible teachers. They respond honestly to our emotions and behaviours, offering young people immediate feedback in a way that feels non-judgemental and deeply authentic. For many, this is the first time they’ve experienced such a clear reflection of their own feelings, which can be life-changing.
We see young people who arrived withdrawn and anxious gradually open up through their connection with the horses. One young person, for example, struggled with anger and trust issues. Over time, by learning how to calmly lead and care for a horse, they built patience, responsibility, and a new sense of confidence that translated into better relationships and improved engagement at school.
The unique role of the horses
The magic lies in the partnership between human and horse. Unlike people, horses don’t judge or hold grudges. They live in the moment and respond to how they’re being treated. For a young person who may have experienced rejection or instability, this creates a powerful opportunity to feel accepted and valued.
When a horse chooses to trust them, it sends a strong message: you are capable, you are worthy, you can succeed.
Our horses have all experienced trauma and life challenges just as our young people have; by normalising the fact that the horses experience challenges we create a space where those faced by young people are also normalised and they can build new positive self-identities focusing on their strengths rather than limitations. The anxious young person discovers their superpower as the person who is most able to empathise with the horses; the young person with ADHD who struggles to sit and concentrate in the classroom gets a new identity as the fastest person to muck out the stables.
The most rewarding part of our work is hearing directly from the young people. Many tell us they feel ‘calmer and more confident,’ or that they ‘can actually do something right.’ Parents, teachers, and social workers often share how they’ve noticed changes too — from improved attendance at school to healthier coping strategies and more positive relationships at home.
Looking ahead
We’re excited about the future of Strength & Learning Through Horses. Our vision is to reach even more young people who can benefit from our programmes, while continuing to invest in the wellbeing of our horses and staff. With the right support, we can expand our services, strengthen our community partnerships, and ensure no young person is left behind. In the next 12 months we need to raise £700,000 to build a centre on our site with twice the capacity, so we can help even more young people.
Ascot racecourse has generously supported Strength and Learning Through Horses, including sponsoring a new outdoor arena built in 2023 and producing an awareness video and racecard adverts in support of the charity.
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