July 14, 2016

Georgia Smith- Sporting Chance

Community Support worker Georgia Smith has grown up around horses, and has one of her own at a local stables. After she told several of the people she supports about her hobby, they expressed an interest and she decided to take them to the stables to show them what looking after horses was all about.

Georgia told us: ‘they groom horses, muck out, wash, clean them and the stables, they love it! They all ask to go each week, they love to take part in life at the stables.’
In fact, one lady who attended with Georgia took on a more formal volunteer role at the stables and as now started horse riding lessons.

Georgia shared her passion with the people she supports and has helped several of them to awaken a new interest. Introducing them to the equestrian world has helped them to develop confidence, with some able to take on more advanced duties now that they’ve learned the basics of how to care for animals properly. It’s also an innovative way of promoting physical activity, as caring for horses is quite physically demanding.

Inviting people she supports to visit the stables shows the bond that Georgia has built with these individuals, her commitment to expanding their horizons and showing them a range of new activities. It shows she’s not content to let them do the same thing all the time, and that she cares about their physical wellbeing and their development. Horse riding is a pursuit that is out of reach to many people, and PSS are proud that Georgia is making it possible for the people we support to enjoy this sport while receiving support from an expert like herself.