A group of students from Epsom and Ewell had the chance to ride and work with horses for the first time at Epsom Downs Racecourse.
The 20 students from Nescot College and Epsom and Ewell High School were welcomed to the course on Tuesday, March 25, to participate in a taster day run by the Riding A Dream Academy.
The academy was set up after Khadijah Mellah became the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horse race.
The students took part in a horse handling session where they learned how to look after a horse including grooming, parts of the body, and welfare.
They also took part in a riding session where they learned the foundations of riding including getting on, steering, and a sitting trot.
Julie Kapsalis, principal and CEO of Nescot, said: "What an incredible day and experience for our students – it is something they will never forget.
"Alongside the opportunity to spend time with the horses, the students were inspired to ‘dream big’ and try something new that supported confidence building and self-belief."
Naomi Lawson, director of the Riding A Dream Academy, said: "There can be no greater classroom than the home of the world’s most famous flat race, the Derby, and we are incredibly grateful to the team there, and the Jockey Club, for making the day possible."
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