Windsor Horse Rangers

Who we are

Our aim is to enhance life skills through horse skills. We are a volunteer led childrens educational charity which has been running for over fifty years (we changed our name in 2006 from the Royal Windsor Troop of the Horse Rangers Association to Windsor Horse Rangers). Our mission is to give young people ages 8 to 18 the hands-on skills to care for, handle, ride and connect with horses in a supportive, nurturing and fun environment. Through building relationships with horses and each other, Rangers develop as individuals, build self confidence and resilience, learn communication and team-building skills, have fun and make new friends. Being a Horse Ranger promotes lifelong love and respect for horses and contributes to the world-wide aim of every horse being treated with respect and compassion.

Our culture and values

We have 24 horses and ponies of various sizes who are loved and cared for by 180 children aged 8 -18 who spend 3-8 hours each Saturday or Sunday at our farm. 

The children are taught from a syllabus which gets more in depth as they progress through Rangers.  This is achieved via being taught practical skills on the yard and through weekly classroom based learning sessions. They learn how to catch, groom, tack up and how to ride. They learn to muck out, tie up hay nets, sweep the yard, poo pick and every aspect of how to look after a horse.  They work towards achievement badges throughout their time at Rangers and get presented with the badges and certificates  they have earned at the annual awards day. The rangers are given ranks and are promoted to give them more responsibility as they prove themselves. The older children teach the younger children the skills they have learnt.

We have had several children with 'challenging' behaviour attending Rangers over the years and have seen them change for the better as they are accepted and given responsibilities within the structure of Rangers.  Around 10% of the children who attend have autism, ADHD or anxiety and they benefit hugely from the activities we provide. We see improvements in social skills, communication and well being in addition to reductions in anxiety and stress. Several of our children come from one parent families or low income families who could not afford to pay riding school prices.     

Once the senior Rangers reach a certain level of competence, they are invited to stay on all day to help with the younger children who attend in the afternoons. These Rangers gain more experience in responsibility, leadership and teamwork as they all work together to run the yard during the afternoon sessions.

Over the years thousands of local children have been members of Windsor Horse Rangers and many have gone on to further education and careers with horses.  In addition to learning about riding and horse care, rangers learn leadership, teamwork, respect for people and animals, self-esteem, responsibility, self-belief and many other important life skills.  

We have ex-rangers who now work on or own stud farms, livery and racing yards. We also have ex-rangers who work as vets, vet nurses, equine physiotherapists, horse behaviourists, content creators, eventors and as head of e-commerce for Horse and Hound magazine. Many rangers have completed equine related degrees at university and gained a direction in life which they did not have before joining us.  

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Windsor Horse Rangers takes all reasonable steps to ensure that there is open access to all those who wish to help with or participate in our activities and will ensure that they are all treated fairly.

To carry out its work Windsor Horse Rangers seeks to appoint effective and appropriate volunteer helpers and Officers, and to involve other volunteers in a range of supporting roles. All Windsor Horse Ranger volunteers are required to behave in accordance with the Equality and Diversity policy.

The overriding consideration in making volunteer appointments in Windsor Horse Rangers is the safety and security of young people, and their continued development in horse care and life skills.

Therefore, all those whom Windsor Horse Rangers accepts as volunteers must be 'fit and proper' persons to undertake the duties of the position to which they have been appointed.

Within the constraints imposed by the need to ensure:

• the safety and security of young people

• the continued development of young people

• equal opportunities for all. 

No person volunteering with Windsor Horse Rangers should suffer disadvantage or receive less favorable treatment based on:

• ethnic origin, nationality (or statelessness) or race

• gender

• age

• disability

• religion or belief (including the absence of belief)

• marital or civil partnership status

• sexual orientation

• pregnancy

• gender reassignment

• class or socio-economic status

• Political belief.