Harness Change at Bigland Hall

17/09/2026

Meet Katie, our new instructor at Harness Change! 💚

We’re delighted to welcome Katie Macro to the team! Katie joins us with a wealth of experience, a passion for helping riders build confidence and a real understanding of the partnership between horse and rider.

Katie started riding at just five years old and began helping at her local equestrian centre in Suffolk when she was 13. It was there that she met Bubbles, a Welsh Section B pony who had lost his trust in people. Through patience and perseverance, Katie gradually built a bond with him, an experience that shaped her approach to horses and coaching.

Since then, Katie has gained her BHS Stage 1 and 2 qualifications in Riding and Horse Care, studied Psychology at the University of East Anglia and developed her experience teaching riders of different abilities.

What Katie loves most about coaching is seeing people grow in confidence, not just in their riding, but in themselves. She believes that understanding the horse and developing a genuine connection is just as important as learning the technical skills.

Katie will be teaching flatwork and jumping, from complete beginners through to advanced riders, as well as escorting our hacks through the beautiful South Cumbrian countryside.

Alongside her work with us, she’s continuing her studies with a Master’s in Applied Psychology (Therapies). When she’s not with the horses, you might find her exploring the Lake District on a hike or a long-distance run!

We’re really looking forward to having Katie as part of the Harness Change team.

Please join us in giving her a very warm welcome! 🐴💚

14/09/2026

🐴 What happens when traditional education isn’t working for a young person?
For some children and young people, getting through the school day can become incredibly difficult. SEND, anxiety, low confidence, difficulties with relationships or previous experiences of education can all affect their ability to engage and learn.

Our Alternative Education Programme at Harness Change offers a different environment in which to start rebuilding that engagement.
Based at our working equestrian centre in South Cumbria, young people learn through practical activities, working with horses and developing real responsibilities. Alongside this, we can incorporate Functional Skills in English and Maths, personal development and recognised equine learning programmes.
The aim isn't simply to give a young person somewhere different to go. We want to help them rebuild confidence, develop skills and find a pathway back towards education, training or employment.

If you think our programme could support a young person, speak to your school's SENDCO, contact your local authority or get in touch with us directly to start the conversation.

11/09/2026

🐴 EQUINE TOP TIP: Are you on the right diagonal?
If you've ever heard your coach say “change your diagonal” and wondered how you're supposed to know, here's an easy way to check.
When you're riding rising trot, glance at the horse's outside shoulder.

👉 Rise as the outside shoulder moves forward.
An easy phrase to remember is:
“Rise and fall with the leg on the wall.”

If you're on the wrong diagonal, simply sit for an extra beat before rising again.
Why does it matter? Riding on the correct diagonal helps us work with the horse's movement and encourages better balance, particularly when riding turns and circles. The horse needs to stretch the outside of their body further when riding a turn or circle, so by standing as the shoulder reaches forward, it makes it easier for the horse to stretch around the turn.

Next time you're riding, try feeling the rhythm first, then have a quick glance down to see if you were right! 🐴

09/09/2026

🐴 OUR NEW ADULT BEGINNER COURSE STARTS THIS SUNDAY!

Have you always wanted to learn to ride, or perhaps you rode years ago and would love to get back in the saddle?

Our new 6-week Adult Horse Riding Course starts this Sunday, with two groups depending on your previous experience:

Complete Beginners
Perfect if you've never ridden before or have very little experience. We'll start right from the beginning, helping you become comfortable around horses, learn the basics of horse care and handling, and gradually develop your confidence in the saddle.

Beginners & Returning Riders
For those who have some previous riding experience or are coming back to riding after time away. We'll help you refresh your skills, rebuild confidence and develop your riding in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The groups overlap, so there's also plenty of opportunity to meet other riders, spend time around the horses and enjoy the social side of learning to ride.

Across the course we'll combine riding, horse care, handling and understanding horse behaviour, incorporating our Equine Facilitated Learning approach throughout.

🎉 Book the full course and get your last session FREE!

Simply add all six sessions to your basket when booking, and the discount will be applied automatically.

👉 Book your sessions here:
https://harness-change.horseriding.app/calendar.html?b=0QjUYbNRBWr7KaYqu3x0&y=2026&w=37&d=7&auth=false

📅 Starts Sunday 13th September
🐴 Six-week course
📍 Harness Change, Bigland Hall, Backbarrow

We're really looking forward to welcoming our new groups this Sunday! 💚

09/09/2026

🐴 OUR NEW ADULT BEGINNER COURSE STARTS THIS SUNDAY!

Have you always wanted to learn to ride, or perhaps you rode years ago and would love to get back in the saddle?

Our new 6-week Adult Horse Riding Course starts this Sunday, with two groups depending on your previous experience:

Complete Beginners
Perfect if you've never ridden before or have very little experience. We'll start right from the beginning, helping you become comfortable around horses, learn the basics of horse care and handling, and gradually develop your confidence in the saddle.

Beginners & Returning Riders
For those who have some previous riding experience or are coming back to riding after time away. We'll help you refresh your skills, rebuild confidence and develop your riding in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The groups overlap, so there's also plenty of opportunity to meet other riders, spend time around the horses and enjoy the social side of learning to ride.

Across the course we'll combine riding, horse care, handling and understanding horse behaviour, incorporating our Equine Facilitated Learning approach throughout.

🎉 Book the full course and get your last session FREE!

Simply add all six sessions to your basket when booking, and the discount will be applied automatically.

👉 Book your sessions here:
https://harness-change.horseriding.app/calendar.html?b=0QjUYbNRBWr7KaYqu3x0&y=2026&w=37&d=7&auth=false

📅 Starts Sunday 13th September
🐴 Six-week course
📍 Harness Change, Bigland Hall, Backbarrow

We're really looking forward to welcoming our new groups this Sunday! 💚

Harness Change Online System

07/09/2026

🐴 Could Harness Change Alternative Education support your child or a young person you work with?
We support children and young people who may be struggling to engage with mainstream education, including those with SEND, additional needs, those at risk of exclusion or young people who need a different environment in which to learn.
Placements can include equine facilitated learning, horse care, practical and land-based activities, personal development and Functional Skills in English and Maths, depending on the needs and goals of the individual.

So how do you get started?
If you're a parent or carer, you can speak to your child's SENDCO or school about whether an Alternative Education placement could form part of their support.
Placements may also be discussed or funded through the local authority, depending on the young person's circumstances.
You can also contact Harness Change directly. We're happy to explain what we offer, discuss whether the environment could be suitable and provide information that you can take back to your school, SENDCO or other professional.

📍 Harness Change, Bigland Hall, Backbarrow, South Cumbria
📞 015395 30333
🌐 www.HarnessChange.co.uk

Sometimes finding the right environment is the first step towards helping a young person reconnect with learning. 💚

04/09/2026

🐴 🐴 EQUINE TOP TIP: How balanced is your riding position?
A good riding position isn't about sitting perfectly still or trying to force your body into a particular shape. It's about being balanced over the horse so you can move with them rather than against them.

Take a look at the two diagrams. What differences can you spot?

In a balanced position, look for:
👉 Upper body – tall and balanced, without tipping too far forwards or backwards.
👉 Seat – sitting centrally with the pelvis level, allowing you to absorb the horse's movement.
👉 Lower leg – underneath the rider rather than pushed forwards, helping support the body and maintain balance.
👉 Knee – relaxed rather than gripping, allowing the leg to stay long around the horse.
👉 Hands – carried in a position that allows a soft, consistent line through the rein towards the horse's mouth.

When one part of our position changes, it often affects everything else. A lower leg that slides forwards can make it harder to balance the upper body, which can then affect the seat and hands.

That's why at Harness Change we don't look at riding position as a list of separate things to “fix”. We look at how the whole rider is balanced and how that balance affects the horse underneath them.

29/08/2026

🐴 Our NEW booking system is now live! 🐴

You can now register and book your Harness Change sessions through our new, easier-to-use booking system.

Getting started is simple:
1️⃣ Visit our new booking site
2️⃣ Create your account
3️⃣ Follow the registration steps and add your rider details
4️⃣ Once registered, you can start viewing and booking available activities

From riding lessons and groups to hacks, Pony Club and experiences, we're hoping the new system will make managing your bookings much simpler.

👉 Register now:
https://harness-change.horseriding.app/

Even if you're not ready to make a booking today, we'd encourage all our regular riders to register now so your account is ready for your next visit.

If you have any problems getting set up, just get in touch and we'll be happy to help.

Harness Change Online System

25/08/2026

Our latest Adult Beginner Horse Riding Course has officially come to an end, and it has been wonderful to see how much everyone’s confidence and riding skills have grown over the six weeks.

But their journey isn't quite finished yet! The group are now planning their first Intermediate Woodland Hack, which was included as a complimentary extra for everyone who booked the full course. It will be a fantastic opportunity to put everything they've learnt into practice and enjoy the beautiful countryside on horseback.

We're now looking at running another Adult Beginner Horse Riding Course and would love to hear from anyone interested in joining us.

If you've always wanted to learn to ride, want to return to horses after some time away, or simply fancy trying something new, drop us a message or email us to register your interest.

We'll use the responses to help us choose a day and time that works best for the next group. 🐴

24/08/2026

🐴 A lovely write-up in The Westmorland Gazette about our Summer HAF Programme!

It's been an absolute pleasure welcoming so many children to Harness Change this summer and giving them the opportunity to spend time with the horses, learn new skills and enjoy being outdoors.

We've loved seeing confidence grow throughout the sessions – and we suspect we've sent a few children home completely horsey mad! 🐴💚

For those who want to continue their horsey journey, our subsidised Pony Club runs every Saturday, giving young people the opportunity to keep learning about riding, horse care, handling and safety in a fun and supportive group.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making our summer programme such a success including Westmorland and Furness Council for funding and amazing programme. We're already looking forward to welcoming everyone back for our Winter HAF Programme! ❄️🐴

You can read the Gazette article here:

An equestrian centre has been offering summer holiday sessions for local children.