Inclusive horse riding business saddles up for growth with Start Up Loan backing
HD Horsemanship was created to make horse riding accessible to potentially disadvantaged children. Based in Dorset, the business offers inclusive horse riding and equine facilitated learning sessions for children, including those who are home educated or have special educational needs.
Founder Sam Anderson-Parker set out to build something different. “We are not a traditional riding school, and we are not an RDA centre. We exist for the children and young people who sit between those two worlds and desperately need a place where they feel understood and supported,” she explains.
Unlike many traditional settings, sessions at HD Horsemanship are flexible and child-led, allowing young people to progress at their own pace. Children can begin with grooming, sensory activities or simply spending calm time with the ponies before riding, helping to build confidence gradually. With 1:1 or very small group sessions, SEND-aware teaching approaches and carefully matched horses, the business adapts to a wide range of physical, sensory, and emotional needs to ensure every child feels safe, understood, and included.
Like many start-ups, the early challenges were significant. Securing suitable land was the first major hurdle, followed by a rigorous local authority licensing process. “The licensing was incredibly thorough, but we wanted to do everything properly from day one,” says Sam. “We were proud to achieve a four-star licence, and we were told it would have been five stars if we’d been operating for two years.”
Start Up Loans funding of £5,000, delivered via GC Business Finance, played a vital role in turning the vision into reality. The finance helped HD Horsemanship secure the right ponies and build strong foundations for sustainable growth. “The support we received went far beyond the funding,” Sam says. “The guidance around running the business, particularly on the financial side, gave us confidence and helped us deliver a much higher quality service to local families.”
Alex Mearns, head of Start Up Lending at GC Business Finance, said: “HD Horsemanship is a fantastic example of a purpose-led business with a clear social mission. Sam had a strong vision from the outset, and our team worked closely with her to make sure the funding was right for the business. Ali, the underwriter on this deal did a brilliant job supporting the application and ensuring the finance was structured in a way that would set the business up for long-term sustainability.”
Since opening in November, HD Horsemanship has grown from four ponies to five and has supported up to 40 young people. Parents and carers have seen children who struggle with social interaction build confidence, resilience, and lasting friendships. “Watching these children blossom has been incredible,” Sam reflects. “They turn up in all weathers, they stick with it, and they grow in ways that go far beyond riding.”
Looking ahead, HD Horsemanship plans to expand its sessions, create paid roles alongside its volunteer base, work with local schools and, in time, move to a larger site to reach even more children. “This is just the beginning,” says Sam. “With the right support, we can help many more children experience the benefits of equine learning.”