CASE STUDY: Harry Enright

“Normal daily activities can be hard for me, but the majority of time I find a way through it and keep going. I don’t view anything as a barrier for me...it’s like a fence at The Grand National - if you want something that bad you have to jump it. My biggest goal is to become the first one-handed jockey. I am determined to achieve that, but I know I just have to take smaller steps than others to get there.”

Harry, aged 17 from London, fell in love with horses at a very young age. Having been born with one hand, Harry and his parents never treated it as a barrier to him achieving everything he wanted to. He considered other paths to follow such as football or office work, but his passion always remained in working with horses. His mum Michelle said:

“Harry had an interest in horses from a very young age. He came to us when he was about 14 and said ‘ I want to be a jockey.’ Being a mum I said ‘of course you can’ but in my head I thought how on earth are we going to do this? That’s when we found The British Racing School.”

Harry joined the School’s 18 week foundation course that prepares young people wishing to pursue a career in the racing industry; teaching them everything from mucking out to riding, alongside English & Maths. Being able to ride racehorses safely was paramount to Harry’s ability to join the course, so our staff worked tirelessly to ensure this was possible. Andrew Braithwaite, who was the School’s Finance Director at the time, set about designing and engineering a bespoke prosthetic for Harry which slides onto his arm and attaches to the reins using a magnet. A power circuit keeps it in place, so that if Harry falls off, the circuit is broken, releasing the magnet. This not only kept

Harry safe whilst riding, but all the other horses and riders with him on the course.

Harry’s dad said:

“Since coming to The British Racing School, Harry’s riding has come on leaps and bounds, as has his self-esteem, confidence and overall growth as a young man. The School pulled that out of him - we sent him here as a boy and he’s come back home to us a young man. We couldn’t be more happy or proud at the progress he has made.”

Harry went on to work as a work rider at Lawney Hill’s racing stables in Oxfordshire and is now at Morgan-Evans Equestrian. Lawney Hill says:

“Harry is hardworking, cheeky and dedicated. He’s determined not to let anything get in his way. We are so impressed with his riding ability and his manner with the horses and he has been a brilliant addition to our team.”

Alison Harper, his Foundation Course Instructor at the BRS says:

“Everyone I have taught over the years has had some challenges to overcome, but for Harry, his were unprecedented. When Harry first joined the School, I was sceptical – from a ‘is this even possible’ point of view. There were frustrations and setbacks for Harry to progressing through the necessary steps but at the point Andrew, our Finance Director at the time, stepped in to support through inventing a custom-made prosthetic and, after going away to get some more work experience,

“We are extremely proud of Harry. Not only for what he has personally achieved but for inspiring others like him to never give up on their dreams.”

– Michelle, Harry’s mum

Harry came back to join my course. I knew this was my last Foundation Course before changing jobs so supporting Harry to break down these barriers was the perfect last challenge for me as an Instructor. I remember saying to him that, whatever you manage to do, you have already succeeded. Harry was learning to push the limits, both mentally and physically, and understand his body. My goal for Harry was always for him to be as independent as possible, so we were always going back to the drawing board on lots scenarios to ensure Harry could be on a level playing field with the other students. I am so proud of Harry, he is still on his journey to where he wants to be, and as a School we are still supporting him to achieve his dreams, two years later.”

As a charity, The British Racing School improves social mobility for young people aged 8-25, by using their interest in horses to unlock education, training and employment opportunities which may otherwise have felt inaccessible to them. Our training centre for excellence creates pathways for over 500 young people every year to participate in the sport of British horseracing through:

The Foundation Course

The Flagship Foundation Course provides 6-18 week residential courses for 16-24 year olds who want to start a career in racing in entry level work riding positions. We run 14 Foundation Courses each year on a rolling basis and have links with suitable trainers across the UK where we place each young person into employment following their graduation. The course leads on to a Level 2 apprenticeship, which is taught by our Workplace Instructors who work remotely in various regions across the country. As well as learning all the practical and theory elements of horse care and riding, students are supported with independent living skills such as healthy eating and budgeting. Improving fitness is a key part of their progression whilst with us and forms a key part of their daily routine. Being a residential course, this is usually the first time a young person has been away from home, and we have a dedicated welfare team and School Nurse on site to support the students 24/7. We also have three dedicated English and Maths tutors who provide group and one to one tuition to students to improve their Functional Skills with great success – 100% achieve at least one grade higher in English and Maths, with 71% achieving at least two grades higher.

“Thank you so much for the amazing opportunity you have given my daughter, and the hope and faith you have restored to her parents about her future. You guys are wonderful!”

Parent of Foundation Course Participant, 2022

“This has been the best experience of my life. Since I got accepted it has changed my life - I have met so many new people, I’ve been exposed to the horseracing industry and it’s been so much fun. I’m most proud about making it onto the round canter because I almost fell off on the first day when we started in the indoor school. I’m graduating today and it’s been so nice to see how I have progressed and achieved my goals during my time here!”

Ibraheem

The Flexible Learning Programme

A weekly alternative learning provision offered to year 10 and 11 pupils from local schools to increase educational engagement and gain skills and qualifications which lead to careers in British horseracing. 100% graduates gain a Level 1 Diploma in Work Based Racehorse Care and Riding. We secure employment or further education outcomes for all participants and those who go into employment at a racing yard will be given the opportunity to work towards a Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Racehorse Care and Riding, usually via the Apprenticeship route (this is assessed by our BRS Workplace Instructors who visit students in the workplace.)

“One of our students was a school refuser – they weren’t accessing education in any way shape or form. But since joining the Flexible Learning Programme, I’m pleased to say now that, due to the confidence they built here at the School, they are also now attending their school on a more regular basis. We are absolutely delighted, and I am in no doubt that their increased engagement in mainstream education is down to the impact of the Flexible Learning Programme.”

Mark Kirby, Deputy Headteacher, Olive Academy, Cambridge

The Pony Racing Academy

Our 12-week Academy takes place on Saturday mornings for 13-15 year olds who want to take part in Pony Racing but due to financial or other barriers, are unable to take part in the sport.

Riding A Dream Academy

Inspired by the incredible achievements of Khadijah Mellah, the first British Muslim woman to ride in and win a UK horse race, the Riding a Dream Academy runs a range of programmes for riders aged 1418, funded by the Racing Foundation and in partnership with The British Racing School. Supporting around 40-50 young people from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds each year. Many Khadejah Mellah scholarship graduates go on to complete the BRS Foundation Course and/ or secure work within racing yards.

The Newmarket Pony Academy (NPA) is a new initiative, set up in June 2020 by The British Racing School (BRS); responding to the need to provide local, disadvantaged school-aged children with the opportunity to interact and learn about horses, who would otherwise never get the opportunity to do so. The NPA provides a five-day educational programme for groups of 8-10 school children aged 8-14, designed to improve core skills such as teamwork, confidence and resilience through a mixture of practical and theory sessions. All pupils get hands on experience with the ponies and ride every day throughout the week and alongside this, complete English, Maths and Science workbooks which are contextualised within equine studies. The programme has had an enormous impact on young people’s mental wellbeing and learning capabilities in the area, particularly due to the disruption that covid brought to their education.