This program has been in operation at the Farm for about 18 years.  It first commenced in a very unstructured way with a few local kids coming down to ride the horses. Those young people would work around the Farm helping with the chores or clearing away the many blackberry bushes. Back then the horses would be ridden up to the shops, around Dights Falls, in Studley Park and in the paddock that is now the car park.

These days the program is much more structured due to its popularity, the number of horses and the safety concerns that occur when working with large animals and children.  All riding is carried out within the Farm grounds, in the ménage or occasionally for the older participants, some road work when our horses attend local fetes to provide pony rides.

The program operates on Saturdays and Sundays for children aged between 8 & 16 years of age who live in the City Of Yarra. Horse care and riding are a major focus within the program but before anyone gets to handle the horses, the farm chores must be done. Children work closely with Farm staff on a wide variety of Farm activities including: animal care, cleaning pens, grooming, vaccinating, leading and handling, horticulture, sowing & collecting seeds, propagating, planting & harvesting, fundraising, preparing and serving food, cooking, running activities, Landcare, planting trees, revegetation work, worm farm and composting.

For many inner city children their involvement in this program is the first contact with large animals, open space, and working outdoors in a supportive and educational structure. For Farm Staff, working in the program brings many rewards; funny encounters, memorable moments and most of all enrichment and growth into the lives of the children.