PKCT are delighted to announce we have received funding for “Steady Strides” – a new partnership project with Minds and Manes to provide children and teenagers with the opportunity to improve their confidence, self-esteem and emotional regulation as well as providing hands-on time with ponies.

Thanks to a funding award from the National Lottery Community Fund, the Steady Strides project will provide 6 sessions for 12 young people in spring and summer 2026, with fully funded places available for partner organisations involved in the project and members of the public. This is an exciting new project for PKCT's Discovery, Learning and Engagement work.

Horses can be a great tool in supporting wellbeing as they have the unique ability at mirroring human emotions. They are fantastic at developing a safe space for reflection, self-awareness, and personal insight. They offer an authentic, instinctual response that can improve the immediate emotional state of children and young people, and can also provide lifelong strategies and coping mechanisms to manage daily life.

Spending time outdoors and appreciating nature can have a positive impact on both our physical and mental wellbeing, and PKCT and Minds and Manes can’t wait to see the benefits that this exciting project has for young people in Perth and Kinross.