Service users & volunteers visit top trainer’s racing yard
Some of our service users and volunteers recently visited a horse racing trainer’s yard as part of a further collaboration with the organisation Racing Together (September 2025).
We helped organise the trip to Chris Gordon Racing near Winchester, supported by Racing Together and Great British Racing, for people who find it hard to get out by themselves.
Chris Gordon
Chris Gordon, who was there on the day to show us around, says: “It’s always great to be able to welcome people to our yard to see how racehorses are trained. We had a great time showing them around.”
Chris Gordon Racing is a friendly and successful yard based at Morestead Farm Stables. It trains racehorses for owners and offers point to point ownership too.
Meet horses & staff
Our group were taken up to the top of the gallops to watch the horses in action. Followed by a walk around the stable yard to meet horses and staff.
One of our Trustees, Lenka explains: “Outings like this are vital in combating isolation, reducing feelings of loneliness and providing social interaction. They are so crucial for maintaining healthy social connections as they provide a lot of benefits to one’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Wonderful opportunity
“We’re so grateful to Great British Racing and Lucy Gurney, Community Engagement Manager from the partnership of racing bodies, Racing Together, for helping organise and facilitate this trip and we’re delighted that we’ll be hopefully working together on more outings like this in the future too. We’re also indebted to Chris and the team at Morestead Farm Stables for hosting our service users and volunteers and providing such a wonderful opportunity for us to get so close to these stunning horses.
“Going to see the yard and meeting the team and horses has helped our service users get physically active, while also stimulating their minds and also offering them a change of scenery. All this helps improve mood and cognitive function.”
Service user comments
Laura, the wife of one of our service users Barry, who was on the Racing Together and Great British Racing trip with us, says: “Barry has not stopped talking about it since he came home and has been showing everyone his brochure.”
Service user, Maura Kearns, who went on the outing too, says: “I loved it. I came away feeling refreshed. It was a wonderful outing. All the staff were amazing.”
Best lives
Lenka concludes: “Our role as a charity is to help people live their best lives, rather than to just existing. Research has found that loneliness impacts on both someone’s physical and mental wellbeing and is described as a ‘silent killer.’
Thank yous
“Outings and partnerships like these with Chris Gordon Racing and Racing Together are so integral in what we do. We’re so pleased to have been invited to visit the yard. All those who attended said it was a truly special and highly memorable day. Thank you.”
We are also very grateful to SCiA and their wonderful driver, Nick. Without them we wouldn’t be able to provide these opportunities to our many service users who have mobility challenges.
Thank you to Tim Kenyon Photography for the photo too.