Horses and in particular Shetland ponies have been part of the history and culture in Shetland for thousands of years.
On a remote island in Shetland with little over 1,000 residents and the same distance from Norway as it is mainland Scotland, a horse-riding club has been uniting its island residents through a shared love of equestrianism.
Whalsay Riding Club is situated on what some might say as one of the most remote islands in Scotland. A 30-minute drive is required from the main Shetland town of Lerwick and then a further 30-minute ferry to the island of Whalsay.
But just how important is a club like Whalsay Riding Club for small rural communities?
Importance of rural clubs
The club provides coaching and opportunities for young people aged five and over to look after horses. They currently have around 30 members with a wider pool of volunteers and committee members pushing the number of people involved to around 70.
Roselyn Fraser first became a member of the club during the 1980s and has been an active member ever since. She said:
“Outdoor health and wellbeing opportunities are limited in the area, so the riding club is integral to the wellbeing of many of our members.
“We are a voluntary run club. We own our own land, but the horses are provided through the goodwill of residents.
“There are so many benefits to horse riding for the young people, but the parents also benefit just as much as the kids do. It provides a social space for parents to meet up, preventing things like isolation and loneliness; common among rural communities.”
Catering for the community
The club is centred around the community, as Roselyn said:
“The key to its success I think is the atmosphere we have created and It’s amazing how supportive everyone is. We try and keep costs as low as possible for members. For example, we have some families who will travel over from mainland Shetland. To save costs in bringing a car over on the ferry, other members will pick them up and take them to the club.”
The club has grown from holding two sessions on a Wednesday evening, to holding multiple sessions on both Monday and Wednesday, and with another 12 young people on a waiting list. Like any voluntary led club, they are restricted by the availability of their volunteers, but even more so, they are dictated by the harsh Shetland weather and daylight hours. As a result, the club only runs from May to August.
“We would love to give everyone the opportunity if we could, but ultimately it is out with our control. The weather up here can be very challenging, and with the reduced hours of daylight, this means it is very difficult for us to do more.”
The club do however support members and their families throughout the rest of the year through the form of fundraisers, celebration nights, quiz nights and other social activities to get the members and families together and engaged.
Among the membership are a number of members with additional support needs and Roselyn and the club do everything they can to make sure everyone is catered for. Roselyn said:
“The key is making the experience as positive as possible for everyone and the best question to ask is, ‘what do you need?’ to make coming along as comfortable as possible.
“The club has been hugely beneficial for some of these kids. One for example was growing more disconnected with their peer group, and the club has brought them closer again through a shared interest.
"There are wider benefits than just getting to ride a horse. Another member has additional support needs and is obsessed with horses. They get great satisfaction from not only riding the horses, but also having the responsibility to handle, groom and care for their pony.”
Involvement in the community sport hub
The club are an active member of the Whalsay Community Sport Hub, which is part of the national sportscotland community sport hub network. The community sport hub programme is funded by The National Lottery and brings sports clubs and community organisations together to improve the contribution sport and physical activity has within communities across Scotland.
Roselyn commented on the positive role the hub has provided her and the club by saying:
“It has been really interesting getting to meet with the other clubs and groups in the community to share learning. We are a small community and so it has been great to share knowledge and support with one another.”
“The hub has been key in helping with coach development and supported three of us through coaching qualifications. Due to geographical challenges, access to coaching and CPD opportunities are hard to come by and can be expensive, but the hub has been great in helping to support and in turn help us to provide a better product to our members.
“Two of our coaches for example have been involved since they were really young and it’s great to give them that opportunity to further their knowledge and skills.”
Honoured
Last year, Roselyn was lucky enough to receive the Unsung Hero Award at the British Horse Society Scotland Awards, recognising years of dedication to the club.
She said: “I was honoured and touched that somebody has gone to the trouble of nominating me when I was just doing the volunteering I would’ve been doing anyway.
“The club means so much to me and many others in the local community, so it’s nice that our work up here in Shetland isn’t being forgotten.
“My favourite part is seeing the bairns develop, grow in confidence and in their skills. That’s really the big benefit for me. They’re developing skills that will last a lifetime and will then be passed through generations.”
Find out more
- Follow Whalsay Riding Club on Facebook
- Learn more about community sport hubs
- Sport in Shetland
