IN THE BEGINNING...

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For almost 20 years Alison Laws has worked with troubled and misunderstood horses. 

Her work has taken her all over the world, working with and learning from some of the greatest horsemen that ever lived. The knowledge Ali gained has been influential in her development of a successful UK based company that has seen her save the lives of countless horses who have been deemed dangerous and unmanageable. 

Using only non violent techniques and working with the horses using their own natural instincts, the changes horses are willing to make, when given the option, are unimaginable. 

Following many years of training horses, Ali developed an Academy - teaching horse owners how to change their behaviours, enabling the horse to change theirs, and continue to develop training that was so desperately needed by the handler. 

Invariably, without change from the owner, the horses couldn’t change – the very reason the horses behaved as they did was because of the owner, a previous owner or even the life they had been given and the people who influenced it. The unnatural way in which people keep horses can be a major factor contributing to the many issues owners face. 

Through the Academy, people with an interest in developing a better relationship with their horses were set on a pathway of partnership and understanding with the horses needs as a priority, in turn both horse and human become a confident and successful partnership.

Through this work, Ali met Emily Greenhalgh, a dedicated SEN teacher who’s desire to transform the lives of young people who are at risk is inspirational and infectious. The perfect partnership happened to bring the two passions together, for the benefit of those who need it most - Hopefields School is the place that allows this change to be possible.

The Montana Project believes, as with horses, that the same applies for young people – changing the way we ‘teach’ them can be the difference in their lives to set them on a different, very positive and successful pathway. Using horses and understanding their desire to find peace in the world, allows young people to develop skills and understanding that sees them searching for a better future – we don’t all learn the same, so why are we all put in the same box and made to believe we have to?

Hopefields and The Montana Project work tirelessly to help our young people (who perhaps haven’t had the most successful educational or emotional experiences) to develop and evolve into confident individuals, whilst still achieving the education they need to go on and achieve success.

It is our true belief that through our completely bespoke programs and certificated packages we can set young people on a completely different pathway, fostering responsibility for both themselves and their actions, allowing them to take control of their future.