Week 20

A bird's eye view of progress from the roof of the stable block. 

Weeks 17, 18 and 19

Sue Tron (left) from Stepney Bank Stables, Newcastle with Ros on the new yard

Sue Tron has given invaluable advice to the project from the feasibility study onwards, it was great to be able to show her the site under construction at last.

Inside the arches plumbers, electricians and joiners are working. It may not be exactly spacious in there but we hope we've planned it to make the most of the space available. 

Week Sixteen

Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP with Ebony committee member Rev. Dr Rosemarie Mallett.

Ebony is fortunate to have had the continued support of our constituency MP, Tessa Jowell. She paid a flying visit to the site this week and was delighted to see the progress being made, especially the now-completed magnificent outdoor manège, waiting for the first hoof print to be made in its pristine Activ-Track surface!

Week Fifteen

Ebony Founder and Director Ros Spearing with Gavin and Adrian from Charles Britton.

Passers-by who don't know Ebony are very curious as to what this construction on the site of the old playground is, and I think everyone finds it hard to believe it's true - 'Is it for real horses?!' someone asked this week. 
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A replacement playground for children under eight will be designed and built on another site in Wyck Gardens.

Week Fourteen

What was I saying earlier about brilliant blue skies?

The all-important base of the outdoor manege is being put down now. A good surface is absolutely crucial for horses and riders, which is why we have appointed a firm of experienced contractors for the job.

Week Thirteen

How much further down do I have to dig?

We're halfway there now, so I thought I'd post a reminder of how we started - with the stable block foundations.

Week Twelve

Underneath the spreading chestnut tree... a manege-to-be.

Brilliant blue skies overhead still, this good weather has really helped our programme stay on track, and the ground is ready for work on the outdoor floodlit manege to commence.

Week Eleven

Still no sign of the builders...

The arch housing tack and feed rooms viewed from the stable yard. The space is starting to shape into something resembling a riding centre now and we're pleased with how the space feels.

Week Ten

Builders back soon, gone to choose meadow flowers...

The stable block will have a 'brown roof' – planted with meadow flowers – to contribute to local bio-diversity. You can see its wooden base structure being constructed here.


This view through the stable block to the arch behind it shows the block walls for the tack and feed rooms going up.

Week Nine

A view of the Riding Centre from the new office window - Quick! Look busy...

This week a steel structure goes in: it is the bones of a clever extension which runs the length of our four railway arches, enlarging them and linking them internally. Inside will be tack and feed rooms, storage for hay and bedding, two offices (including reception), a classroom, kitchen and toilet facilities.

Week Eight

Onward and upwards

Whilst the bricklayers are making good headway with the stable block we are now getting into the detail of decision making on everything from kitchen cupboard door handles to IT requirements.

Week Seven

Can you guess what it is yet?

It is hard to believe that this tattered-looking arch and its neighbour will soon be transformed into the riding centre reception area and offices, with toilet facilities, boot room, kitchen and canteen area.

Week Six

Pony's eye view of the site from a stable

The mellow, yellow bricks of the stable block have been chosen to match the London stock brickwork of the surrounding buildings. The horses will look out from their stables across the yard to the paddock, riding arena and park beyond.

Week 5

It doesn't look much now...

Liam, our site manager, shows people round the site telling them, 'the piebald mare will be in this stable, and the chestnut will be in this one here next to her...' The excitement is infectious as the stable block slowly but surely rises out of the ground.

Week Four

The concrete lorry arrives and the team spring into action.

Pouring concrete foundations for the stable block that will be home to our eight horses. Behind the scenes a great deal of thought is going into choosing horses and ponies to offer the optimum combination of shapes, sizes, hairy-ness and abilities so that we can cater for the widest possible range of children and young people.

Week Three

Our neighbours in the flats will have a clear view of the centre - a definite security plus!

Blue skies make everything look better (well, nearly everything) and the dry weather is good news for the groundworkers who are getting stuck in to the excavation and foundation works this week.

Week Two

Old playground surfacing being ripped up

Demolition work in progress... Our floodlit riding arena will be on the site of the old Wyck Gardens playground. We are storing the railings and the slides from the old playground for re-use when we build a new playground elsewhere in the park. Difficult to imagine how it will look right now!

Week One

Site fencing going up on the first day of construction, 7 February, 2011.

Here we are at last! Seven years into planning and fundraising for our community riding centre in Brixton, and, finally, unbelievably, it's week one of the construction phase. The riding centre will have stabling for up to nine horses and ponies, a floodlit outdoor riding arena, picnic viewing area, classroom and storage facilities, and will enable the club to extend its services to many more children and young people.