When Kelsie Dean was just 17, she made a life-changing decision: to leave school and dedicate herself full-time to supporting the mental wellbeing of children and families through ponies.
What had begun as a relatively simple gesture – inviting friends and family to spend time with her ponies during the COVID-19 lockdown – had quickly grown into something much bigger.
As demand for her therapy sessions and riding opportunities surged, Kelsie began transforming her modest setup of two personal stables and four ponies into Peninsula Stable Minds CIC, a licensed and insured community/equine learning school in Portaferry, Northern Ireland.
Today, Kelsie – who is still only 18 – runs a thriving community equestrian yard with a team of instructors and therapy providers. The stables welcome over 60 clients for therapy sessions and run a daily kids club for more than 30 children, many of whom would never have the means to own a pony. These children learn confidence, responsibility, and joy through their time spent with the ponies. But with rapid growth came new challenges.
Faced with limited funding and growing needs for shelter – essential in Northern Ireland’s tough winters – Kelsie reached out to TITAN for help. Without additional stable space, she risked having to reduce her program or rehome her ponies. That’s when the TITAN Impact team stepped in.
A Stable Solution
Kelsie visited our depot in Dublin to learn more about the storage containers we supply and to share more about her background. Our Irish team heard about the many personal challenges she has faced, such as losing her father to suicide. Her determination, compassion, and resilience struck a chord.
After reviewing our available stock, we were able to donate one 20ft and two 40ft containers to Kelsie – units that would have otherwise been scrapped – to help her build new shelter facilities. With additional assistance from local fabrication teams and a generous transport company, the containers were repurposed into eight new stables, housing eight ponies and serving 16 additional children.
Here’s Kelsie’s story in her own words:
“A few years ago, I started a community riding and equine learning stables. We started with four ponies and two stables. But the demand grew. I am 18, with zero extra funds to grow this for the kids it would benefit, and I was possibly a little naive about the costs involved. But in over my head with a group of kids who loved what I do and the ponies I had, I had to make it work.
Each pony is loaned out to one or two deserving kids at low cost. These kids may never own a pony, but this gives them opportunities to experience the equine sport and the therapy they need.
The containers TITAN provided were transformed into eight stables to serve eight ponies and 16 kids. We are extremely grateful for this leg-up to get the project up and running. We are now an affiliated Pony Club running education courses and days for all.
We couldn’t have got this project off the ground without you guys. Thank you all for the support!”
Lasting Community Impact
Peninsula Stable Minds is now an affiliated Pony Club, running regular educational days and equestrian courses. Every penny earned goes back into supporting the children and ponies.
We are proud to support such an inspiring initiative through TITAN Impact, and it has been fantastic to see how the containers have been transformed after Kelsie’s painting and branding.
