Uniting education, equine experience, and cultural values to create lasting positive change for people in Murihiku. At Reigning Downs Hauora Centre, every ride is a step towards resilience, confidence, and discovery.
Reigning Downs Hauora Centre offers a comprehensive range of programs designed to support people across multiple dimensions of wellbeing. Explore what we offer below.
At Reigning Downs, we believe that connection, to horses, to culture, to community, is the foundation of all growth and healing. Our approach goes beyond horsemanship; it is about building the inner resources that young people need to navigate life with confidence.
These sessions are dedicated to cultivating advanced skills for both horse and rider, encompassing areas from competitive equestrian sports to comprehensive horsemanship. Instruction covers disciplines such as dressage, show jumping, hunting, and groundwork, utilising championship-caliber school horses that are thoroughly trained.
Specialist Disciplines and Training Focus:
We offer riding lessons for children, young adults, return riders, and seniors—whether you’re new or have some experience. Our supportive and friendly environment is designed to help you reach your goals while enjoying the process.
Riding sessions will be at walk and trot only, will explain all the basics of position, pace and control in a competition grade arena.
General Horsemanship sessions include, but are not limited to leading, grooming, tacking up, horse handling, lunging and general horse care.
These lessons will prepare you to continue your riding journey at Reigning Downs and beyond in group, private or shared lessons. It will also prepare you for trail or other riding adventures outside of Reigning Downs Hauora Centre.
These lessons will build your skillset and help you work towards responsible horse ownership.
Participants can expect a theory and horsemanship component per session.
Our adapted riding lessons are tailored for people with disabilities or those needing extra support, ensuring safety and individual pacing.
Like our General Horsemanship Lessons, riding sessions will be at walk and trot only, will explain all the basics of position, pace and control in a competition grade arena.
Supported Learning sessions include, but are not limited to leading, grooming, tacking up, horse handling, lunging and general horse care.
These lessons will prepare you to continue your riding journey at Reigning Downs and beyond in group, private or shared lessons. It will also prepare you for trail or other riding adventures outside of Reigning Downs Hauora Centre.
These lessons will build your skillset and help you work towards responsible horse ownership.
Participants can expect a theory and horsemanship component per session.
Lessons feature qualified instructors, gentle horses, and cover both riding and horse handling skills. The program suits all skill levels.
Equine-assisted therapy, also called hippotherapy, involves using horses to support human rehabilitation. The horse’s rhythmic movements closely resemble the human walking pattern, which helps improve core strength and balance.
Activities such as grooming and riding can aid in emotional regulation, build confidence, and assist in recovering from trauma, benefiting physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
Types of Equine Therapeutic Services
Physical Benefits for Human Clients
Equine Assisted Education is an experiential learning method that uses interactions with horses, not as therapy, but to develop life skills, leadership, and social-emotional abilities. Led by a highly qualified professional, these mostly ground-based sessions rely on the horses’ unbiased responses to strengthen communication, self-awareness, and resilience for individuals or groups.
Key Aspects of Equine Assisted Learning
Common Activities
Sessions often include activities that encourage interaction with the horses, including:
We deliver vocational education through specialised training programmes and qualifications accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
Our Private Training Establishment (PTE) offers flexible learning options—including evening, weekend, and online classes—to accommodate students with diverse schedules.
Our smaller class sizes facilitate personalised support, ensuring each learner receives the guidance required to achieve academic success.
We are committed to addressing the changing needs of today & workforce by collaborating with local and international organisations to create customised courses. Our dedicated programmes focus on specific skills, abilities, and competencies through equine education and blended delivery methods. By offering a range of opportunities, we support different learning preferences and requirements, encouraging personal and professional growth.
How we think has a massive influence on how we feel and live. However stats show that almost half of us (47%) will experience mental distress or illness – with the odds being even higher for Māori, tāngata whaikaha (people living with disability), the Rainbow community, and young people.
But we can help.
Reigning Downs has hauora specialists and kaiārahi (with lived experience) to support whānau living with mental illness, wanting to overcome addiction or experiencing mental distress.
Oranga Hinengaro / Māori Mental Health
Reigning Downs have services designed to support whānau Māori living with a mental health diagnosis. We awhi tāngata whaiora (people seeking health) with clinical care and hauora support so they can manage their diagnosis and live powerfully.
Our Oranga Hinengaro Services include:
Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellness is critical to our happiness and hauora – yet most of us will experience some kind of mental or social distress during our lives. Our kaiārahi kōrero with you to understand what’s going on in your world. We can support you to develop and nurture healthy wellbeing habits and sort out many common things that causse stress and distress. We’re here for all, regardless of age or stage, but have a number of programs that support the mental wellbeing of specific groups.
Reigning Downs proudly offers our outdoor riding arena for hire. The arena is competition-sized at 60m x 40m and features plenty of parking for both floats and vehicles, warm wash bays, classroom facilities, toilets, tea and coffee amenities, and many other comforts to ensure both horse and rider have a pleasant experience.
We keep it regularly groomed and watered to keep it in great shape and ready for use. It also has jumps, a viewing area with seating, plus kitchen and bathroom facilities with a toilet.
Reigning Downs Hauora Centre is located just 10 minutes from the Invercargill City Centre and is one of the region’s most luxurious and professionally graded private equestrian assets. It allows avid horse riders of Murihiku and their visitors to enjoy an equestrian experience like no other.
