Equestrian News!
By Debbie
The 5th of May was a very special day for the equestrian team at CFL. The horses were in and beautifully groomed and the carriages were polished; the day of our assessment for joining the RDA had dawned.
Holly the Dales mare is our most experienced driving pony, and she was pulling an ‘easy access’ two-wheeled cart for “ambulant disabled”. This was made by Hillams, a local carriage builders who have been making a special, four-wheeled, wheelchair-accessible carriage incorporating a scissor lift.
Carla was the first ‘whip’ or driver to be examined, with Tom holding the pony’s head. All the procedures for helping a disabled person safely into the carriage have to be followed very precisely. The harness has a system of double reins, which allows the disabled person to be in control of the pony.
Carla took the examiner, Margaret Brockie, for a trip around the farm and back. She needed to make sure that the driving was competent, the pony was safe and suitable and the route was free from potential hazards. Ultimately we hope to complete a longer, barked-surfaced, scenic route around the farm which will be about a mile in distance.
Reuben was then examined by Susan Dudley-Smith, who was very interested to hear about his many years of driving the team of horses for Samuel Smiths Brewery. We then retired to the tack room to complete the paperwork and learn that we had passed our assessment and are now able to take ambulant disabled drivers under the auspices of *Otley & District RDA Group.
We already have people who are working regularly with the horses who are very excited about learning to drive Holly themselves, and we have others who are waiting to come onto the project who presently have problems with transportation onto the farm.
This is the first step accomplished towards our ultimate goal of involving many more people, including wheelchair users, onto this wonderful project. Close contact working with and caring for horses undoubtedly brings huge therapeutic benefits to many people, and this project will hopefully broaden the intake of people for whom we care. We do thank the Lord for the way he is leading us and the people he is bringing to us.
* Link to Otley & District RDA website
