Notts Derby Charity Horse Show

Our Visit to the East Midlands Riding For the Handicapped Centre at Scropton, Derbyshire

 

We went to visit the Centre we are raising funds for today, It’s a really nice place, well organised and tidy with good facilities, It has an indoor rubber school and an outdoor one, with about 30 stables.

 

It’s kept immaculately clean and tidy, and was very busy considering we called mid morning on a Wednesday.

 

We were Greeted by Chris and we went into the café area and showed her a folder of all our plans and what we had done so far.

 

We the went for a tour and watched some driving lessons, It must be a great thrill to go around in a carriage whist still in your wheelchair, they all looked very happy, horses and people alike, The people that where driving today had formerly ridden at the centre until there age and disability meant it was better for them to enjoy the driven aspect of horses.

 

 There is a special area where the horses are prepared for driving, with carriage shed with various different carriages for all sizes of horse and also for varying degrees of disability, a number of the carriages had ramps and locks so people can be wheeled straight onto them.

 

The centre needs ongoing funding, it’s a splendid centre and helps lots of people each week, with lessons for disabled persons being heavily discounted, in comparison to able bodied persons.

 

They are in the process of raising £5000 for a 4 wheeled carriage that has a ramp facility, as this will enable them to take disabled “off road”, which isn’t really safe in a 2 wheeler,

 

I’m hoping that we can help towards this purchase with proceeds from our show, they have already raised some towards this with charity events of there own.

 

The Centre also has to frequently purchase hire riding hats to keep up with British standards, and as they need to be replaced if they are accidentally dropped.

 

Everything has been thought about when disabled people  in mind, the indoor school has a wheel chair lift that takes the person up to a level at which they can mount easily, along with a hoist, this gets them onto the safe sturdy cobs which they have at the centre and everything is accessible by ramps.

 

Its no use having a fabulous centre and not being able to fund it to get the best use, we forget that the average horse/ pony costs £100- £150 per month to feed, shoe, worm and give correct veterinary care, not to mention bedding, the centre uses rubber matting which has mostly been donated, this is hygienic and cost effective and saves money on bedding, but they still need a minimum down.

 

The horses are fed haylage which saves a lot of hard feed but gives them enough energy to work hard which they do.

 

I was surprised at the lack of specialist riding equipment in the tack room, thinking there would be a number of special saddles, but most of the riders ride on normal saddles, with a special padded seat saver with extra knee rolls to help them be comfortable and coloured reins which helps them know where there hands should be.

 

The joy in the peoples faces today as they enjoyed there carriage driving time was clear to see, and I felt quite emotional as it proves that just because there are some people who may be less able on a floor level, that behind the horse in a carriage or on a horse back we all are equal.