Riding centres benefit from £200,000 grants

Disabled riders across the UK are set to benefit from improved schooling facilities, thanks to a £200,000 grant from Sport England.

6 equestrian centres have been selected, 4 with Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) groups.

Sport England Inspired Facilities Funding supports sports centres planning improvement.

The latest round of funding has been allocated to Friends of Landlord RDA in Wigan, Northern Racing College in Doncaster, Chiverton RDA in Truro, Tyne and Wear RDA, Barrow Farm RDA in Chelmsford and Ferring Country Centre in Worthing.

The grants will support new arenas, training facilities and lighting, as well as mounting and dismounting areas for disabled riders.

Tyne and Wear RDA group are updating their stable facilities to deliver horse care courses in a safer, more accessible environment.

“Many of our riders want to understand how to care for horses, too,” said RDA volunteer Eileen Curley. “The upgraded stable block will provide a wider range of horse care courses, to move the centre forward to a first-class educational establishment.”

The RDA’s Ed Bracher said the funding was a boost for disabled people wanting to get involved in equestrianism. 

The next allocation of funding will take place in September. The application deadline is 6 June. Visit: www.sportengland.org

Martha Terry

H&H features editor

Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on dogs of all shapes and sizes. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs, one a street dog from Gambia who was abandoned at three weeks old. Now, her constant companion, whether by her feet at her desk or walking cross-country courses, is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.