Hants and Surrey Borders RDA Incorporating Carriage Driving

It's what you CAN do that counts

 

About us

 

Hants and Surrey Borders RDA, formerly Aldershot group, was formed by Lance Bombardier Chris Livett, 7th Para Reg RHA in conjunction with Aldershot Society for Mentally Handicapped Children. We have been giving therapeutic riding lessons to local disabled children for more than 40 years, having been granted membership of Riding for the Disabled Association in 1975. A full history can be read here.

 

Currently we are based at Larkspur Equestrian in Ewshot, Hants, where we are able to hire their ponies and excellent facilities. We work with two schools, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in term time only, and in addition we have a third ride on each morning to which parents bring their children out of school to attend. There is a waiting list for those rides. Over the course of a year we provide about 1000 lessons, to children aged 4 - 9 years old, with physical or learning disabilities and varied social or mental ability.

 

Horse riding provides therapy and enjoyment to people with special needs, and valuable lessons in balance, observation and communication skills are learned. Wheelchair users can experience a sense of independence and freedom and riders grow in confidence through interaction with horses and ponies.

 

Hants and Surrey Borders RDA Incorporating Carriage Driving are run entirely by a group of over 50 volunteers and we are totally self-funded.