Chariot will take a wheelchair anywhere

Wheelchair users in Courier Country will soon be able to access off-road terrain thanks to an ingenious inventor and his trusty pony.

Equine therapy charity Saddle Up Ranch, near Glamis, secured funding to buy a “wheelchair chariot” designed and made by Simon Mulholland.

The specially-designed carriage, which Simon claims is the “only wheelchair-enabled, all-terrain, pony-drawn vehicle in the world”, will allow disabled people to enjoy the rugged outdoors safely.

After seeing Simon featured on BBC1’S Countryfile, Jessie Probst of Saddle Up got in touch to see if he fancied making a new chariot for the charity’s users.

“We loved what Simon was doing and thought it would be fantastic if some of our users were able to enjoy going offroad,” said Jessie.

“We applied for funding and then commissioned Simon to build us one of our own.

“He and his rescue pony Obama have been staying with us and we’ve been training our ponies how to pull his prototype chariot.

“The hope is that all of our horses will be able to do this eventually.”

Over the next few weeks, Simon and Obama will be travelling across Scotland.

They have enjoyed treks along Broughty Ferry beach, St Cyrus beach, in and around Perth and along the busy A94 to Forfar.

Simon, who has been based down south for decades but describes himself as of “no fixed abode”, is planning to permanently relocate his organisation, Pony Axe S, to Scotland.

It may be a few weeks until Simon has finished building the chariot, but he will be bringing his prototype along to the charity’s fundraising trek in a yet to be confirmed venue on March 18.