Horse talk
The news you need to know from the equine world
Preparations are well underway for a week of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). Taking place from 30 September until 6 October, RDA groups up and down the country will be holding a variety of special events and activities to mark 50 years of fun, therapy and achievement through horses. RDA was born at a meeting of the Advisory Council on Riding for the Disabled (ACRD) in October 1969, which is why the first week in October has been chosen as the official Celebration Week. Back then there were 23 disabled riding groups in the UK; now there are well over 500. During a year of festivities that have been building up to the anniversary, the charity has seen some fantastic firsts, including the official opening of the new National Training Centre in Warwickshire by RDA president the Princess Royal. Celebration Week provides an opportunity for RDA groups to gather together their volunteers and participants to have fun and recognise the achievements of the organisation over the past 50 years. Autumn was given to Hoofbeats Equine Rehabilitation Sanctuary by a kindhearted supporter who wanted to prevent her from falling into the wrong hands. The mare was nervous and flighty when she first arrived and, due to her time previously as a broodmare, she could no longer be ridden due to suffering some damage to her pelvis. The charity worked with Autumn to slowly rebuild her trust, introducing natural horsemanship methods, as well as in-hand hacking through the countryside. After becoming a firm favourite among the volunteers, it was a happy day when she found her forever loan home in July 2018 with Elaine Pinkett. “Autumn lives happily with her field mate Breeze,” said Elaine. “She’s been nicknamed ‘Duchess of the yard’ as she gets pampered to her heart’s content.”