Wilby Riding for the Disabled Trust
harnessing the healing power of horses thanks to the Community Fund
The Wilby Riding for the Disabled Trust in Northampton allows as children aged four and up to take to the saddle and discover the joys and therapeutic benefits of horse riding.
In the 16 years since the Trust was formed, founder Angela Doughty has witnessed countless transformations. “The confidence and self-esteem, balance and co-ordination disabled children gain from riding is astounding,” she says. “Six months ago a little blind boy with cerebral palsy came to us. At first he would lie along the back of the pony, his arms hugging the pony’s neck. Gradually he’s grown accustomed to the pony he rides, and now he’s upright with his feet in the stirrups.”
Angela’s work has been helped twice by the Community Fund; her first grant of £400 went towards a Portakabin to store equipment and provide a seating area; the next donation of £1,000 helped pay for a barn for the ponies in the grounds of Angela’s home. When she later moved, the increase in the value of the barn allowed the Trust to afford top-notch facilities at the specialist agricultural college Moulton in Northamptonshire.
The Trust has four ponies, each chosen for their even temperament. The children need special reins, and saddles designed to help maintain their balance. “We can take nearly any level of disability,” Angela explained. “One boy is wheelchair-bound and has to be lifted onto the pony. The holistic therapy he receives in half-an-hour of riding is invaluable.”
According to Angela, it’s not just the children who benefit from the Community Fund money, made up entirely of donations from The Co‑operative Group members: “The parents get some care respite and meet others in the same situation, too.”