Season Start

The better weather in the last two weeks has enabled us to start getting in some drives for disabled drivers at last. This year's wet spring has put everything back at least three weeks.

At the moment our Group Organiser, Wally, is the only AB Whip qualified to accompany a disabled driver, so the team of volunteers has to manage some slick pit-stop changes by having a change of horse and carriage ready waiting for when the first horse has done its stint for the day; Wally can then step down from one drive and up for the next with just enough time for a refreshing drink!

The team of volunteers we have helping now, as a result of Wally's training in the last two months, can all turn their hand to any of the many tasks in the yard from grooming, harnessing/unharnessing, putting-to (horse to carriage), loading and unloading of both ambulant and wheelchair drivers, escorting on bicycles, to the cleaning of harness. There is a lovely cheerful atmosphere in the yard which is wonderful......we all get something out of these activities!

On Monday this week we had the services of Caroline Douglas, one of the country's top BDS instructors to give myself and Denise, (candidates for the test to qualify as AB Whips) a training session and to inspect some new harness that has been made for Marmite as the result of a generous donation by one of our regular disabled drivers. All harness must be inspected and approved for use with RDA carriage driving.

Caroline Douglas LHHI is one of the best exponents of carriage driving today. She has successfully competed in both the show ring and driving trials with single and multiple turnouts. She is a senior panel judge, examiner, lecturer and trainer, with a driving and riding centre in Sussex.