I thought that as we start the 2008 season for the group I would like to enter a few words on the Blog. The group is run like family, and in the chalet is a plaque which says “Friends Are The Family We Choose”, and at EHDC is very apt; we are open with each other, and share the problems we have and we help each other through tough times. This fits in to the spirituality and personal growth aspect of our hosts Holton Lee.
When I took over from Margaret Newell it looked like it was the end of the road at Holton Lee for this group, and we were given twelve months to relocate. The direction and arrogance of the then trustees did not take into account the ethos of our hosts. When I tried to point out what we needed to change to remain here they said, “We can’t have disabled people in the yard because disability could a liability”…. what a negative thought… and at the AGM 2006 the trustees resigned on block.
The need to relocate was removed by our wonderful hosts because we work very closely with their ethos and this has been better for the group. We have taken disabled people into the yard to work, as well as to ride and drive. One of those disabled people progressed to be an A/B Whip, able to teach carriage driving, no rules where broken no questions asked. She was assessed by Caroline Douglas and found a very competent driver. She was then put forward for the four hour exam and passed with flying colours.
Another part of the ethos of Holton Lee is that we are enabling and resourcing disabled people. It was another success for the group as we thought. What we did not know was someone had mischievously reported us to the RDA national body about disabled people being on the wrong side of the fence so to speak. So the policy of the old trustees reared its head again, this time from headquarters.
I wish to apologise to the old trustees if they were only applying the rules of the association. Rules like this are very hard to apply with the much needed discrimination and prejudice acts which govern what you can and can’t do today.
The RDA sent two senior area reps to see what was going on and report back. They brought me the news that the RDA were concerned about what I was doing, but left at the end of the day completely happy that I run a good group, and that health and safety was very well applied. Nothing was to change until they duly reported back to RDA national, and the carriage driving committee who have confirmed that things can continue unchanged. Ed Brasher, Chief Executive of the RDA phoned me with the news. He also said that lots of changes were in the pipe-line and a lot of my points would be applied in the new regulations. Thank God for common sense.
To end my report, it is with sadness that the Miss Bush Memorial Riding Group are moving on to pastures new. Our horses are getting older and need protecting against carrying to much weight. As humans get older they tend to put on weight this combination, plus rising costs to keep the horses means the riding group must find a yard with horses larger than 15.2 hands. If anyone knows of somewhere please contact Di Tubbs on 01202 874092 and we all wish them the best of luck.
The driving program is a busy one and is five days a week now. Any help we can get is welcome.
Posted by Wally Pitt.
Marmite takes a breather in the courtyard.
