Smiles all round as local pupils meet up with the ponies at the Caithness RDA Group
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After a break of over a year the Caithness Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Group was able to get back into action before the summer holiday break.
Although no riding has been able to go ahead yet due to restrictions, pupils from schools throughout the county have had the chance to enjoy getting to know some of the ponies again from the ground and give them lots of well-earned pats.
Local RDA secretary and one of the coaches, Liz Hewitson, said: “Each week we had a group come along and get a rosette and welcome back certificate.”
She explained that for many the therapy received from the contact with the horses was extremely beneficial and much needed for some after such a long break due to the pandemic.
Those coming along on a Wednesday morning since May 19, are split into two groups, one getting to groom and handle the ponies, while the others take part in various fun activities on the popular Maggie’s Way. They are restricted to taking pupils from one school per week.
The secretary said: “All we could offer was to come and see the ponies. The feedback we are getting from the schools was amazing. Lots of the kids had not been at school since last year – to them it meant quite a lot, they have really missed out on it big time.
“It was RDA but not as we knew it. It has given a chance for volunteers to get back and meet up as well as break them in kind of gently."
The helpers were recently able to enjoy some cake outside as they celebrated national volunteers' week. “We are all volunteers and we do appreciate people coming along every week,” said Liz.
During lockdown the group were able to continue with a few activities online and once restrictions started to relax the members were hard at work getting all the necessary risk assessments in place to meet up at their base at the indoor school in Halkirk again. They hope after the summer holidays things will be back to normal and the children will be able to ride the horses.
The secretary pointed out that for Caithness things were not so bad as for some of the other groups in different areas where they owned their own premises and horses.
She said: “Some places could be really suffering – we are lucky we have the indoor school.”
At the moment just two ponies – Wren and Ollie – are the subject of the children’s attention when they come along for the weekly sessions to groom and handle them.
Liz shares the coaching with Leeann Hope and the children have been learning about points of the horse, colours and other useful information as they work towards their proficiency tests.
Maggie’s Way, situated behind the indoor school at Halkirk, is a safe and secure outdoor area set up with lots of activities for the children to take part in along with the ponies. It was created in memory of the late Maggie Maclean who had a long connection with the local group and was a popular coach.
Pupils at Halkirk Primary School are also able to use the area, which was created with the help of funding from Subsea 7, for completing their daily mile on foot.
