The story of two of our regular adult participants

Meet Bev, who first came to us in March and has got well and truly hooked on riding! Bev explains what brought her, and subsequently her son Christopher, to Park Lane Stables

“I am 61 years old and have always been interested in horses but had never ridden one. I started riding a mechanical horse called Equicise at Wimbledon Village Stables a year ago and loved it, and got to the point when I thought I might just be ready to ride a real horse. Because of my health conditions I applied to a local Riding for the Disabled centre, but they were full and had a long waiting list.

I have osteoarthritis, diabetes, dyspraxia, dyslexia and ADD (attention deficit disorder), so was initially daunted at the prospect of riding a real horse. But the Equicise horse had taught me so much and given me the confidence to take the plunge and give it a try. And as luck would have it, Park Lane Stables popped up on my Facebook page in February and I contacted them. Two weeks later I had my assessment and now I ride regularly with them once a fortnight. It has given me confidence, freedom and determination to do well, and a real connection with the horses. I am now entering my first walking dressage test in October, only seven months after first sitting on a real horse!

I follow Park Lane Stables on Facebook too, and saw that they were advertising a pizza party funded by NHS South West London for adults with disabilities. Nat said that I could take my son Christopher who had autism. He has ridden in the past but he first met the Park Lane team when we joined them for pizza and the social gathering. He was treated like family from the start, and is now a regular attendee of the weekly sessions for adults with disabilities. On his third session Nat encouraged him to try carriage driving. He now does that every week and it’s fantastic to see him gaining his new skills.

Park Lane has changed both our lives for the better. It really is like a big family and we are both proud to be a part of it. Thank you!”

Wimbledon Village Stables are delighted for Bev and Chris too!

“What a joy to see Bev and Chris featured! It was a privilege to support Bev’s early riding journey on the Equicise, and we couldn’t be prouder to see how far she’s come. To see her now riding independently and aiming for competition is just wonderful. Huge congratulations to both Bev and Chris – your determination is inspiring!

A big shout out to Park Lane Stables and the incredible work you do. You change lives every day, and it’s fantastic to see stories like this being celebrated.”

Find out about some of the services available to Riding for the Disabled Association members on our RDA page

Curious about riding an Equicise horse? Find out more at Wimbledon Village Stables