Charity 1074250

Welcome to the East Holton Carriage Driving Centre for Disabled People in Dorset

The trustees and a team of willing volunteers who run East Holton Horse Carriage Driving Centre for disabled people welcome you to this site and thank you for your interest in our group. We are based at the Ash Tree Stables within the Holton Lee Centre and we are the only horse carriage driving facility for disabled adults in Dorset.

By courtesy of Sir Thomas Lees, who established Holton Lee and Holton Lee management, we are privileged to use this delightful area of fields, woods and heath land, covering some 350 peaceful acres stretching from Poole Harbour to Holton Heath. There are numerous tracks where all our horse carriage driving can take place safely, in beautiful surroundings away from traffic and other disturbances. A dressage arena and cone driving in the field add to the challenges and fun that disabled people can get from carriage driving with horses.

The horses are used five days a week for carriage driving, one day a week (Saturday) for junior helpers to ride or learn to drive, and Sunday is a day of rest for the horses. Training is ongoing on a daily basis as volunteers have certain days in the week when they can attend, so when they start they are mentored on a buddy system by someone already well trained with a complete RDA Green Card. All activities in the yard are under the watchful eye of the Group Organiser or a Qualified Whip.

On average some 38 people a week use our facilities. All our carriages are specially equipped with hydraulics and ramps for disabled people in wheelchairs with seating that can be removed to accomodate a standard wheelchair, (Electric wheelchairs are not allowed).