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.

East Holton Driving Centre is associated with the National Riding for the Disabled Association. Our objective is to provide the facilities for adults with disabilities to learn to drive a horse and carriage in our delightful area or simply enjoy being taken out for a drive. Our pupils have a wide range of disabilities and they all enjoy the driving at whatever level, which is the most important thing.

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 Trustees are responsible for managing the group and ensuring that all activities are conducted safely and in compliance with RDA strict guidelines. All whips( qualified drivers), horses and equipment are approved to RDA specifications. Carts specially adapted to carry wheelchairs are used and all drives are escorted. Every drive is carefully suited to the client from a gentle ride or drive, to a lesson in dressage or cone driving. Second reins are provided to enable the pupil to learn to drive. Every operation is run by a team of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers and carers.

The horses are used five days a week for carriage driving. Driving sessions normally last for half an hour and we ask for a small donation per person per session. Training of volunteers 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 RDA Whip.

Such is the demand for our service for disabled adults in Dorset, that we have to schedule a fortnightly programme in order to accomodate as many disabled drivers as possible. 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).