Horse riding

Am officially back in the saddle,and back doing the greatest therapy of them all,and it's all thanks to thieving bastards on crimewatch UK.

Am had left RDA [riding for the disabled association] riding some years ago,due to being moved to another area,it was an RDA group within a mainstream riding centre/school/whatever they're called,and it was quite a high class place with one of it's owners [also the man who was lead around by] having worked with John Whitaker,and his sons a championship show jumper as well.

But one of the main staff there who sorted the RDA sessions and ponies/horses for it wasn't very nice and treated am and the others had gone with as non human,none of us refered to by names,am was 'the ginger one' [am white-not ginger,but have ginger hair],the fellow autie lady from own home was refered to as 'the black one' [having black skin and hair] and the rest who sometimes came along from the local day centre were equally dehumanised.
Luckily she didn't come out on the rides [hacks,not lessons].

Recently,whilst channel skipping in the morning,there was a crimewatch UK roadshow programme on the BBC which reports big crimes to try and catch the people who did them,and a bit of it was about a stables for disabled people having almost all it's specialist tack stolen one night,a stables called millers nook-here's what happened:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/278780.html
Am went to visit the place first and found out a bit more about it,it's a non mainstream charity status RDA stables and has a huge outdoor arena.

The day came to have a lesson there.
Am went with two support staff but they were not the usual staff for that day-as only want to go with the horse expert staff.
The staff and helpers there are great,and understanding even if they don't really know some of the problems.

Am was able to be with the pony was going to be riding whilst she was being groomed and tacked up-she's a skewbald pony called Jasmine.
Jasmine was tacked up with a special sensory saddle-it's a special fleece soft saddle for riding as close to bareback as can get,it also helps to better riding ability and does not use stirrups [these are the type that were stolen].

The arena had panels along the fences with letters as well as pictures on [used for knowing where to go] which am found helped so much as letters are a struggle to process but simple pictures are so much easier.

Am had a helper,and instructor,and as the lesson went on,was called a natural at it and was quite advanced,nice to know have got a skill am very good at,some RDA riders are so good they do mainstream olympics.

At the end of the lesson am gave Jasmine lots of pats and hugs for carrying am around,got off,went to Middlebrook and got a mocha-caramel frappachino from starbucks and went home.
Am had noticed a lot of improvements for that day-on the car ride to the stables am was having to wear earplugs and ear defenders on the motorway there because of the noise,but on the way back,it was like hearing had been calmed as well as self-and did not need to use them constantly.

Unfortunately for the staff,am was interacting with them more,and didn't get any tics till night time.
Am had a great time and got so much out of it,am really recommend everyone out there with a disability at any severity check out RDA groups or centres,some of them do cart/trap driving if are unable to ride for whatever reason.

Am getting a new hat this week as old one is falling apart [though not getting rid of it]-it's going to be a jockey skull and will be getting a silk for it,and some jodphur boots.
Am also thinking about fundraising in some form for Millers Nook.