Autumn Term Start Dates
Saturday classes 9th September 2023
Monday classes 18th September 2023
07922 244288 info@bankfarmrda.com
Sponsor one of our ponies!
Our ponies are exceptional! Their patience and kind temperament has allowed 36 disabled children to ride each week for over 34 years. The families, carers and teachers also benefit to see the improvement that riding can give in confidence, stature and hand-eye coordination that regular riding can give.
Each pony costs us £55 a week to look after, and so donations are a vital part of keeping us able to do what we do.
If you would like to contribute and be informed of the direct impact of your generosity, sponsor one of our ponies.
What you'll get for you sponsorship
For as little as £1 a week, sponsor one of our amazing ponies.
You will get a sponsorship pack when you sign up, which will include a
photograph of your pony, stories about the children they have helped, and a pack of RDA greeting cards.
As well as this, you will receive updates on your pony and the children that ride them at least three times a year.
Meet our ponies
Storm is a grey, 13hh2 connemara pony. He came to us from Ireland in 2009 when he was just 4 years old. He went to another RDA group a few years, until coming back home in 2017. Everyone loves Storm. He wins over everyone he looks at. He is a little cheeky and loves to nibble the helper's jackets when they're not looking! Leon is a completely blind child who rides Storm. Like all our ponies, Storm is gentle and allows Leon to stroke him and to touch his face so he can feel what he looks like
Storm was never meant to be a grey pony...if there is mud about, rest assured he will have rolled in it!
Storm giving one of our goats a ride!
Storm is a grey, 13hh2 connemara pony. He came to us from Ireland in 2009 when he was just 4 years old. He went to another RDA group a few years, until coming back home in 2017. Everyone loves Storm. He wins over everyone he looks at. He is a little cheeky and loves to nibble the helper's jackets when they're not looking! Leon is a completely blind child who rides Storm. Like all our ponies, Storm is gentle and allows Leon to stroke him and to touch his face so he can feel what he looks like
Storm
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Storm, please click here
Fudge is our 12hh2, blue dun pony and has been with us for 7 years. He's an old boy, coming up to his 30s. Being older, he loves small outings and lots of fuss being made about him. One of his riders, Louis, absolutely loves him and only stops smiling when he's concentrating on steering Fudge in and out of cones.
Fudge loving having cuddles and being spoiled by his wonderful loaners
Cosy boy enjoying some hay and attention!
Fudge is our 12hh2, blue dun pony and has been with us for 7 years. He's an old boy, coming up to his 30s. Being older, he loves small outings and lots of fuss being made about him. One of his riders, Louis, absolutely loves him and only stops smiling when he's concentrating on steering Fudge in and out of cones.
Fudge
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Fudge, please click here
Bella is a 13hh2 piebald who came over from Ireland along with Storm and Titi. She is very safe off the leading rein and has given so many young people the confidence to ride independently. Bella has had a few issues with lameness over the years and it usually flares up each summer, so they are often vet bills we must cover to keep her happy and well. Sarah loves Bella and for the last 6 months has come up before the sessions to groom and tack up Bella for the sessions.
Bella photographed here during one of our Saturday sessions, when we mixed it up for the children and swapped the school for the woods!
Bella is a 13hh2 piebald who came over from Ireland along with Storm and Titi. She is very safe off the leading rein and has given so many young people the confidence to ride independently. Bella has had a few issues with lameness over the years and it usually flares up each summer, so they are often vet bills we must cover to keep her happy and well. Sarah loves Bella and for the last 6 months has come up before the sessions to groom and tack up Bella for the sessions.
Bella
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Bella, please click here
Lucky is our 13hh2, black fell pony. Summer 2019, she suffered from uveitis which resulted in her left eye having to be removed, but she has taken it in her stride. This ordeal to get her better was a huge expense to the group, and there is still a chance she could get it in the other eye. Lucky’s biggest fan is Grace, who's been coming up before the sessions for a while and although she is in a wheelchair, Lucky's great temperament means she can lead her out to the field after sessions.
Our beautiful one-eyed girl, showing off her 'good' side
Lucky is our 13hh2, black fell pony. Summer 2019, she suffered from uveitis which resulted in her left eye having to be removed, but she has taken it in her stride. This ordeal to get her better was a huge expense to the group, and there is still a chance she could get it in the other eye. Lucky’s biggest fan is Grace, who's been coming up before the sessions for a while and although she is in a wheelchair, Lucky's great temperament means she can lead her out to the field after sessions.
Lucky
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Lucky, please click here
Titi is our skewbald, 13hh2, also coming over from Ireland! He's a big, fluffy teddy bear who loves giving cuddles. Titi is a little cheeky and always wants to get where he's not meant to be, so he contributes to us mending a lot of our fences! Amy has ridden him for many years and his name is one of the only words she speaks. He is kind and gentle, although not the fastest mover, he gives confidence to all his riders.
Titi and Bella at our Monday session, starstruck from a visit from the mayor!
Titi looking on proudly at his latest achievement
Titi is our skewbald, 13hh2, also coming over from Ireland! He's a big, fluffy teddy bear who loves giving cuddles. Titi is a little cheeky and always wants to get where he's not meant to be, so he contributes to us mending a lot of our fences! Amy has ridden him for many years and his name is one of the only words she speaks. He is kind and gentle, although not the fastest mover, he gives confidence to all his riders.
Titi
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Titi, please click here
Domino is our piebald 14hh cob. She is kindly on loan to us from a local riding school. She is a great and essential part of our pony team, as she is the largest of our ponies, which enables us to widen the amount of children we can help. She is kind and gentle and trots happily on the lead rein and one of our children - Kyle - has improved greatly in confidence and can now do a very good rising trot.
Domino having some relaxing time in the sun
Domino is our piebald 14hh cob. She is kindly on loan to us from a local riding school. She is a great and essential part of our pony team, as she is the largest of our ponies, which enables us to widen the amount of children we can help. She is kind and gentle and trots happily on the lead rein and one of our children - Kyle - has improved greatly in confidence and can now do a very good rising trot.
Domino
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Domino, please click here
Rosie is our 13hh1, strawberry roan from the New Forest. She is a wonderful and fiery character, what we would call 'a typical mare'. She likes to put on a grumpy face! She was a successful show jumper, but is now living in retirement helping our young riders from Henry Allen Nursery to enjoy playing games, including Grandmother’s footsteps, which she invariably wins, still a little competitive!
Little girl very unimpressed by the cold and wet snow! Winter is definitely not her favourite season.
Rosie is our 13hh1, strawberry roan from the New Forest. She is a wonderful and fiery character, what we would call 'a typical mare'. She likes to put on a grumpy face! She was a successful show jumper, but is now living in retirement helping our young riders from Henry Allen Nursery to enjoy playing games, including Grandmother’s footsteps, which she invariably wins, still a little competitive!
Rosie
For information, please click the photo above.
if you would like to sponsor Rosie, please click here