Christmas Riding Picnic (Dec 2018)
Grasmere children and several friends attending the Christmas Riding Picnic at Abbott Lodge Ice Cream Farm. The children met Santa who distributed presents. Fun and shrieks of laughter were reported to be heard as far away as Shap! Games were played and the children just made it back to school on time!
Eve Pattinson devotes her time and skills to RDA (Riding for the Disabled). She is dedicated. Her horses are selected for their calm and patience. She painstakingly gets them ready each Thursday and trains with her group of volunteers so that everyone can enjoy all the benefits of horse riding!
The children form great relationships with the horses, building bonds and trust. They have to learn to balance and coordinate and give instructions. They learn to take risks as riding skills develop. Several children can ride independently and learn to trot.
Animal care is also very important and the children have to learn what having a pony or a horse entails!!!
Many thanks to Eve Pattinson, Gillian Allan and the devoted group of volunteers.