Appleby Cottage Equine Sports Club provides inclusive access to equine sports by providing a progressive programme of officially recognised awards and activities that can be obtained at each member’s pace, using their own communication styles.
The club enables members to take part in equine sport activity safely and paying attention to human and animal health and wellbeing.
The HISI grant will enable to club to provide members with an award (based on the same principal as Scout or Guide award badges). The members will learn:
How to look after competition ponies, feeding, grooming, mucking out
Pony behaviour: to include how they react in competition situations, how they learn to take part in competitions, looking after your own well being at a competition, how to camp over at a competition.
Health and Safety in an equine setting to include yard/farm safety, fire safety, camping at competitions.
Human wellbeing – how to stay well when training and taking part in equine sports.
This photograph shows a club member practicing for the pony show in August 2022, which the Herts Inclusive Sports Initiative Disability Grant will part fund. Appleby Cottage has had a really positive up take for the pony show weekend. The club members are working towards their awards under the guidance of their qualified coach. Sarah Lane, Director of Appleby Cottage said “Your grant has meant that we are able to support more people with disabilities learn about equestrian sport in a practical, safe and positive environment. For some the thought of riding is a step too far, but our little Shetlands comes into their own as they are small enough to be approachable and the right height to be wheelchair friendly.”
