What have we been up to this summer?

Some weeks we’re so absorbed welcoming new faces and old friends to Park Lane Stables that we almost forget to come up for air.

But if you ever wonder what we get up to, here’s a quick review of summer highlights.

 • We ran 440 sessions in July and 335 in August. This is especially amazing given that the extreme heat, events we were attending, and our annual holiday meant we were closed for 27 days!

• For extra perspective, in June-August we ran 1,304 sessions compared to 503 in the same period in 2021.

• Busiest days included Saturday 27 August when we ran an extraordinary 42 sessions, and 6 and 7 July, when our team of staff, volunteers and horses delivered 30 sessions each day.

• Our fabulous carriage driving team ran 20 sessions in July and 26 in August (116 since 1 June).

No wonder we sleep well at night! But what about those days we were closed?

The RDA National Championships, because it’s what you CAN do that counts

Rebekah with Cherry

As temperatures soared, we attended the RDA National Championships, though normal activities had been adjusted or dropped to keep ponies and people safe in the heat. As always, seeing what RDA members CAN do is truly humbling.

Our own Rebekah Morgan won the RDA national prize for Horse and Pony Care, recognising that her knowledge is – quite literally – second to none. That’s a fantastic achievement and we’re so proud of her.

Nicholas in action at the RDA National Championships

And a big shout out too for Nicholas, one of our carriage drivers who took 4th place in the carriage driving competition. We don’t currently have an arena to practise in (something we’re working on). Imagine what Nicholas and the rest of the team could achieve if and when we do! As always, a huge thank you to H&L Motors for our fabulous carriage.

Building memories at Pony Camp

At the end of July, 13 participants with disabilities/additional needs took part in our annual Pony Camp at Pachesham Equestrian Centre in Leatherhead. Campers took responsibility for their ponies, slept under the stars, and faced challenges on and off the horse. The team work was wonderful to watch, as was seeing confidence grow and riding abilities blossom. And of course, once again it was our team of volunteers who made this possible.

Teamwork doesn’t mean we can’t be competitive!

Making magic memories

We’re proud of the numbers, and of the awards and prizes, but we’re even prouder of those magic moments when a withdrawn child connects with a horse and smiles, or a parent bursts into happy tears when their child rides for the first time.

We couldn’t do any of this without the team and the teamwork – and to the generosity of supporters whose donations make it possible. A big thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

If you’d like to support events like these and help us to run even more sessions for our vulnerable participants, do head over to our Donate page. Every gift, no matter how small, makes a difference.