Princess Anne Has Been Visiting The New Indoor Arena At Barrow Farm

Opening of a new horse riding facility for children with disabilities.

Security staff are on the alert and checking visitors’ car number plates as Princess Anne arrives in a red Wessex helicopter. She walks to the new indoor arena at the horse riding centre which has been built following a fundraising campaign to improve facilities for riding by people with disabilities. An audience including hundreds of children and local dignitaries awaits the visitor. The Princess is greeted by the organisers, then opens the arena by cutting a tape held by two riders on Exmoor ponies. A brief glimpse of press cameras, then the Princess joins the audience to watch a pageant parade organised by farm owner Mary Mitchell with commentary by her daughter Anne Mitchell. Children on ponies are dressed as flowers and another is seen wearing a squirrel costume. A horse relieves itself during the display to the amusement of the audience. The reporter was Stephen Cole for this video made to be shown in a news story on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

Riding For the Disabled; Horses; Disability; Fancy dress; Charities; Horse riding; Opening ceremonies

Additional Description

The Riding for the Disabled Association, also known as the RDA, is a UK based charity founded in 1969 focused on providing therapeutic horse-riding, equestrian vaulting and carriage driving lessons to people with developmental and physical disabilities as well seeking to improve the lives of those with mental health difficulties. Princess Anne became the organisation’s President in 1985.