Upon arriving at the Bermuda Riding for the Disabled (BRD) stables one will usually find excited children clinging to instructor Linda Sousa as they prepare to ride the horses.

The programme, which is a branch of Windreach Village in Warwick, provides children and adults with physical, mental and learning disabilities the chance to become equestrians.

Riders come from various public schools, Summerhaven and St. Brendan's Hospital.

Taking a page from Britain's Disabled Association, a small group of local residents started the programme in 1973. The founders were physiotherapist Jeni Southern, veterinarian Paddy Heslop and Mrs. Sousa.

They began borrowing ponies from various riding schools in order to provide riding lessons for a limited number of disabled people two mornings a week.

It was not until Alexander (Sandy) Mitchell offered the group a chance to become part of Windreach Recreational Village, a facility designed for a wide range of people with special needs, that the idea of BRD took full flight.

Mr. Mitchell founded the Windreach Bermuda Trust with hopes to establish a facility similar to the Windreach Farm in Canada.

Now with its own purpose-built facility, BRD serves 85 riders and runs six days a week.

And with seven stables, a tack room, feed room, wash bay, laundry room, bathroom, two large paddocks and an office, the stable is impeccably designed for its purpose.

All areas are wheelchair accessible and even the horses' feeding troughs swing out so that the riders can feed the horses without difficulty.

The riding tack is specially designed for the disabled, with special safety stirrups and velcro straps that secure riders in the saddle.

"Today there is a lot more awareness around disabled people,'' Mrs. Sousa said.

The only real challenge of the programme is its constant need for volunteers.

"For some of the more physically disabled people we need at least three volunteers per rider,'' she explained.

She also said: "We especially need lifters to get some of the larger adults on the horses.'' The Police have recently become involved with the programme by transporting the riders to the stable and helping with the riders whenever possible.

With only one paid staff member, the programme essentially depends on volunteers to teach, help with the students and to keep up the stable.

BRD's new fund-raising campaign is entitled "Sponsor a Stable'' where individuals, groups or clubs can donate the funds to keep one horse for a year.

Donations to the programme in the past have been very generous, Mrs. Sousa explained.

For example, all of the horses have been given to BRD.

Most of them are older, retired ponies, chosen for their temperament.

And the programme is growing.

It has Planning permission to build six more stables, although Mrs. Sousa explained that "we don't want to get too big too soon''.

Businessman and horse lover William (Cheese) Ray has also offered to donate a covered building that will enable equestrians to ride even when it's raining.

Other plans in the making include busing the riders to the beach so that they can ride there.

The benefits of such a programme for disabled people were endless, Mrs. Souza pointed out.

Not only did riding give them something to look forward to, but it also provided physical and emotional benefits.

Studies on riding therapy have proved the interaction with the horse helped develop cognitive and behavioural skills and improved confidence, self-esteem, motivation, concentration and attention span.

Riding has also been shown to calm the central nervous system and reduce hyperactivity, which improves concentration and increases learning potential.

Physically, the constant motion and rhythm of a horse makes the rider utilise joints while simultaneously contracting and relaxing muscle groups.

The equestrian's movement while on a the horse also normalises muscle tone and develops head and trunk postural control.

Riding ultimately improves symmetry, body awareness, spatial orientation and endurance.

The warmth of the movement of the horse also massages, stretches and loosens stiff, contracted muscles.

BRD is only one of Windreach Village's many facets.

There are also further plans for other special facilities and programmes, such as a petting zoo, a picnic area, a playground, a walking trail and camping area.

For more information about BRD or for details about becoming a volunteer call 238-7433.