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Iori takes the reins at Ceredigion horse-riding club thanks to National Lottery Grant

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North Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Riding for the Disabled are helping children like Iori ride high with new specialist equipment.

Thanks to National Lottery funding through Sport Wales, disabled children from rural areas in west Wales now have better access to the joy and benefits of horse-riding.

Meet Iori

Iori is seven years old. He’s an outdoorsy boy who loves digging for beetles, going on his bike and helping out on the family farm. But his favourite day of the week is a Thursday - the day he heads to North Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Riding for the Disabled. 

Iori has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. But that hasn’t stopped him growing in strength and confidence through his love of horse-riding. Because of the National Lottery, the riding school is saddled up for success with the equipment to help children like Iori enjoy and benefit from the sport of horse-riding.

Iori sits on top of a white pony called Pumpkin, in a paddock. It is a sunny day and Iori is surrounded by three riding volunteers. They are cheering him on and he's smiling. They are all wearing the red branded tops of the riding club, and Iori is wearing black glasses, a colourful riding hat and a celebratory rosette on his t-shirt.
“I go riding once a week. The best thing about it is Pumpkin. He’s a white pony. I also like “Horse-riding Jane”. She is one of the volunteers and she brings me chocolate biscuits.”
Iori McNamara

How a National Lottery Grant helped

Not so long ago, Mum, Meg, would arrive at the riding school, carry Iori from the car park into the arena and lift him onto the ponies (more often than not, Pumpkin is ready and waiting for him!).

But, with the grant of £4,706 from the National Lottery and Sport Wales, the riding school has been able to install:

  • An accessible ramp
  • A specialist mounting block. 

This means that Iori can now wheel straight from the car park to the mounting block. He leans forward and, with a bit of help, he’s mounted Pumpkin safely and is ready to ride.

Iori stands at the top of an accessibility ramp at the edge of the paddock, he is supported by his mum and a riding volunteer. Pumpkin the white pony stands ready for Iori to sit on his back at the end of the ramp. There are three other volunteers ready to support Iori and start walking him and Pumpkin around the paddock. Iori's accessibility scooter is behind him on the ramp.
“We are very grateful to the support of the National Lottery and to the marvellous team of volunteers at North Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Riding for the Disabled. It means the world to us as a family. Iori has grown stronger and more confident and it’s all down to the riding school and the support of National Lottery players.”
Meg McNamara

Building an accessible riding experience

Over the years, the riding school has received several National Lottery funding awards, allowing them to invest in:

  • Rainbow Reins
  • Specialist saddles and helmets
  • Training for its team of volunteers

Because Iori has a visual impairment that affects how his brain processes what he sees, the riding school has used funding to buy Rainbow Reins - reins with four distinct colours to help him understand hand positions more easily. Even the ramp has yellow lines that guide Iori on his way along the ramp to the mounting block.

Iori is riding Pumpkin the white pony, they are walking around the paddock. Iori is wearing a colourful, polka-dot riding hat and black glasses, and Pumpkin is tacked up with multi-coloured reins for accessibility and accessible stirrups to support Iori. A volunteer is leading Pumpkin and two other volunteers are each side of Pumpkin supporting Iori. All volunteers are wearing sunglasses as it's a sunny day, and Iori and all volunteers are wearing red branded tops of the riding school. Iori is laughing and smiling and the volunteers are smiling. There is a car park and trees in the background.
“Sport Wales and the National Lottery have been fantastic in supporting us over the years. We wouldn’t be operating today without the support they’ve given us. We’ve been able to buy reins, gymkhana equipment, specialist saddles, the mounting block, training for our coaches – all sorts of things that mean we can keep running and help children locally.”
Ann Thomas, volunteer

Leaps and bounds

Since Iori has been riding here, his physical strength and balance has improved so much - he’s now sitting independently in the saddle without the need for someone to hold onto him. This strength helps him in his daily life too - at home and at school. 

And, of course, Iori and his friends do not just benefit physically. When he first started, he was very anxious and always needed Mum close by. But the team of volunteers have nurtured his confidence, and he now has the time of his life.

A group photo of all nine volunteers and three disabled children riders, the children are on top of a pony each. There are two smaller white ponies and a larger black and white pony to suit the height of each child. It is a sunny day and the group are standing still, facing the camera in a paddock surrounded by a fence - there are trees and a blue sky in the background. Everyone is wearing the red and blue branded tops of the riding school and the children have different colourful riding hats on. All the volunteers are holding up a hand with crossed fingers, in the style of the National Lottery logo.

Thursdays are for horse-riding

Iori lives for Thursdays. He loves the sessions in the arena and, sometimes, they might ride the ponies up the lane. He loves brushing Pumpkin and cleaning tack, and – at the end of a busy morning session – he’s treated to a well-earned chocolate biscuit before returning to school. 

For Iori and his friends, their time here is not just about riding - it’s about discovering strength, independence, self-esteem and a whole world of possibilities. And it’s all made possible by National Lottery funding.

Want to make your club more accessible?

Want to make a difference to disabled children at your sports club? The National Lottery can help your club become more accessible. Find out more about the Be Active Wales Fund.

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