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Clwyd Special Riding Centre (CSRC) is an independent registered charity that provides accessible facilities to offer a variety of equine experiences and therapy for people with additional needs.
CSRC is run by a small team of experienced staff, managed by a board of trustees, and supported by a large pool of incredible volunteers. And of course we would not be here without our loyal team of RDA approved horses and ponies – lovingly referred to as ‘the boys’.
Set in over 30 acres with around 20 horses of all sizes and types, the aim of CSRC is to provide a beneficial experience to all persons through riding, carriage driving, equine learning & therapy and hippotherapy.
CSRC is an approved Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and the British Horse Society (BHS) centre, but we are an independent charity and as such, rely on public generosity, fundraising and grants to help fund the upkeep of our facilities, horses and to help us run the services we provide.
Registered Charity number: 1118241
Registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales number: 06033558
Equine interaction is proven to support physical and emotional well-being.
Our horses play a vital role in helping to develop a wide range of skills and generally helping to improve health and well-being.
Riding a horse at a walk stimulates the internal organs just as walking on foot does. The movement of the horse helps to:
• normalise muscle tone
• improve balance and reactions
• stimulate trunk and head control
• improve overall posture
• mobilise pelvis, spine and hips; and
• improve coordination and motor function.
Horses live entirely in the present moment, and they can help us to do that too. In each session - no matter what their needs - participants can escape their differences to focus on what they and their horse can do as a team.
The Centre was the brainchild of Anne Sopwith organiser of the then Dyffryn Ceiriog Riding for the Disabled Group. Her vision was to set up a centre where people of all ages with a wide range of disabilities and special needs could ride. She also envisaged that the Centre would have accommodation facilities to enable RDA groups from around the country to enjoy a holiday.
In 1982, she purchased Tyn-y-Cyffion, a small riding school, that had been converted from a hill farm in the village of Llanfynydd, Flintshire.
The developments at the Centre continued over the years and the number of riders gradually increased. By 1984 the Centre was ready for its official opening by HRH Princess Anne, in her capacity as President of the Riding for the Disabled Association.
Over the years, the Centre has developed significantly with facilities being created to allow for a wider range of people with additional needs to be able to benefit from the enjoyment that equine assisted therapy can bring.
Celebrating 40 years of improving lives through horses
During 2022 and 2023, the charity proudly celebrated 40 years of improving lives through horses. As we move forward, we are ever more determined to retain our role as a key provider for equine assisted therapy for those with additional needs for the next 40 years.
We would love for you to be part of our story as we move on into the next chapter. Only with the generosity of our sponsors, donors and grants can we continue to provide our centre of excellence to those who need our help.
Use the scroll bar below this timeline image to see our history in pictures from 1982 – 2022.
Sophia Greenwell
Acting Centre Manager
Kate Kerr
Marketing and Communications Manager
Fizz Morris
Finance Assistant
Sara Henney
Volunteer Coordinator & CLTH Coach
Pam Jones
Head Coach & Participant Coordinator
Caroline Dingwall
Fundraising Manager
TBC .
Equine Manager
Ceri Wilkinson
Yard Supervisor
Kovu Reid
Groom
Emily Williams
Groom
Mali Jennings
Groom
Lucy Brookes
Registered with the regulatory body of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Member of the professional body of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP).
Member of the Chartered Physiotherapists in Therapeutic Riding and Hippotherapy (CPTRH).
INDEPENDENT RIDING:
Sarah Whiteside
BHS AI Accredited Coach
PRESIDENT: The Lord Daresbury
CHAIR OF TRUSTEES: To be confirmed
VICE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES: To be confirmed
TRUSTEES
Mrs Victoria Everall
Mrs Kate Hill-Trevor
Mrs Angela Roberts
Mr Keith Thompson
Mrs Jill Walton
HON. TREASURER To be confirmed
COMPANY SECRETARY To be confirmed
