The Sanders Watney Trust is the charitable arm of the British Driving Society. The main objective of the trust is to help disabled persons follow their goal of carriage driving. Financial assistance may be given to RDA affiliated Carriage Driving Groups for the Disabled in the form of gifts or interest free loans to help towards the purchase of carriages, harness, driving holidays or training seminars.

Carriage Driving Groups

Disabled driving groups are available all round the United Kingdom that provide a fulfilling and exhilarating experience for carriage drivers with disabilities with the opportunity to learn new skills for people of all ages and abilities of a restrictive nature. These include physical handicaps, visual impairment, hearing impairment and learning difficulties. The Groups are run by an army of volunteers to facilitate everything necessary for a disabled carriage driver. Purpose made carriages to accommodate wheelchairs for specially trained RDA approved horses and ponies are some of the equipment adapted for disabled drivers that the Sanders Watney Trust supports with it's financial assistance.

Driving has been an important part of RDA since 1975 and there are now almost 70 Groups involved.  By taking up driving in RDA you will be joining in with over 1000 other drivers! Carriage Driving is where a horse or pony is hitched to a wheeled carriage and driven around a course and you are the driver! Driving is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends, be out in the open air and have great fun at the same time.

RDA Carriage Driving is particularly useful if you can no longer ride due to disability or if you prefer a different kind of challenge to riding. Carriage Driving can range from a relaxing drive through the rolling countryside to exciting competitions where your ability to make quick decisions and having the confidence to control a fast moving carriage are put to the test.

If you are a confident driver and would like to compete there is opportunity for competition in RDA as well as British Carriagedriving (BC) and British Driving Society (BDS) shows.  Some drivers progress outside of RDA and attend training days and compete internationally. As well as the fun of driving you can also benefit from fantastic therapy benefits of improved coordination, improved muscle power and improved balance, many of which are the same benefits as you would get from riding.