A RIDING school took part in a worldwide event yesterday aimed at promoting the sport’s benefits for disabled people.

Wear Valley Riding For The Disabled, at Three Lane Ends Farm, Escomb, near Bishop Auckland, hosted part of The World’s Biggest Riding Lesson.

The Riding For The Disabled Association (RDA) launched the initiative to raise funds and to celebrate 40 years of the organisation.

The Wear Valley centre gave lessons to 40 riders – and overall the RDA hopes to have set a world record with 5,000 riders taking lessons simultaneously.

The RDA believes horse riding and carriage driving is therapeutic for people with disabilities and encourages independence.

RDA chief executive Ed Bracher said: “We are delighted to launched our 40th anniversary with this record-breaking event that will involve people and riding organisations worldwide in a show of support for disabled riders.”

Doug Smith, chairman of the event, said: “This is a unique opportunity uniting riders from the four corners of the world and show what disabled riders and volunteers achieve every day.”