A SHORT six weeks ago, a group of autistic primary school children turned up for their first experience of ponies at Draughton Riding Centre, near Addingham. Instructors and volunteers from Otley and District Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) - including para dressage champion, Kathryn Wheelock - were faced with children at different stages of the autistic spectrum - just persuading them to stay still long enough to get them on a pony was difficult enough. But all the children from Green Meadows School in Guiseley have progressed in leaps and bounds, many of them sit with great natural balance and poise and after several sessions in the indoor school, they went for an outdoors hack - a short walk to the old Roman road, just five minutes from the stables. Their beaming faces on their return said it all, and the distress of one child was eventually worked out - he was enjoying himself so much, he had not wanted it to end.

It is what RDA stalwart and group chairman, Judy Olby says is "pony magic'. Judy has been involved in the Otley RDA since the mid 1980s. She is an RDA instructor and is recently back in the saddle again, after having both hips replaced.

She is a firm believer in the power of horses, one of her own children - now grown up - is himself a disabled rider, after being paralysed when he was a teenager.

"Some schools might tell us that the children won't be able to do much, but ponies work miracles, " she says. "We always say just get them here, we always think about what people can do, not what they can't."

The group has been coming to Draughton Riding Centre for 20 years and comes once a week during school time. It has both child and adult riders, with both physical and learning difficulties, coming from a wide area. It is also a very worthwhile experience for the volunteers, including pupils from Leeds Grammar School who may well be working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award - a relationship the RDA has had for several years.

Over the years, Judy has seen the ponies work their 'magic' over and over again - from the utterly un-horsey parents who are won over after seeing the delight of their child, to the terrified child who is eventually persuaded to get on board.

"We had one rider who was so scared of horses, she couldn't even get out of the car. She'd come along to see her sister ride and eventually, she came out of the car and stood behind me. I got her to feel the pony's nose, which was like velvet and the next time we got her leading - but that's pony magic for you," she says.

Steven, a disabled rider who likes to compete at showjumping and a volunteer, said: "I enjoy it very much indeed. I come riding here once a week and I really like jumping."

Some of the children will need three helpers to make sure they are safe, one on each side to perhaps stop them from jumping off in transit, and another to lead.

The process of getting the riders onto their mounts is necessarily very controlled. The group stays put in on area of the arena and one by one, the riders are put on their mounts, who are led to them.

Which explains why volunteers are always needed and are very welcome - whether they are horsey, or not.

Bob Middleton, from Embsay, has been an RDA instructor for six years after falling into it by accident.

He has a Fell pony that was sharing a field with a horse Judy had come to see, and ended up as a volunteer.

"It is a challenge and quite exhausting, but very rewarding, " he says.

Judy Thomas, from Long Preston, has been a volunteer for ten months and decided to join up because of her love of horses.

"The relationship between the riders and the horse can be better than it is with us," she says.

There appears to be no limits with the RDA - it enters its riders in showjumping and dressage competitions and is now looking at side-saddle, carriage driving and Trek - where riders and horses are set a series of obstacles to navigate

Nora Halstead, owner of Draughton Riding Centre, is happy to play host to the RDA, but points out not all horses and ponies are suitable. They have to be very placid and not get too upset about having their girths tied tighter than usual.

The centre, which is proud of its five star rating on TripAdvisor, has 40 horses and ponies and provides both lessons and hacks, anyone wanting to go trekking is directed to Kilnsey Trekking Centre at Conistone.

It is also linked in with Equestrian Escapes, which organises riding holidays all over the world.

83 year old Nora has four full time members of staff, as well as several helpers, and has seen massive changes in how riding schools like hers operate.

First timers are judged on their riding abilities before being even allowed on a ride or hack, and groups are restricted to a maximum of six.

There is however a treat awaiting experienced riders, a five hour hack will take them to Bolton Abbey and will include galloping across fields.

The centre is also a keen fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in a curious way - it gives away sacks of horse manure to gardeners, and asks for a donation.

To find out more about Draughton Heights visit the website draughtonridingcentre.com To find out more about Otley and District RDA, including details about volunteering go to otleyrda.org.uk