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	TX: 25.11.09 - Princess Anne and Riding for the Disabled PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON

	Downloaded from www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 THE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT WAS TYPED FROM A RECORDING AND NOT COPIED FROM AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT. BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MISHEARING AND THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME CASES OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS, THE 麻豆约拍 CANNOT VOUCH FOR ITS COMPLETE ACCURACY. ROBINSON The charity 'Riding for the Disabled' celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year. Princess Anne is its best-known patron. The charity was perhaps an obvious choice for such a gifted horsewoman. Princess Anne was the first member of the Royal Family to compete at the Olympics in 1976, in the British equestrian team. So we asked if she'd give us an interview to mark the big birthday. Peter White spoke to Princess Anne at the RDA'S 40^th anniversary annual general meeting and she told him about a rider in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics who demonstrated how riding could work as therapy for riders with disabilities. PRINCESS ANNE Liz Hartell inspired the movement and won two Olympic medals in dressage having had polio as a child and was unable to walk without sticks, so she had no strength in her legs but she still managed to win those medals. And I think it was really people going tick, tick - maybe you don't have to be in perfect physical condition to be able to ride well. And nine out of 10 they come along to a group and they say knowing that they want to give it a go, every now and again you get one that says - no, I don't think - that's too big or it's too high. But after a little while they want to give it a try, they've done the bit round the legs and the touching and feeling and it is fascinating how they respond because it's the movement that's critical and actually they say that the walk is the most important gait in terms of what it moves, the things that your body has to do in order to stay in rhythm with the horse and walk is even more than it is at any of the other gaits. WHITE Have you seen people change in terms of the confidence that they get from riding? PRINCESS ANNE Confidence and actually physical ability. The numbers of groups where you find a child has come pretty well unable to sit up but after two or three years they can hold themselves upright in the saddle when none of their physios have been able to get them to do that through ordinary physiotherapy work. And senior stroke victims volunteer to ride as part of their rehabilitation because it does something which physios can't reach. And the confidence that that gives - but for younger people, for those in wheelchairs, there's something about being up - you're above most people - whereas you're used to sitting below them, so there's a morale issue here which has got nothing to do with the physical side. WHITE You obviously have got a lot of faith in the idea of these active pursuits for people with disabilities because I know you've also had contact with someone else that we've featured in this series - there's a chap called Geoff Holt, who's a paraplegic sailor, have you already - I know you were going sailing with him, have you been? PRINCESS ANNE Listen, the sort of sailing he does, no, I don't do Geoff's sailing. WHITE You don't fancy a transatlantic trip? PRINCESS ANNE At least he got a slightly bigger boat the last time I met him, which I have been on board his catamaran, it's very nice, but I wouldn't want to do what he's doing. No he's extraordinary. WHITE Your connections with the - to stay at the top end if you like - your connections with the Olympics and the Paralympics, go back a long way, I mean right back to competing yourself, how do you think success in the sport change the image of people with disabilities? PRINCESS ANNE Well funnily enough this is a debate we've often had within the RDA because it was set up, very much, to provide riding as a therapy and that is our baseline. But we felt that what was important for us to start people off and if they became good and they were interested that actually they should be part of your equestrian federation. I have to say that we've now more or less done that because the RDA is part of the British Equestrian Federation, so that link is very well established. And the riders all make the point that you know we don't want to be seen to spend too much money on elite athletes but the riders love having somebody who is successful at a higher level to look up to, to aim at, all those things that come along with it, so that we have to create, I think - not forget the access point, we've got to get as many people in as possible. WHITE So someone like a Sophie Christiansen or a Ricky Balshaw or Lee Pearson you would say they become role models? PRINCESS ANNE Oh most assuredly and as I mentioned Liz Hartell in the first place, she was the perfect example. She won two Olympic medals but not in the Paralympics and possibly we may see Lee Pearson even in the future might be competing in the open side of the Games, if you see what I mean. WHITE How well do you think the Paralympics are integrated with the Olympics? I mean you mentioned the link with the British Equestrian Federation, is there anything more London should be doing to improve inclusion for 2012? PRINCESS ANNE Well London is doing their best within the terms of the organisation. You have to separate it at the moment, it really is difficult to do it any other way, so there is a difference in terms of the timing. And you need a slightly different level of expertise in order to achieve it because we're talking about a range of abilities that is quite difficult to cater for within the sort of standard set up. But I believe that they're getting better at it and maybe in the future we will also have more integration at certain levels. WHITE There's been some criticism surrounding the choice of the venue for the equestrian events, do you think that Greenwich Park is an adequate facility, I mean how does it compare with Burleigh or Badminton? PRINCESS ANNE Burghley and Badminton of course are strictly speaking three day event venues, Greenwich is catering for dressage and show jumping as well as the three day event. And from the dressage and showjumpings perspective it's perfect. And as far as the Paralympics are concerned it's perfect because it's a terrific backdrop and a very nice place. The question about space is a slightly different issue for a three day event. But they've done the work and they feel happy that it'll fit. WHITE Well I guess the suggestion was that the backdrop was maybe more important than the space in the decision making, that they thought it would make a nice backdrop for the American TV viewers etc. PRINCESS ANNE Don't forget Queen's House was built as a hunting lodge. I mention that in passing. WHITE Okay, so you - but you think it'll work do you? PRINCESS ANNE Ah, I - I'm sure it can work. WHITE I guess some people might still think it's quite a grand organisation, do you think that might discourage people perhaps who don't move in those sort of circles from getting involved? PRINCESS ANNE Grand? Please define. WHITE Oh lots of royalty around, you know... PRINCESS ANNE Oh you're being facetious. WHITE People in nice clothes, you know just - you know what I mean Your Highness, I'm sure you do. PRINCESS ANNE I think we're well past that point, if I may say so, and probably never were, if my memories of AGMs are anything to go by. No I think you're falling for the normal sort of media inspired vision of the sort of people who ride horses. But don't forget that everybody used to ride horses, it was a very common occurrence. People knew how to live with them, they knew - had to know how to work with them, they were working animals, they actually - they were people's lives, they still are in a lot of places. And I think a lot of people have always appreciated that they had something more to offer. WHITE One final question: As someone who took part in the Olympics how are you feeling about the fact of having the Olympics on your doorstep in London 2012? PRINCESS ANNE Well it's a rather curious sensation but I mean London patently is capable of running a very good Olympic Games and I think it is transforming a section of London that frankly the developers wouldn't have touched with a bargepole. I think it's raising the issue of sport and activity in this country in a way that it hasn't been for a long time and that's a very important part of what the Olympics can do. And I hope that we really do take seriously the case of the legacy issue because all the summer sports it's encombant upon them to not only the build up to the Games but building on that success afterwards and that's - we've got to be really clever at the way that we do that. WHITE I guess you won't have too much trouble getting tickets will you really? PRINCESS ANNE I sincerely hope not. WHITE Ma'am thank you very much indeed. ROBINSON Princess Anne driving Peter through his paces. And starting this week, we're going to be changing the way that we offer our podcasts - putting together new weekly highlights podcasts. And if you want to hear this item again then it'll be - you can ask us to include it in this week's edition - I think we're going to anyway. If you're already a subscriber though you'll need to register with us again. It is completely free and it will be available to download on a Friday afternoon. Back to the Transcripts homepage Back to the You and Yours homepage The 麻豆约拍 is not responsible for external websites

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