PRIMARY school children from Cleveland jumped into the saddle yesterday to learn more about horses.

Youngsters from Lingfield Primary School, in Marton, took the reins as part of the Jeep National Riding Festival roadshow.

The festival included Trigger, a mechanical cantering horse, operated under guidance from instructors from the Eston Equitation Centre.

Trigger responds to movements on his back, giving youngsters a real sense of riding a horse.

As well as riding Trigger, the children took part in events such as rosette making and equestrian road safety quizzes.

The festival, which is travelling around the country, aims to introduce 200,000 new and lapsed riders to horses over the summer, as well as making horse riding fashionable among young people.

Each child who took part yesterday received a book of discount vouchers to get them started at a locally approved riding centre.

Trigger will be cantering on to Yarm County Primary School today where youngsters will be helped to ride by instructors from the Kirklevington Riding Centre.