Spring 2003

Gladesville Veterinary Hospital Riding For The Disabled Association, Ryde Centre And “Bobby”

RDA – Riding Develops Abilities

The primary objective of RDA is to provide most persons with a disability the opportunity to enjoy therapeutic and recreational horse related activities.  Riders include people with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, multiple injuries, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury, intellectual disability, the sight and hearing impaired, amputees etc.

As well as horse riding, some Centres also offer carriage driving, vaulting (gymnastics on a moving horse) and hippotherapy.  Hippo = horse = hippotherapy, an actual treatment carried out by specially trained physiotherapists.

There are 38 operating Centres in NSW with two more in the planning stage.

Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Ryde Centre began operations on campus of the Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney, Ryde in February 1984.

There are seven horses on site and each week one hundred riders come along to participate in a riding programme.  The horses work from Tuesday morning to Saturday morning inclusive and each day is managed by a team of volunteers and a coach.  The coaches are accredited with the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme and are responsible for the welfare of the horses, volunteers and riders.  There is no paid staff and each Centre is responsible for raising funds to maintain their Centre and care for their horses.  Sponsorship is an excellent way to support the horses - each one costing more than $1000.00 per year unshod.

Horses are bought, leased or donated and in general, must be at least six years of age before being considered as a suitable mount for a person with a disability.

Gladesville Veterinary Hospital staff began sponsoring “Bobby”, an RDA horse, in April 1997.  “Bobby” is a 24 years old 15hh bay gelding who has been at Ryde for many years.  He is leased from his owner.

He is a dressage horse and is ridden by some of our riders in State Dressage Competitions and also in Mounted Games at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

He took Jan (pictured) in dressage to State and National level - she now has to have private lessons on a more educated mount to continue her riding career.  Jan is on the Paralympic Preparation Programme and is competing in the World Dressage Competition in Belgium on a German horse in September.

“Bobby” helped her get there.

Lyn Lazarus