Introducing Positive RDA
– supporting people with a life changing diagnosis or injury to ride and be with horses.
The Positive RDA group’s purpose is to support people with a life changing diagnosis or injury to ride and be with horses. Such changes often happen suddenly, and we can help horse owners to continue to care for and ride their horse while they adjust to the situation. They may need specialist support such as specialist saddles or help in mounting, or their horse may need re-training.
Many people with age-related disorders cannot ride, but would still like to connect with horses in a variety of ways such as visits to the races or simply being welcomed to a calm, safe yard.
We are creating a centre focused on these needs and will be helping to train other coaches who want to help this important group.
Many RDA groups are unable to support adults as they simply do not have suitable horses, facilities or support teams. This is because with taller horses it can be difficult for volunteers to help riders mount and dismount.
We want to focus on this issue by providing mechanical hoists / platforms and using our experience to train horses to relax with them.
A hydraulic mounting platform will be attached to a horsebox to create a ‘mobile RDA’ which can go to the places where participants want to ride. Competition venues, other RDA centres or hacking around beautiful places – it will create a treasured riding experience. It can also be used to take combinations out to competitions and lessons, or transport our horses to other RDA groups that need larger horses and support with mounting and dismounting.
The horsebox design will also visit care homes and hospices for residents to re-connect with horses in a safe and private space. Anyone who understands the special relationship will know just how important this could be to a horse-lover….
We are investing in a professional booking and data management system so that people can link in with where the horsebox will be and arrange visits.