Our Programmes
Our core service is therapeutic horse riding and associated activities. We provide interaction with horses to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for people experiencing disability, or who have specific challenges or needs. We aim to enable and support them to achieve good lives including meaningful participation in, and contribution to, important life activities and roles in their community.
THERAPY PROGRAMME
Our therapy programme is set for each rider in conjunction with an NZ registered therapist. Each rider will have a different required outcome. Through using riding skills, alternative positioning and saddles or equipment, riding helps stimulate all parts of the body, build muscle strength, improve coordination and balance and may improve walking ability. Riders in this programme usually have higher support needs, and often use wheelchairs. They have specific goals developed by a trained RDA coach and a therapist, to ensure they achieve the best outcome.
EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Our education programme focuses on school aged riders, with goals that are linked to the NZ curriculum such as supporting literacy and numeracy skills. The RDA environment and activities can be adapted to teach a wide range of educational skills and goals. Programmes are often aligned to their IEP goals (Individual Education Plans) that are developed as part of their school programme.
SPORT & RECREATION PROGRAMME
Our sport and recreational riding programme offer exercise and active recreation and leisure activities in a challenging, fun and supportive environment. All riders have individual set outcomes/goals, and these may include pathways to Pony Club, riding centres, Para-Equestrian or Special Olympics. Recreational riding can help maintain a rider’s independence and functionality.
All riders engage in either a therapeutic, educational or sport and recreation programme. However, we recognise most riders receive outcomes associated with more than one programme and can readily move between them.
Reminder – we are not therapists we work alongside therapists to provide our therapy programmes. We are not a mental health provider as we are not mental health experts.
There are several external funders that will pay for programme fees for riders. Please ask us.
Testimonials
“I really valued the time at WRDA as time where I could watch …(my son)… enjoy mastering something that didn't come naturally but something he was actually achieving. Difficult to try and explain what I mean there, but so often he fails at what he tries and then stops trying. I took extreme pleasure in his starting independent riding and seeing him actually thinking ahead about what he had to do; the sheer joy of watching him achieve the tests we set him and so many of the 'little things' that we all take for granted but he has to work for was awesome. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes!”
“RDA continues to be a happy and safe space for our son to continue to grow his confidence, balance and co-ordination. There are many things he will try and achieve at RDA that he will not attempt outside of this environment.
He has full trust in the staff, volunteers and horses. Recently he has progressed to riding in the saddle and mounting his horse inside the arena using the mounting block. When approached to try these for the first time he had no hesitation. This amazed me as his mother, he is usually very shy, timid and nervous to try new and seemingly difficult things. For this reason I strongly believe RDA is a valuable asset to his development.
It gives him a sense of pride and confidence that he can do something his peers cannot, when often it can be the other way around. He continues to shine in the RDA environment.”
"Most of my injury rehabilitation activities are gym based, this can feel relentlessly hard, with tiny gains. Riding provides considerable physical challenges and has a lot to offer in terms of building strength, but the distraction of working with a lovely horse and focusing on the now of staying in the saddle is a really welcome point of difference. Instead of being consumed by how hard a movement is, my focus is more holistic and includes the horse as well as me. I wish I had known about RDA before my injury as I would have loved to volunteer at the RDA. Whether you are considering the RDA as someone who has a disability or as a volunteer, I can confidently say this is a special place with much to offer in so many ways."
“As a child with a combination of physical, communication and learning challenges life isn’t always easy for our son. He very rarely gets to experience real success, either in the classroom or the sports field.
This can knock his confidence and make him feel “less than” which is far from ideal. RDA has provided him with a unique (and unexpected!) platform to shine. He is loving the challenges and experiences RDA offers and he is just doing so well! Who knew we had a little horse rider in the family? RDA is genuinely the highlight of his week, and the confidence he builds each session travels with him as he works so hard to try and keep up everywhere else. As well as the physical benefits of riding each week, this elevated mana is just fantastic - a very welcome balm for an awesome little boy!
His teacher has commented that he is more resilient and confident in the classroom, and I am sure that’s helped by the weekly morale boost at RDA.”
Interested?
For more information please contact Wellington Riding for the Disabled Association Inc.
Phone (04) 237 5550 or email wellingtonrda@xtra.co.nz