Lincolnshire Riding For The Disabled

by Sheila
(Saxilby, Lincolnshire)

Lincolnshire Riding for the Disabled - RDA

The Lincolnshire RDA (Riding for The Disabled) is part of a national group of like minded organisations whch are mostly run on a voluntary basis. Lincolnshire RDA groups are based in :

CLEETHORPES & GRIMSBY GROUP
Phone: 0845 241 4333 Postcode: DN32 8PL

JETNA HOUSE FARM (SWINDERBY) GROUP
Phone: 0845 241 5377 Postcode: LN6 9LW

KESTEVEN GROUP
Phone: 0845 241 5380 Postcode: NG32 2BE

LINCOLN & DISTRICT GROUP
Phone: 0845 450 7058

LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS GROUP
Phone: 0845 450 7061 Postcode: LN11 8NR

LOUTH GROUP
Phone: 0845 450 7132

Join or Volunteer to Help :
Phone your Local Chairman for further details on the groups in your area, to volunteer or to join and ride.

Area/Group Chairperson : Mrs J Dipper 0845 450 7065

RDA Activities Include :

Riding :
lincoln equestrian riding clubs - Lincolnshire Rding for the Disabled RDA Riding gives over 24,000 children and adults an unforgettable experience each year, through RDA.

Horse riding offers an opportunity for enjoyment, challenge, friendship, laughter, achievement, independence and confidence.

Medical professionals recognise that there are also significant therapeutic benefits for the rider. The warmth and three dimensional movement of the horse is transmitted through the rider’s body, gradually making it more relaxed and supple, reducing spasms and improving balance, posture and co-ordination.

Carriage Driving :
Carriage driving has been an important part of RDA since 1975 and there are now almost 100 groups involved giving opportunities to over 1000 drivers.

RDA Carriage Driving is open to all members of RDA and is particularly useful for people who can no longer ride due to disability or prefer a different kind of challenge.

Dressage :
The object of dressage is to improve balance, control, mobility, memory and freedom. Riding the movements required for a test and maintaining a good rhythm increase the awareness of balance and control.

RDA dressage tests range from led, with helpers, at walk, to canter tests with lateral movements. The challenge of learning a test, riding it accurately and performing to the best of the horse's ability has many positive benefits.

Polo :
In 2000 Larry Leggatt and Christopher Walkinshaw founder members of the Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club decided to show the caring side of polo, by offering to teach some of our RDA riders to play. They approached Gay Redman, Cambridgeshire County Chairman, who enlisted the help of Judith Walker, RDASI from the College of West Anglia. The RDA Group who rides there had several good riders who started off stick and balling on their feet and practicing their swings on the wooden horse. With the marvelous enthusiasm, instruction and help from several members of the Polo Club they progressed to riding the polo ponies at the Dullingham ground.

Polo helps to improve concentration, confidence, balance, agility and co-ordination. The freedom of the polo ground, atmosphere and social life has also opened up new horizons for our players.

Vaulting :
Vaulting can be defined as gymnastics on the back of a moving horse. It is one of the 7 disciplines recognised by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The team of 8 with a reserve, work with one horse under the control of a lunger.

Competitive vaulting is a youth sport but at the novice and recreational level it has much to offer to all ages and abilities. Vaulting is a sound basis to learn riding from and should not be seen as merely jumping on and off, but sessions that allow participants to work within a group sharing not only the horse but also their experiences. It allows time to watch, relate and to explore feel, rhythm, timing and balance. The vaulter gains harmony with the horse whilst having no responsibility for the control of the animal. The time spent in gaining trust and confidence in their own ability leads to greater security. Undoubtedly vaulting has a role to play in the introduction of riding to all.

Countryside Challenge :
The RDA Countryside Challenge evolved from the event put on by the British Show Pony Society in the 1980's.

With this idea in mind, RDA's East Region decided to plan a course for their Regional Event as a progression of riding skills with a meaning and a purpose, requiring balance, co-ordination and concentration by the rider rather than the previous rather arbitrary series of obstacles.

In the new course each obstacle could be used individually at Group level to practice a specific skill. The course involved good leading and side helping so that the rider could perform the movements with as much independence as possible.

The guidelines were enlarged to help with the training of riders and helpers and to inform the judges. The "and rider" title was added to the original BSPS Working Pony event as it seemed important to acknowledge our riders great efforts to ride and compete.