About Us - New Zealand Riding for the Disabled

Reach More Riders, Change More Lives

Torohia te tini kaieke hōiho, whakapikitia te oranga

At New Zealand Riding for the Disabled, our core purpose is to 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.

We are New Zealand’s only internationally affiliated and recognised therapeutic horse riding provider.

Riding for the Disabled enhances the lives of over 3,000 people who ride each year. Our qualified specialist teams work with riders and their whanau to create goal-based programmes specific to each person’s unique abilities and designed to build their capability and capacity.

For riders like Hannah, RDA has given her transferrable skills that have made a real difference in her everyday life. The outcomes may be small or significant it doesn’t matter. What matters is that therapeutic horse riding enables and supports our riders to achieve good lives.

Our values are at the heart of RDA and what we do

Teamwork

We work and learn together to achieve more with our riders.

Safety

The safety of people and horses is paramount. We recognise that horses are fearful by nature and by handling them in a low stress way we can help keep people and horses safe.

Empathy

We demonstrate understanding and provide support to people and horses.

Respect

We have respect for people and horses. We stay professional and respectful of the contributions of all people and horses involved with RDA.

Enjoyment

We all enjoy being part of successful RDA outcomes.

Quality

What we do, we do well.

The need for our service is huge with 1 in 4 New Zealanders identifying as disabled. At Riding for the Disabled, we celebrate every individual’s unique abilities and focus on building capability, capacity and strength beyond the perceived limitations. The riders learn to move, adapt and succeed. This leads to a stronger sense of self that translates beyond the arena and into homes, schools and communities.

The NZRDA National Office is a small busy team helping to support RDA groups around the country. Meet the team!

Our History

The Hawke’s Bay is where it all began, with the very first RDA in New Zealand being a sub-group at the Pony Club in Waipukurau.

1962

INTRODUCED

Riding for the Disabled (RDA) was formally introduced to New Zealand in 1962 by the President of the New Zealand Pony Club Association, Tom Atchison (1909-1999).

1972

ESTABLISHED

After retiring as President (and using information he brought back from Great Britain), Tom spent 8 years travelling around New Zealand and encouraging the formation of local RDA groups.

New Zealand Riding for the Disabled Association (NZRDA) was formally established in 1972.

2022

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

In 2022, Riding for the Disabled celebrated 60 Years of Riding for the Disabled in New Zealand.

We kicked off celebrations with our Awards Evening and Dinner at Naumi Hotel on Saturday 2 July 2022, and our Breakfast at Parliament on Monday 4 July 2022. Followed by a Morning Tea at Government House in Auckland on 11 August 2022, and a Virtual Celebration evening online on 3 September 2022.

PRESENT

COUNTRYWIDE

Today, RDA in New Zealand is made up of over 40 groups affiliated to NZRDA. There are RDA groups located in every region throughout the country, from Kaitaia in the north and all the way down to Invercargill in the south.

All RDA groups are incorporated societies and independently financed and managed. The NZRDA is the umbrella organisation providing standards, training, certification and support.

Our RDA groups are primarily run by volunteers, but some groups employ paid staff. Positions vary according to the needs and resources, but generally groups will have people on management committees and others working directly with riders, for example, coaches, therapists, leaders and sidewalkers.

Download our NZRDA Change More Lives 2023 infographic.