Rider's Stories
28May

Jake – A Self-Assured Young Person

Jake has Cerebral Palsy and started at RDA as a 4 year old. These days, Jake is a self-assured young person. Riding has been instrumental in increasing his physical strength and ability, his confidence and self-esteem. While Jake is mostly a wheelchair user, riding has helped him...
09Mar

Riding brings Confidence and Community

Seven-year-old Lucia looks confident and happy on her Riding for the Disabled horse, Honey. She loves all the different sorts of strengthening activities involved during rides, like playing with a ring. See for yourself - check out the video below! Yet, before she started riding, her challenges meant activities like sitting...
27Jan

RDA helps Harper to meet his goals

Jason Moses is competing for NZRDA in the 2020 Coast to Coast Race on 7 and 8 February. He decided to select NZRDA as his charity of choice because he knows a young NZRDA rider named Harper. Harper is 9 years old now, but he benefited from riding when...
19Nov

More Independence? Yes please!

From not being able to sit up - to riding a trike! Learning to ride a horse has enabled Hunter to join in on family walks, because riding has strengthened his muscles enough for him to be able to push the pedals on a trike. Hunter is eight years...
16Aug

Who is a TV star?

Tye joined Riding for the Disabled in November 2015. He has Cerebral Palsy. He has an energetic nature and doesn't let anything daunt him – he’s open to trying new things. Tye is a very quick learner, he started out with two side walkers and very...
19Dec

Help RDA riders like Ruby get strong

Meet Ruby and Gypsy. Earlier this year, Ruby won NZ Riding for the Disabled Association (NZRDA) Rider of the Year. Wow. Super Ruby should be feeling super awesome, right? Wrong. It's ages since since 9 year old Ruby saw her specially trained RDA therapy horse Gypsy. It's even longer since Ruby...
13Jun

Rider of the Year

8-year-old Ruby is NZRDA Rider of the Year! Congratulations to Ruby Fitzgerald from Christchurch Group Riding for the Disabled. Ruby is very intelligent and very curious. She’s always asking questions, always trying to figure out what, why and how. Backed by a very supportive family as well...