DRDA Disabilities Program
The core purpose of DRDA 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 disabled people to achieve good lives including meaningful participation in, and contribution to, important life activities and roles in their community.
Dunedin’s Riding for Disabled Program caters to a wide range of people from the community. We are a goals and outcome based program based in Fairfield, with a small team of amazing horses, wonderful volunteers and trained coaches.
NZRDA is a member association made up of over 40 local RDA groups who are in local communities throughout New Zealand.
At Dunedin RDA we work alongside whānau, schools and the riders' wider community to help set goals and outcomes for each rider. Our program is split into three categories: Therapy, Education and Sports/Rec. Riders will be streamed into one of these categories based on their goals and needs. We regularly monitor and review the rider's program and goals to ensure the rider is continuing to progress. A rider who has achieved all their goals will graduate from the RDA program.
Our sessions vary depending on the rider's needs. These groups can be up to four riders per session and times vary from 15mins to 45 mins again depending on individual riders needs.
At Dunedin RDA, we pride ourselves in offering a high quality service to riders with a wide variety of disabilities and whilst we do try to cater to everyone we are restricted by our resources (horses and personnel). If you have questions regarding our program please email: office@rdadunedin.org
Please note we currently have a rider weight limit of 72.5kg this due to the height & breed of horses we have currently and to ensure rider, rider assistant and horse safety at all times.
If you have any questions around this please email info@rdadunedin.org.
If you think you have a rider that may benefit from our program, click here to fill out a Rider Referral Form.
If you are inquiring regarding a school please click here to fill a School Interest Form.
Once we receive your riders referral our coach will be in touch with you via email.
2025 Group Session Dates (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am-1pm Wednesday 2pm-5pm). Sessions do not run on Stat holidays:
Term 1: Feb 10th- April 4th
Term 2: April 28th- June 20th
BREAK: June 20th to July 25th
Term 3: July 28th- Sep 19th
Term 4: Oct 6th - 5th Dec
DRDA Adverse Weather Policy: In the event of adverse weather, DRDA group & private sessions will be unmounted and focus on gearing up, horsemanship and practical theory (horse colours, breeds, etc). Unmounted lesson plans are geared towards all abilities. Where inappropriate or impossible, DRDA lessons will be cancelled.