Riding for the Disabled Association facts for kids
"It's what you can do that counts."
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| Formation | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Charity |
| Headquarters | Shrewley, Warwickshire |
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President
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Princess Anne |
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CEO
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Michael Bishop |
| Affiliations | British Equestrian |
The Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) is a special charity in the United Kingdom. It started in 1969. The RDA helps people with disabilities by offering them fun and helpful activities. These activities include horse-riding, equestrian vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), and carriage driving. These activities are not just fun; they also help people feel better, both physically and mentally. Princess Anne has been the President of the RDA since 1985.
The RDA is made up of about 500 different groups all over the UK. Each year, they help over 26,500 children and adults. The RDA is also one of 16 groups that form British Equestrian, which is the main organisation for horse sports in Britain. Since 2013, the RDA has worked with British Equestrian to give a special award called the Accessibility Mark. This award goes to riding schools that are great at helping people with disabilities.
Contents
The History of RDA
How Horse Riding Helps People
People have known that horse riding can be good for health for a very long time. The first ideas about horses helping people with disabilities were written down in ancient Greece around 600 BC. Later, in 1895, a French doctor named Cassaign studied how horses could help with certain brain conditions. He found that it really made a difference!
How the RDA Began
In the 1900s, riding horses for therapy became very popular in Europe. This was especially true after a brave woman named Lis Hartel from Denmark showed everyone what was possible. Even though she couldn't move her legs much because of a sickness called polio, she won a silver medal in horse riding at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Her amazing success inspired many groups to start offering therapeutic horse riding. By 1964, these groups in the UK decided to work together. They formed a loose organisation to help coordinate their efforts. By 1966, there were 23 such groups in the United Kingdom.
In 1969, all these groups officially joined together to create the Riding for the Disabled Association. Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk was the first president. Then, in 1985, Princess Anne took over as President, and she still holds that important role today. In 2019, the RDA celebrated its 50th birthday, marking half a century of helping people.
RDA National Championships
Since 1985, the RDA has held exciting national championships every year. Riders first compete in local events to qualify. The big final competition takes place at Hartpury University and College in Gloucester.
These championships are a chance for riders to show off their skills. The events include different types of horse riding, like dressage (where riders guide horses through special movements), carriage driving, and showjumping. There's also the Countryside Challenge, vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), and showing events. Some classes don't even involve riding, so everyone can take part!
Important Moments for the RDA
| Year | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1969 | The RDA officially started. |
| 1971 | Princess Anne became a supporter (patron) of the RDA. |
| 1975 | Carriage driving became a new activity offered by the RDA. |
| 1985 | The very first National RDA Dressage Championships were held. |
| 1985 | Princess Anne became the President of the RDA. |
| 1996 | Para dressage (dressage for riders with disabilities) was included in the Olympic Games. |
| 2010 | Showjumping was added as an RDA activity. |
| 2013 | Endurance riding (long-distance riding) was added as an activity. |
| 2013 | The Accessibility Mark was created to recognise good commercial stables. |
| 2014 | The RDA was featured on special Royal Mail stamps called 'Working Horses'. |
| 2019 | The RDA celebrated its 50th anniversary. |
| 2022 | The Human Equine Interaction Register (HEIR) was launched as part of a bigger group. |
Amazing Achievements
The RDA has helped many riders achieve incredible things. At the Paralympic Games in London (2012), Rio (2016), and Tokyo (2020), all the riders on the Team GB Para team started their journey with the RDA. These amazing athletes included Natasha Baker MBE, Sophie Christiansen, Sir Lee Pearson, and Sophie Wells MBE. For the Tokyo 2020 games, Georgia Wilson also joined the team. Their success shows just how much the RDA helps people reach their full potential!
