Tauranga Riding for the Disabled

We are New Zealand’s biggest Riding for the Disabled centre (out of 55 nationwide), riding over 150 riders per week. We are a non-for-profit and operate the help from our 100 wonderful volunteers. We run our therapy programmes 5 days a week. Our Vision is that “Every person is supported to live life to their full potential” and we aim to fulfill this with our Mission “To offer equine therapy to people with disabilities and social challenges.”

What we do.

Our current programmes:

1.Therapy Riding - uses the movement of the horse as a treatment tool to address mental and physical impairment. Each rider works towards their individual therapeutic, educational or sporting goals set by the RDA coaches in conjunction with their therapists, teachers and caregivers. This programme directly improves and promotes balance, co-ordination, posture, muscle tone, mental well-being, communication and independence.

2. Life Skills – is a programme designed to target low self-esteem, depression and anxiety in at-risk youth and young offenders, to develop confidence, self-esteem, compassion and social skills which translates to other aspects of their lives.

3. Sport and Recreation – aims to provide riders with the skills and confidence to enable them to attend a mainstream riding school, if that is the path in which they wish to proceed. This programme takes them to the next level of horsemanship competence.

Through our programmes we target those with differing abilities and those whom are at-risk and help them to be able to function as highly as possible to contribute to their families and communities.