Going to join in this disucussion again, It is a shame that so many people are having negative experiance with R.D.A. When I did my first post I honestly thought that I would have had a few people on my back defending The R.D.A., But looking at where all all the replies are coming from it is not just a problem here in Scotland.When you try and make contact with them and no one can be bothered to get back to you it doesn't excatly install you with confidence. Lets all hope that they can sort themselves out and get down to helping all those who would benefit from the good that they can do. [There are a lot of good R.D.A centres] it's just finding them thats the problem.
Everyone else happy with their RDA centre?
- Thread starter emmabailey
- Start date
Yes, my daughter did go to a 'normal' riding school for a bit but they said she could only have private lessons (one to one) and found her quite fustrating to teach as she doesn't always understand well. she stopped going as she got moaned at a lot (teachers assuming she couldn't be bothered/wasn't thinking rather then couldn't understand) and didn't enjoy it especially as a lot of her friends were having group lessons and allowed to join in more fun activities. After this I started teaching her at home on a suitable pony we had at the time, she learnt more doing that but we don't have a suitable pony any more and she's got to the stage where she needs to be taught by someone else. My other BIG problem was private lessons = very expensive and when you have five children there's no way on earth you can qualify spending that much every week on one child.
Gestures are fine for my little boy (most makaton is gestures). It is more, i find, generally there is a lack of understanding of him as he doesn't talk at all apart from saying mum, yes, no, dad, and his name none very clearly. He makes noises and sometimes 'shouts' because he is desperate to be able to talk properly unfortunately his condition means his muscles don't work properly especially around his voicebox and mouth. His understanding however is spot on. I'm not sure if the RDA will say he's too young though? (He's 4 in june). Saying that he did a local show last year in lead rein and the judge was very sympathetic to him and asked him to 'show' what he likes about his pony.........he smiled said yes dropped his reins and gave the pony a huge forward hug round her neck. She was suitably pleased.
Anyway I've left a message with the RDA organiser's for the school I'm interested in , hopefully they will get back to me.
They didn't but they do now!
That's really good news
really hope someone gets back to you LF. The concept of RDA is excellent, it's just a shame there's so much politicking involved.
Thanks....... I'm afraid there is in everything that includes the special needs banner.........unless its high profile of course.
(one of my children, too young to ride yet does have a 'high profile' rare disability and 'people' bend over backwards to help him, same can't be said of my other two children who only have 'bog standard' disabilities)
yup, i agree..have a disabled brother who doesn't have a specific disability and i'm a disability advice worker! i know where you're coming from
laceyfreckle. I really feel for you , coping with 1 child with a disability is hard enough. It seems to me that their is still a lot of discrimination about, A disability, is a disability regardless of it being physical or learning. Don't know if it's the same for all R.D.A centres but when my daughter joined the one she was at. she was seen by a physio [provided by R.D.A] To see if riding would be beneficial to her, also had to provide consultants/doctors letters to back up our request. It was so hard even trying to get in her in their.So having to go through all that if you have more than one disabled child is nothing short of a night mare.
Yes, see that's what annoys me.....all the paperwork for every tiny bit of support they might be entitled to. Then, once they know you have more then one disabled child you have to sort of defend yourself as to why you have more then one and that it isn't for all the benefits you can get
. I've had assessments and then 2-3yrs waiting list for speech therapy. I'm still fighting for my eldest's statement after 6yrs of applying and taking to court. My 3 yr old starts school in september and they are still doing his statement paperwork too (he will get one once they've done the paperwork) even though there is no way he can communicate with the teacher without a specialist teacher helping him. It's utter madness.Both would be ok with physio checks as eldest has poor muscle tone and also has arthiritis and 3yr old has dyspraxia affecting all his muscles, tires easily and cannot run properly due to lack of muscle strength. (3 kids & one pushchair =
) I also think it would benefit them both by giving them something they can excel in that they find easier then academic activities.It's hard to get Dr's and consultants letters though as eldest doesn't see anyone really much any more as her probs don't have a 'name' as such and they tried everything to improve her that doesn't. They don't see her as there isn't really anything they can do, it's just how she is. 3yr old does get seen but again there isn't much treatment apart from speech therapy for dyspraxia and non-speech. (and if there is anything offered you have to wait at least 2 yrs to get seen
). I do get DLA for both that I have proof of though.My baby boy who is 8 months - well because his problem is severe and rare.......everyone forms a cue to see him
Nothing can be done for his problems either but because it can be fatal and there's only a handful of other children in the UK with it, they all want to see him and get their name in the paper for having dealt with him Sadly he will only ever be able to ride if he has a lucozade bottle (or similar) stuck to him (loses energy very quickly doing normal activity)OOPs sorry for the rant * embarrassed*
Grr just got a call back
I live a 20min walk from my local RDA centre that apparently only takes children from school age BUT only offers lessons in school time and they have to attend two particular 'special schools' to get the lessons.
I can however phone up a center 45mins drive away (I don't drive) and they MAY be able to offer my 3yr old some lessons on a mechanical horse.
On the plus point......hubby has definitely said I can get another pony (but, just one) so it looks like instead of finding my perfect pony I'll now be looking for a special 'family pony' from 12.2hh-14hh for us all to share. (Looks like I'm going to have to step up my diet so I don't pony squash)
I live a 20min walk from my local RDA centre that apparently only takes children from school age BUT only offers lessons in school time and they have to attend two particular 'special schools' to get the lessons
.I can however phone up a center 45mins drive away (I don't drive) and they MAY be able to offer my 3yr old some lessons on a mechanical horse.
On the plus point......hubby has definitely said I can get another pony (but, just one) so it looks like instead of finding my perfect pony I'll now be looking for a special 'family pony' from 12.2hh-14hh for us all to share. (Looks like I'm going to have to step up my diet so I don't pony squash)
Grr just got a call back
I live a 20min walk from my local RDA centre that apparently only takes children from school age BUT only offers lessons in school time and they have to attend two particular 'special schools' to get the lessons
How the Hell can they justify that? surely thats discrimination? just because your child has a disability doesn't mean that they automatically go to a 'special school' I would be furious.
I am very sorry for the difficulties everyone has experienced in getting access for themselves (or their children) to riding opportunities, however I feel the need to say here that the RDA is a charity, manned mostly by unpaid volunteers.
It does not have to provide all disabled persons with riding access. Nobody is entitled to ride with the RDA.
One group I know of caters only for children aged 5-16, mainly from a specific school. Why? Because that is the group its volunteers are trained for, and its ponies are suitable for. It focuses on doing the best job possible for the young people it is able to.
Another group I know refused to continue to provide riding to a child who was agressive and violent. It was tied in with their disability, but none the less, a group is responsible for everyone's safety and could not allow their volunteers to be hurt by this child. Who would want to volunteer in a place where their safety was in jeopardy?
Another group has closed its waiting list and will not take details of prospective riders. Why? Because to avoid overworking its horses it cannot accommodate any more riders. Those already on the waiting list wait roughly a year for a place to ride. To put more on the list would be unrealistic. If I were a disabled person wishing to ride there, I would be disappointed. But unfortunately you cannot conjure volunteers out of nowhere, or feed ponies nothing.
As many here know, horses are expensive. Each RDA group is its own independent charity, raising its own funds. It cannot endlessly accommodate everyone. Many groups own horses and must not stretch their resources so far that those animals go without.
I agree that the RDA is not without its flaws, and I'm sure that some groups are better than others, but I find it suprising that people feel themselves to be entitled to recieve something from a group of unpaid volunteers, providing time, effort, expertise and horses for free. Yes, concerns should be raised, but sometimes the answer is that an RDA group cannot accommodate a person at a certain time, or those volunteers might be be trained to help a particular individual most effectively. In my opinion, concerns should be raised with the group or with RDA National, to bring about change and try to make the RDA the very best thing it can be.
It does not have to provide all disabled persons with riding access. Nobody is entitled to ride with the RDA.
One group I know of caters only for children aged 5-16, mainly from a specific school. Why? Because that is the group its volunteers are trained for, and its ponies are suitable for. It focuses on doing the best job possible for the young people it is able to.
Another group I know refused to continue to provide riding to a child who was agressive and violent. It was tied in with their disability, but none the less, a group is responsible for everyone's safety and could not allow their volunteers to be hurt by this child. Who would want to volunteer in a place where their safety was in jeopardy?
Another group has closed its waiting list and will not take details of prospective riders. Why? Because to avoid overworking its horses it cannot accommodate any more riders. Those already on the waiting list wait roughly a year for a place to ride. To put more on the list would be unrealistic. If I were a disabled person wishing to ride there, I would be disappointed. But unfortunately you cannot conjure volunteers out of nowhere, or feed ponies nothing.
As many here know, horses are expensive. Each RDA group is its own independent charity, raising its own funds. It cannot endlessly accommodate everyone. Many groups own horses and must not stretch their resources so far that those animals go without.
I agree that the RDA is not without its flaws, and I'm sure that some groups are better than others, but I find it suprising that people feel themselves to be entitled to recieve something from a group of unpaid volunteers, providing time, effort, expertise and horses for free. Yes, concerns should be raised, but sometimes the answer is that an RDA group cannot accommodate a person at a certain time, or those volunteers might be be trained to help a particular individual most effectively. In my opinion, concerns should be raised with the group or with RDA National, to bring about change and try to make the RDA the very best thing it can be.
Laceyfreckle, I'm really sorry to hear that your nearest centre isn't able to give your children lessons.
However, although the things I said earlier still stand, I feel sort of obliged to put a word in for the RDA centres.
There aren't that many full time RDA yards in the UK, the majority of groups don't have their own and have to rent ponies/arenas from able-bodied riding schools and so have their hands tied - the sort of lessons they can offer has to be based on the ponies and times they are given.
If the group you called only accepts applications from 2 particular schools, it suggests that their funding is somehow tied to the school's finances - it is a real juggling act to balance providing discounted lessons to disabled clients with raising the money required to pay for the rent of ponies, arenas and the extortionate insurance that RDA requires from their member groups. It sounds as if this school may have solved the problem by incorporating National Curriculum goals into their lessons and getting the school to help fund it.
Unfortunately, getting insurance elsewhere as a non-RDA affiliated disabled riding school is even more expensive.
And even if you have the ponies, finding enough volunteers that are able to RELIABLY help with lessons (with up to 3 volunteers needed per rider, plus instructor) places a real limit on the number of riders that you can accomodate per lesson.
Again, I'm sorry that they said that your children couldn't ride there, if ever the centre 45 minutes away becomes an option (I'm guessing they directed you to Chigwell if they're offering mechanicals) then it is a very very good place.
However many problems the RDA may have with their 'internal affairs' unfortunately I believe the demand for lessons will always outstrip the availability (I had to deal with a waiting list of 150 riders, all of whom could have benefitted hugely, some of whom were willing to come 40 miles for a half hour lesson )
One of my ambitions is to stage a major petition for NHS-funded riding lessons for those it would benefit.
However, although the things I said earlier still stand, I feel sort of obliged to put a word in for the RDA centres.
There aren't that many full time RDA yards in the UK, the majority of groups don't have their own and have to rent ponies/arenas from able-bodied riding schools and so have their hands tied - the sort of lessons they can offer has to be based on the ponies and times they are given.
If the group you called only accepts applications from 2 particular schools, it suggests that their funding is somehow tied to the school's finances - it is a real juggling act to balance providing discounted lessons to disabled clients with raising the money required to pay for the rent of ponies, arenas and the extortionate insurance that RDA requires from their member groups. It sounds as if this school may have solved the problem by incorporating National Curriculum goals into their lessons and getting the school to help fund it.
Unfortunately, getting insurance elsewhere as a non-RDA affiliated disabled riding school is even more expensive.
And even if you have the ponies, finding enough volunteers that are able to RELIABLY help with lessons (with up to 3 volunteers needed per rider, plus instructor) places a real limit on the number of riders that you can accomodate per lesson.
Again, I'm sorry that they said that your children couldn't ride there, if ever the centre 45 minutes away becomes an option (I'm guessing they directed you to Chigwell if they're offering mechanicals) then it is a very very good place.
However many problems the RDA may have with their 'internal affairs' unfortunately I believe the demand for lessons will always outstrip the availability (I had to deal with a waiting list of 150 riders, all of whom could have benefitted hugely, some of whom were willing to come 40 miles for a half hour lesson
)One of my ambitions is to stage a major petition for NHS-funded riding lessons for those it would benefit.
Actually, I don't believe that they are entitled to but the FACT is my children CAN'T ride anywhere else and the riding is good for their disability's and well being.
IF I could take my children to a normal riding school I would..........but they won't teach my children. (Apart from for vast sums of money)
I'm NOT expecting it for free or without a waiting list. In fact I am willing to pay a reasonable amount and to help out if required.
I AM sick to death of hearing that you can't be disabled if you don't go to a special school though.....my daughter gets the same amount of help at school as if she was at a special school , there is a right for parents to keep their child mainstream if they wish.
My local RDA center uses a local riding school's ponies.
That's a totally separate issue, and I'm very sorry if someone from an RDA group has said that to you. Obviously children with disabilities are educated in a wide range of settings. I'm quite shocked anyone thinks that is the case! However an RDA group still has the right to only take children from certain schools if that's its choice.
I appreciate how valuable riding is to many disabilities, and have a great deal of sympathy for your plight. But that doesn't mean that anyone is required to provide suitable riding facilities for your children. Argubly if you want them to benefit from riding you have to choose to a) pay the very expensive costs at a 'normal' riding school b) enrol them in a school that provides horse riding in the NC or c) arrange transport to the nearest RDA centre.
I know that sounds very tough, and none of those might seem feasible, but it is not the RDA's fault that you cannot currently access riding facilities. It has done nothing wrong, just like you, and it is unfortunate that your needs and the RDA's provision do not currently match.
I got the impression that my children's needs would never match....basically there is NO provision.
children at special schools already get a LOT of funding to pay for specialist help. Because my daughter goes to a normal school I have to fight for every scrap of help we get (which isn't much).
I don't drive so there is no way I can get my children to suffolk where there is the mechanical horse that might be available........also how would I explain that to my daughter...ther is no provision for her there just my son and he would benefit from the close contact to a horse as well as the riding side to aid sensory development.
I can't afford private lessons for them. I gave up work this year to care for them. My husbands wage does not bring in wads of excess cash when you're talking nearly £40 a week per child for one lesson each.
Since stopping riding both children have had increased joint/muscle pain my eldest having been sent home from school several times in the last week.
I am lucky in that we can get another pony (still cheaper to keep then the lessons) but I feel sorry for the children that do not have this as a option. Personally I would prefer them to have lessons with a instructor qualified to teach them.
Maybe if the RDA concentrated more on giving more children 'some' lessons rather then taking a dozen or so children through to competing level then there would be more provision available.
children at special schools already get a LOT of funding to pay for specialist help. Because my daughter goes to a normal school I have to fight for every scrap of help we get (which isn't much).
I don't drive so there is no way I can get my children to suffolk where there is the mechanical horse that might be available........also how would I explain that to my daughter...ther is no provision for her there just my son and he would benefit from the close contact to a horse as well as the riding side to aid sensory development.
I can't afford private lessons for them. I gave up work this year to care for them. My husbands wage does not bring in wads of excess cash when you're talking nearly £40 a week per child for one lesson each.
Since stopping riding both children have had increased joint/muscle pain my eldest having been sent home from school several times in the last week.
I am lucky in that we can get another pony (still cheaper to keep then the lessons) but I feel sorry for the children that do not have this as a option. Personally I would prefer them to have lessons with a instructor qualified to teach them.
Maybe if the RDA concentrated more on giving more children 'some' lessons rather then taking a dozen or so children through to competing level then there would be more provision available.
I don't think anyone is suggesting that disabled riders shouldn't contribute to lessons at R.D.A. But surely a fairer way would be setting a fixed fee, so that everyone pays the same amount, regardless of income or wether you own your own horse or not. We don't expect something for nothing, and don't see it as an automatic right, because of disability to recieve lessons for nothing.
I would agree........or maybe even private lessons at a ordinary riding school at a discounted price on proof of disability including possibly a assessment so they could assess the childs needs in order to be able to teach that person effectively.
My daughter did attend loc. rda when at school they were each given a chance to have 6 x1 hour lessons after that it was finished.
Where we are we only have 10 places availible to the disabled kids.
My daughter came on so much we offered to pay for the RDA lessons but told No.
I am sure a lot of other people would be willing to pay if need be..
have 2 rda centres
here one of does not get good feedback other top feedback From what
I can make out The head of RDA are aware of centres that are not up to scratch and trying to work on problem.
Its like Riding schools you get good ones and bad ones
Where we are we only have 10 places availible to the disabled kids.
My daughter came on so much we offered to pay for the RDA lessons but told No.
I am sure a lot of other people would be willing to pay if need be..
have 2 rda centres
here one of does not get good feedback other top feedback From what
I can make out The head of RDA are aware of centres that are not up to scratch and trying to work on problem.
Its like Riding schools you get good ones and bad ones
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