RS That Do RDA?

[Poppet25]

Any RS owners on here do RDA?

I've just had a whisper of someone developing an RDA centre round here and I might be in chance of a job if it comes off, but I have NO experience with RDA (have only worked in a standard RS)

Anybody got any information about it?

 

[PoweredByHorses]

poppet25,
what is it that would like to know about?

just wondering in case am know any answers [though am no RS owner,have been riding in RDA for years-both in RDA groups and a full RDA school].

 

[8-legged-pony]

Is it actual RDA - i.e. are they making a new RDA member group, or is it a RS offering disabled riding? There is a big difference, as RDA do things in a particular way due to insurance etc. In order to teach RDA (unless things have changed!) you need to train to become a group instructor - you can't just start teaching as you won't be insured. Training involves a certain amount of hours teaching practice (with a qualified group instructor present), followed by being examined by a county level instructor. You then have to be visited by a county instructor at least once a year in order to keep your level of teaching up. You are also expected to attend at least one training day a year.

What in particular did you want to know about RDA? Are you wanting to teach, or work on the yard?

 

[Poppet25]

Is it actual RDA - i.e. are they making a new RDA member group, or is it a RS offering disabled riding? There is a big difference, as RDA do things in a particular way due to insurance etc. In order to teach RDA (unless things have changed!) you need to train to become a group instructor - you can't just start teaching as you won't be insured. Training involves a certain amount of hours teaching practice (with a qualified group instructor present), followed by being examined by a county level instructor. You then have to be visited by a county instructor at least once a year in order to keep your level of teaching up. You are also expected to attend at least one training day a year.

What in particular did you want to know about RDA? Are you wanting to teach, or work on the yard?

Thank you that's just what I wanted to know. TBH I haven't a clue what they are proposing, it's someone with a lot of money who own a piece of land which used to be a riding school many years ago and they are considering developing it as an RDA centre.

I envisage a lot of restrictions and rules they will have to adhere to. I'm also presuming they are quite clueless about horses but that I'm not sure about. It's a friend of the family but I don't know their circumstances regarding their experience with horses.

I'm a BHSAI but haven't taught for over 10 years apart from the hubby who I was teaching to ride on our loan horse up until recently when we had to give her back.

If they go ahead with what they are proposing I'd like some info about what RDA entails so I can go armed with some info for them.

 

[8-legged-pony]

Ok, definitely visit www.rda.org.uk, and direct them there too as it'll give a lot of information.

I don't know a huge amount about setting up an RDA group, their best bet would be to phone up the RDA and speak to them about it, or maybe find the nearest group to them and visit. It might be that an exisiting group may be able to set up riding sessions on their land. My old group used to have 3 different places they rode at, which were either existing riding schools or private livery yards. The owner of the RS/livery yard would let them use the school and then either borrow horses, or in the case of the private yard, the group kept 2 horses on livery at the yard and paid a minimal livery fee to the owner of the yard.

An RDA group basically consists of a commitee - a chairperson, treasurer, secretary and other trustees, who together run the group. In order to set up an RDA group your friend would have to apply to the RDA to set up a new group, find people to be on the commitee, and then have inspections of the yard to make sure it was suitable for RDA. There are a lot of rules and regulations with running an RDA group - there's a members handbook (we used to refer to it as "The Bible"!) which explains all the rules, i.e. manual handling, safety, risk assessments, what tack can be used etc. etc. Basically the RDA have to ensure that the yard is safe, the horses are safe, the people helping are safe, there's suitable equipment etc. It's a lot of work, but is definitely worth it in the end!

 

[Poppet25]

Ok, definitely visit www.rda.org.uk, and direct them there too as it'll give a lot of information.

I don't know a huge amount about setting up an RDA group, their best bet would be to phone up the RDA and speak to them about it, or maybe find the nearest group to them and visit. It might be that an exisiting group may be able to set up riding sessions on their land. My old group used to have 3 different places they rode at, which were either existing riding schools or private livery yards. The owner of the RS/livery yard would let them use the school and then either borrow horses, or in the case of the private yard, the group kept 2 horses on livery at the yard and paid a minimal livery fee to the owner of the yard.

An RDA group basically consists of a commitee - a chairperson, treasurer, secretary and other trustees, who together run the group. In order to set up an RDA group your friend would have to apply to the RDA to set up a new group, find people to be on the commitee, and then have inspections of the yard to make sure it was suitable for RDA. There are a lot of rules and regulations with running an RDA group - there's a members handbook (we used to refer to it as "The Bible"!) which explains all the rules, i.e. manual handling, safety, risk assessments, what tack can be used etc. etc. Basically the RDA have to ensure that the yard is safe, the horses are safe, the people helping are safe, there's suitable equipment etc. It's a lot of work, but is definitely worth it in the end!

Thank you, very much appreciated just what I needed.