RDA Participant Program

Our program and activities

APRDA RDA Participant Program runs on a QLD School term basis and provides an all-encompassing range of equestrian activities, these include both riding and non-riding activities. Our  program schedule provides  themed based weekly or fortnightly activities and during at least 3 sessions over the term we support the participants in non-riding sessions, these sessions are enormously important for physical, social, and emotional development and give a different understanding of their mount from the ridden experience.  We also provide sessions that include supported riding sessions, trail riding, arena games, and riding skill development.  All our activities provide benefits including core strength, gross and fine motor skills, empathy, experiential learning, problem solving and the opportunity to understand and predict horse behaviour from their own body language in and out of the saddle. We provide a fun safe environment that supports each participant to engage with our horses and achieve their goals and aspirations.

All participants wishing to participate in the RDA Participant Program must not exceed a riding weight limit of 75 kg. If this limit excludes a potential riding  participant, we can offer a Horsemanship development / Carriage or ASDAN Programs these programs  will support a participant to engage in other equestrian non-riding related activities..

Entry process and forms

On initial contact we ask that all new or returning participants complete an APRDA New / Returning Participant Enquiry Form,  once this form is completed and returned to our office, we will enter the details on to our waitlist register. Our Staff regularly refer to the waitlist to match participants with available openings in our program schedule.

Please note sessions that run after school and Saturdays generally have a longer waitlist than sessions that run during school hours. We are currently experiencing an influx of enquiries and the wait period for entry into our RDA Participant Program can exceed 9 months. We appreciate everyone’s understanding when it comes to our wait times for our riding programs. Our capacity to provide continuous support is limited by our horses workloads,  capabilities, and their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Assessment process

If and when a suitable program becomes available the participant will be notified and sent additional forms (Application for Membership & RDA Medical consent Form) these forms will be provided for completion prior to an assessment being offfered. Once these forms are returned an appointment  will be arranged for an Individual Needs Assessment, this  initial assessment will occur prior to starting any program or session. Throughout out this process  we consider how to best match the participant’s needs, abilities, skills and interests.

Participation process 

If the participants assessment allows for participation and a suitable place is available, with an appropriate  horse, a session/class day and time is  offered to the Participant.   When the Participant engages in regular sessions for 1 – 3 months the primary supporting Coach in conjunction with the parent/carer and participant complete an Individual Personalised Plan Form (IPP), this will capture the participants goals and strategies for support, this is completed annually.  coach will use the information gathered from the IPP to create a  Participants Goal Plan, this will set goals for one semester and as sessions are provided progress notes are recorded.

Sessions / Classes

All sessions are allocated weekly as a term booking (based on Queensland School Terms) this is a commitment from us to provide the participant with a qualified facilitator / coach and suitable horse for a weekly  session. This requires rostering of staff, horses, volunteers, equipment and safety measures to ensure that sessions can occur.  We require the same courtesy of our participants by attending lessons regularly.

Our  program schedule provides themed based weekly or fortnightly activities and during at least 3 sessions over the term we support the participants in non-riding sessions. Group sessions are mostly ability based with three to six riders in each class.

If you have a group that want to ride together in a group lesson that can be arranged provided we have a time slot available. We also have provided helmets and boots for riders to use.

High Support sessions are designed for riders with key goals either on a physical or emotional level. These classes run for half an hour with one on one instruction from a qualified coach, as well as specialised support from trained volunteers.

The one on one approach promotes riders to have improved focus, better communication and engagement, and allows for specialised activities to further develop physical or emotional attributes specific to each rider.