RDA waiting lists are growing and riders waiting longer owing to groups’ struggles to find suitable horses. H&H speaks to groups and the charity to find out more
RIDING for the Disabled Association (RDA) groups are facing a nationwide “crisis” as they struggle to find suitable horses and ponies, meaning reduced sessions and lengthy waiting lists.
The charity said that misconceptions about the type of horse groups are looking for, plus increased prices and demand in general , are making it increasingly difficult for groups to source horses, and the pandemic is exacerbating the problem. Some groups have waiting lists of up to 150 riders.
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"}
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Credit: Horse & Hound Stock Archive
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H&H senior news writer
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
