What is the RDA?
The Riding for the Disabled Association is a UK charity that uses the movement of horses to bring benefit to people with physical and mental disabilities. Founded in 1969, RDA now has over 500 groups across the UK, working with approximately 25,000 participants each year.
RDA activities include therapeutic riding (participants ride horses or ponies with support), carriage driving (participants drive a horse-drawn carriage) and vaulting (gymnastic movement performed on horseback). The benefits are wide-ranging: improved balance, core strength and coordination for participants with physical disabilities; confidence, communication and emotional regulation for those with learning difficulties or mental health conditions.
RDA groups are based at riding schools, equestrian centres, farms and dedicated RDA premises. Each group is independently run and affiliated to the national RDA organisation, which provides training, safeguarding frameworks and quality standards.
What do RDA volunteers do?
RDA volunteers take on one of several roles, and most groups use a mix:
Side walkers walk alongside the horse during a session, holding a strap on the participant's leg or the saddle to provide stability and support. This is the most common volunteer role and requires no riding ability whatsoever -- just patience, physical fitness and a calm manner around horses.
Leaders walk at the horse's head, guiding and controlling its movement throughout the session. Leaders need to be comfortable handling horses and should be confident enough to manage the animal if it becomes unsettled. Some groups ask leaders to attend an introduction session before taking on the role independently.
Coaches and assistant coaches plan and deliver sessions, giving instruction to participants. These roles require formal RDA coach training.
Administrative and fundraising volunteers support the group's running without being directly involved in sessions -- essential for small voluntary organisations.
The most common entry point for new volunteers is as a side walker, since no prior horse experience is needed.
Who can volunteer?
RDA volunteers must be aged 14 or over. There is no upper age limit. You do not need to be a rider -- the majority of side walkers have little or no riding background. What RDA groups need most is reliability, calmness and the ability to follow instruction.
All volunteers working directly with participants must complete an enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service), which the group will organise for you. RDA also requires all regular volunteers to complete safeguarding training, which is provided online.
How to find an RDA group
The RDA website (rda.org.uk) has a group finder that lets you search by postcode. Most groups welcome new volunteers and will invite you to an observation session before you take on a role. This gives both sides a chance to see if it is a good fit.
When contacting a group, mention any horse experience you have, confirm you are happy to undergo a DBS check, and ask about session times and the level of commitment they expect. Most groups run sessions on fixed weekday mornings or weekend slots, and ask volunteers to commit to at least one session per week for a minimum of a few months.
What are the benefits of RDA volunteering?
Beyond the direct contribution to participants, RDA volunteering gives you regular time around horses in a structured environment. For people who cannot afford to ride regularly or do not own horses, it is often the most consistent equine contact available.
Many riding instructors and equine professionals started as RDA volunteers. The handling skills, patience and understanding of equine behaviour you develop in an RDA context transfer directly to ridden work. Several RDA coach training pathways also carry formal British Horse Society recognition.