RDA Horses?

Darkly_Dreaming_Dex

Darkly_Dreaming_Dex

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2007
Messages
2,917
Location
Oxon
Visit site
Do any of the RDA centres need bigger weight carriers? Jacob the clydie cross needs a job and we thought he would love working with the RDA as a loan. He is 16.2, cheap to keep and fantastic with loud kids, dogs etc.Stands like a rock for mounting/dismounting.Bay with 4 white socks and a big white nose :) I heard our local group had lost their weight carrier and have tried to contact them via email and phone but to no avail.

Can anyone suggest who i can contact to see if they are interested?

I dont believe this is advertising as its more a last chance for a gentle horse who will never be 100% sound for competing but is fine on a surface or walking round the woods, but feel free to push the button if you disagree..
 
Spudlet said:
You could try the central office for the charity? http://www.rda.org.uk/

It's a brilliant charity:)

Although, if he's not totally sound, will he be ok with possibly quite unbalanced riders?
Click to expand...

He'll be absolutely fine. Our group works mainly with riders with learning difficulties and definitely need weight carriers. We do only ever walk and trot as all riders need at least one walker as well as some-one to lead the horse. TBH I wouldn't bother ringing the central office. IME they have very little knowledge of the day-to-day nitty gritty of the local groups. I think you've had a good idea and would suggest ringing the local group again or looking for another group in your area.
 
Spudlet said:
You could try the central office for the charity? http://www.rda.org.uk/

It's a brilliant charity:)

Although, if he's not totally sound, will he be ok with possibly quite unbalanced riders?
Click to expand...

He is only pottery sometimes on rough/rutted/hard ground whilst on the lunge. He seems 100% on a surface or a reasonably straight line.This hasnt changed for 2 years so seems to be stable.

It seems a shame to PTS when he could give years of pleasure as he is only 11 :( He is a clydesdale cross so big strong cob type without being 10 feet wide! because he is solid with a lovely shoulder/neck it feels like you have plenty of horse to sit on and he looks after his rider.It wouldnt faze him at all to have a rider wobbling around or even being vocal :)

Thankyou both for the number, i will ring them tomorrow. They would be very welcome for a no-strings trial so potentially a win/win situation- they get a free lovely big horse and he gets a job :)
 
I was just thinking that if you called the official number, they would be able to give you the numbers for all of the local or semi local groups, as that's what they did for me yesterday :)
 
Many centers do driving too which might be even better for him depending on what his physical condition is like and if you/they have time & energy for a new skill.
 
I'm not sure exactly where you are, but there's an RDA at Hampsted Norreys, just north of Newbury. The horses there are superbly looked after, my little chap spend a few months there. I'll have a look for a number and PM you.
 
Sounds like a perfect RDA horse tbh, I rode as an able bodied rider at and RDA centre for 8 years and although they mostly had ponies and cobs, they did also have a 16.1hh ex-racehorse, a 16.3hh warmlood and a 16.1hh shire X so all sorts really - and they love horses which aren't too wide as they find that some disabled riders find them uncomfortable.
A lot of the horses there did have soundness issues too, so they were used to managing that aspect of it and didn't hold it against them.
 
Should have added that whilst many centers are lovely as with anywhere you might send a horse 'vet' your one thoroughly and do check up regularly if your horse goes. The type of management varies a lot and some might suit your animal better than others.
 
Massive thanks to all who answered and sent PMs with numbers :) At last i feel that Jacob has the chance of a happy future. I will report back after i have finished ringing around :)

gratuatous Jacob (on the left with dad_io on board) pic:
SarahRogBrockhurst---478.jpg
 
I need one!! I've jut opened my yard specialising in lessons for more advanced RDA riders, and need to bring in all sorts of horses.

Pleeease PM me with more info!!
 
He'll be perfect for RDA - he'll be spoilt rotten, and he'll soon become one of the helper's favourites ! A lot of the horses where I help are "elderly", and they seem to love still being in work. Some have arthritis/cushings or something, and find that the walking helps keep them going. They are used well withing their capacities too.

They'll be delighted - please keep us updated !! :D sm x
 
If he does not sut the local group they could give you the number of the regional instructor or chairman, who will know of other groups in your area that may be in need of a horse.
 
Quick update :( they came and he walked upto them in the field, came into the yard on his own and "chatted" to them whilst i popped his tack on then he stood like a rock in the middle of the field without needing to be held whilst i mounted off a block, walked nicely and jog trotted as well.Vet said he is plenty sound enough for this level of work. the first rider got on and asked him to engage and go forwards into a medium trot and he was clearly uncomfortable (not been in work since April 09) next one got on and smacked him to go faster and he shot sideways and she fell off :( :( :(and they said that at 16.2hh he is too big :(

I am so disappointed as i thought he would be a perfect dope on a rope for leadrein but they wanted something to trot round the roads/canter through the woods/do competitions and he cant do that :(

OH and i are trying to find the strength to get the vet to come and PTS as if he cant find even a menial job then its not fair to leave him in the field when he craves attention/involvement in activities.
 
I'm sorry to hear that :( Do you think it might be worth calling other RDA centres locally (if there are any) to see if they might be interested, while riding him a bit more in the interim? Apologies if this is a daft question
 
Valadictory said:
I'm sorry to hear that :( Do you think it might be worth calling other RDA centres locally (if there are any) to see if they might be interested, while riding him a bit more in the interim? Apologies if this is a daft question
Click to expand...

I am happy to ride him- anyone can ride him its just that if the RDA only want horses for fast work then he isnt sound enough unless given high quantities of bute. Me and the vet would rather he was doing walk & trot without needing drugs TBH. If i was that desperate to charge around then i could have had a neutrectomy on his foot but i am not a fan of that surgery. MRI has confirmed that there isnt anything sinister lurking in his hoof TBH 3 vet hospitals cant tell us why he is 1/10 lame..he has lovely feet and been barefoot for 18 months.
 
I don't know if I've missed something, but is there any reason why he can't be put on loan or something rather then be PTS?

I'm sorry it didn't go great with the RDA.
 
Have you contacted Stazaan???

Try the other groups and maybe also advertising him for loan, you may find someone who is happy with his limitations who could give him work.
 
someone will snap your hand off - try an advert for a sharer/loaner.

I'm so sorry RDA didn't work out - the some of the horses where I help are big horses, weight carriers, and mostly walk or trot. Some have old injuries, and the centre adapts the use of each horse to its own needs, and never uses them above this. I find it strange that "going fast" is a requirement, as at the most, our horses do light cantering. I spose shooting sideways is a no-goer tho :(

There are many riders out there who want to do nothing more than walk or trot. Another idea may be to ask the WHW or BHS (local officer) for help - that is what they're set up to do. They may even take the horse from you, and then loan him out. If you tell them that they are his last chance saloon, they may well be willing to help. Lots of WHW horses have limits to their abilities, and are loaned out quite happily.

Keep us posted - I am sure someone can come up with something. Where abouts are you ? sm xx

ps, I am sure it would be alright to put a thread on saying "this horse needs a free home - can you help ?", and just put the link to this thread - sure I'll be corrected if you can't :D
 
Last edited:
OP - I know many people on here dislike equine colleges but some of the smaller ones could really do with a big boy like yours!

I work on a small college yard and we are eternally searching for the perfect gentle giant! We luckily have one but solid quiet weight carriers are hard to come by!

May be worth having a look into some of the smaller local colleges and asking if they need a weight carrier for the beginners?

Also how lame is he? Would he be able to do walk / trot circles or is he more of a hacker? I know that we cannot use a horse in the school unless they are sound on a circle.
 
Hi,

I think you need to try a few other centres! TBH it's always a case of instructors and staff trying to override the horse which is silly as the work they will do is considerably less than this. Make sure you keep ownership though, we sold a couple of horses to an rda centre a while ago and were dismayed to find out they had been sold on a few months later, despite knowing they were slightly unlevel older types. I found one on horse mart with a high price tag sold as an all rounder no doubt buted up to the eyeballs. I would offer to drop the horse over for a weeks trial to another group, that way you can drop off a contract too which states the horse is suitable for walk / trot/ plod work only and nothing else.
 
I am very suprised by what happened when they came to try him. I had a connie cross a few years back who like your boy was 1/10 lame, I had virtually retired him when I was approached by the local group to see if they could use him. They used to pick him up every Wednesday and drop him off after but he stayed with me. They paid me a small "fee" for using him which I used to donate back to them. He did this for 3 years until he had to be retired at the age of 30 due to tripping. This was not a centre based group but one that met at a local equestrian centre and used private horses.

Not that local to you but here are our two local centres, Gaddesdon is looking for a weight carrier!

http://www.gaddesdenplacerda.org.uk/Our Horses.htm

http://www.elisabethcurtiscentre.co.uk/

Good luck and I would not give up based on the assessment of a single centre.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top