RDA Volunteering esp London

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Walrus

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Hi everyone,

Just wanted to pick your brains really. I was wondering if anyone had done any volunteering for the RDA and if so what was it like, what did you have to do, how much time did you have to commit yourself to etc etc. Also slightly more specifically if anyone has any experiences of anywhere in London, I live in London and don't have a car so somewhere that's accessible via public transport. I've had a look on the RDA website and know there are several groups but was wondering if anyone had an personal experience of any of them.

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yes, i've done quite a lot, but not in London. comfy footwear, lots of walking beside ponies alongside children. if you are horsey and can be trusted to lead the pony/horse, without getting trodden on, bitten, pushed around etc, then so much the better! a lot of the horses/ponies are absolute saints though. the groups i helped only did 2 mornings a week, and 1 evening a week, respectively. if you give them a call they'll prob really appreciate the offer, and give you more info. it is very very rewarding.
 
Vauxhall City Farm (less than 5 mins walk from Vauxhall station) does RDA - I did a bit of pony leading for a couple of hours a week when between jobs a couple of years ago, good fun.

Barnfields Riding School (near Richmond Park, with nearby bus stop on route running from Richmond station) has an RDA group too.
 
I'm an RDA Group Instructor for my group in South Essex www.sadlersfarmgroup.ik.com. I started out leading/sidewalking every saturday and was eventually roped in to training to become an instructor!

Volunteering for RDA is great fun, most groups are quite happy with whatever time you can give, whether it's 30 minutes a week or a whole afternoon! What is important though is that you can be reliable, so the group knows they can count on you to turn up at a specific time, there's nothing worse than waiting around for helpers who were supposed to turn up and not being able to ride without them! There's two main jobs to do, either leading or sidewalking. Leading is pretty straight forwards, your job is to be in control of the pony, you let the rider steer as best they can, and try not to intefer too much, but you keep the pony going at a steady pace and safe. Sidewalking varies depending on the disability of the rider, sometimes it's just walking alongside to be there just in case the horse spooks or trips and the rider is unbalanced. Other times you'll be helping the rider to stay upright and balance - maybe by placing one hand on their thigh to hold them in the saddle, or by having your arm behind them to help keep them in an upright position. The sidewalker also helps with any instructions the instructor has given - e.g. helping the rider to steer, talking the rider through different elements of an obstacle course.

Definitely wear comfortable footwear - you'll be doing a lot of walking! Gloves are also a good idea for cold days. I would 100% recommend giving it a go, you'll meet loads of new people and ponies and have great fun! We often find our helpers are having just as much fun as the riders when we're doing obstacle courses and races! I dont' have any personal experience with any of the london groups, but your best bet is to give the chairman of the area a ring and ask him/her which groups are in need of new volunteers.
 
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