Our Centre
Riding for Disabled Oakbank Centre is one of 12 centres across South Australia that are formally affiliated with Riding for the Disabled South Australia (RDASA), whose mission is to be a respected, inclusive and sustainable organisation delivering a diverse range of equestrian programs for people requiring support to participate. As a member of RDASA, our centre is a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme provider.
RDA Oakbank (previously RDA Mt Barker) has been operating since 1980 by local volunteers. We are based at the Oakbank Racecourse and currently share our facilities with the Onkaparinga Pony Club in South Australia's picturesque Adelaide Hills. We provide specialised horse-riding programs and relationships with horses for mostly young people with physical, intellectual, learning and emotional disabilities. Facilitating this service requires a high degree of skill and training. At Oakbank we have RDA Australia accredited volunteer coaches, other trained volunteers with a diversity of skills, and specially trained and RDA accredited horses and ponies.
Needless to say, our horses are the core of our program. Our precious herd of horses has dwindled over the past six years from eight to three. This limits the number and sizes of riders we can accommodate. Accreditation as an RDA horse is very rigorous and the qualities needed for an effective RDA horse are very hard to find. Our horses need a very rare mix of soundness, good temperament, patience, and awareness of each individual rider’s needs. We have been looking for suitable horses for several years but have yet to successfully add to our herd long term.
For the past eight years RDA Oakbank has been diligently fundraising and seeking sponsorship so that we can build an enclosed arena to enable riders to enjoy lessons despite weather extremes. We’ve just redeveloped our strategic plan to give focus to the steps needed to grow our herd and rider numbers, raise funds for our enclosed arena and develop new horse therapy programs. RDA Oakbank might be a small organisation, but we have big dreams! New sponsors, volunteers or interested clients are welcome to give us a call between 8:30am-3:30pm on weekdays or reach out online.
