Saddleworth RDA

Saddleworth RDA Saddleworth RDA is a Riding for the Disabled group based at New Barn, Harrop Green Farm in Diggle, Saddleworth, Oldham

We’ve had a musical morning on Troy at Croft End Equestrian Centre…lots of singing and percussion instruments. Music is ...
08/08/2026

We’ve had a musical morning on Troy at Croft End Equestrian Centre…lots of singing and percussion instruments.

Music is a great tool for RDA as it helps improve rider’s coordination and rhythm and makes physical therapy feel like fun!

Thanks team! 💜🎶🎤
RDA North West

It was another super sunny Saturday morning at Saddleworth RDA 😎 lots of happy faces and big smiles. Thank you to our wo...
26/07/2026

It was another super sunny Saturday morning at Saddleworth RDA 😎 lots of happy faces and big smiles.

Thank you to our wonderful volunteer team and extraordinary horses and ponies who make the magic happen!

These hot mornings are a great opportunity for our riders to learn new horse care skills and develop confidence around e...
12/07/2026

These hot mornings are a great opportunity for our riders to learn new horse care skills and develop confidence around equines at ground level.

Horses and ponies are large animals. Gaining their trust gives a huge boost to our self-esteem.

Learning how our own body language impacts the ponies and reading their body language builds participant confidence, improves physical balance, and teaches emotional regulation. Horses are calm, honest animals that react to how a person feels in the moment.

Participants learn many transferable daily health and well-being skills in these sessions, which they can take into their own lives…healthy eating, exercise, sleep, keeping our bodies clean and keeping our environment clean 😀

Another busy morning for volunteers and riders at Croft End Equestrian Centre. Having the use of the horse simulator is ...
04/07/2026

Another busy morning for volunteers and riders at Croft End Equestrian Centre.

Having the use of the horse simulator is great for us , as it provides a safe, accessible way to experience therapeutic riding. They replicate the rhythmic, three-dimensional movement of a real horse, which improves core strength, balance, and posture.

Additionally, they build rider confidence in a controlled, anxiety-free environment.

One of our sessions hacking in Diggle ☀️ When adapted for disabled riders through the RDA, hacking combines the standard...
28/06/2026

One of our sessions hacking in Diggle ☀️

When adapted for disabled riders through the RDA, hacking combines the standard physical therapies of riding with the unique neurological and emotional benefits of being immersed in nature

Stress Reduction: a natural antidote to daily pressures, lowering cortisol levels

Resilience: Navigating unexpected outdoor environments teaches riders how to adapt to real-world challenges with confidence

Emotional Regulation: Interacting with non-judgmental, patient horses promotes absolute calm and sharp focus

Confidence Boost: Overcoming the calculated risk of outdoor terrain grants riders a massive sense of personal achievement

Core Conditioning: The horse’s continuous three-dimensional movement forces the rider to engage and strengthen core muscle groups

Improved Balance: Negotiating uneven outdoor slopes significantly enhances equilibrium, posture, and spatial orientation

Spasm Relief: The rhythmic warmth radiating from the horse actively relaxes tight muscle fibers and diminishes painful spasms

Motor Coordination: Guiding a horse through changing terrain dramatically optimizes both gross and fine motor skills

Nature Connection: Escaping the arena bonds riders directly to wildlife and the changing seasons, breaking sensory isolation

Community Belonging: Hacking in small groups builds deep, lasting peer-to-peer and volunteer friendships

Real-World Freedom: Riding independently across wide spaces provides a unique sense of physical liberty often denied elsewhere

RDA North West Your Horse Magazine Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA)

Did you know RDA groups offer so much more than ridden or carriage driving sessions? Groups like ours also deliver horse...
28/06/2026

Did you know RDA groups offer so much more than ridden or carriage driving sessions?

Groups like ours also deliver horse care sessions which offer profound therapeutic, physical, and emotional benefits. By interacting with horses through grooming and stable management, participants improve motor skills, boost self-esteem, and build confidence. These non-judgmental environments are ideal for developing social connections and mental wellbeing

Photo credits to Lauren Roberts

Some of our wonderful volunteers with Charlie and Rocky kindly photographed by Lauren Roberts
28/06/2026

Some of our wonderful volunteers with Charlie and Rocky kindly photographed by Lauren Roberts

Saddleworth RDA riders used their detective skills and took part in a ridden horse-themed treasure hunt this morning. Us...
20/06/2026

Saddleworth RDA riders used their detective skills and took part in a ridden horse-themed treasure hunt this morning.

Using written clues, visual prompts and support from their volunteer teams, riders directed their horses and ponies round the fields and lanes ticking off their treasure finds along the route!

Thank you to the team for getting everything ready and for such a fun morning! 😊

What a beautiful morning! These two lovelies were waiting at the gate ready for volunteers to bring them in for Saturday...
20/06/2026

What a beautiful morning! These two lovelies were waiting at the gate ready for volunteers to bring them in for Saturday morning lessons!

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering with Saddleworth RDA please email us at saddleworthrda@gmail.com or ca...
04/06/2026

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering with Saddleworth RDA please email us at [email protected] or call 07768 986031

New Volunteers are always welcome. We are all volunteers at Saddleworth RDA, with no paid staff.

There’s a wide variety of volunteer roles available, not just the Saturday morning ridden and non ridden sessions…so if you have a passion for fundraising, skills in writing grant funding applications or you thrive on organising events we’d love to hear from you.

Address

Diggle

Telephone

07768 986031

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