# Riding for the Disabled in the UK: A Guide to RDA and Therapeutic Riding
The Riding for the Disabled Association has been operating in the UK since 1969. It currently supports around 28,000 disabled children and adults each week through a network of more than 500 volunteer-run groups spread across England, Scotland and Wales. For many of its participants, it's the most significant physical and social activity in their week.
This guide covers what therapeutic riding is, who it's for, what to expect from a session, and how to find an RDA group or therapeutic riding programme near you.
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What therapeutic riding is
Therapeutic riding uses the movement of a horse as a therapeutic medium. The horse's gait at walk closely mimics the pelvic movement of a human walking — three-dimensional, rhythmic, and variable in a way that no piece of rehabilitation equipment can fully replicate. For a rider who cannot walk independently, or whose walking gait is disrupted by neurological or physical conditions, sitting on a moving horse activates the core and postural muscles in ways that have direct physiological benefit.
This is distinct from simply riding for pleasure, though the two often coexist in a good session. The therapeutic dimension comes from the deliberate use of the horse's movement to achieve specific physical, cognitive or communication goals set by the rider's healthcare team.
Hippotherapy is a more specific term: therapeutic riding conducted under the clinical direction of a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or speech and language therapist, who uses the horse's movement as a treatment tool within their clinical practice. It requires a qualified clinician to be present and directing the session. Not all RDA groups offer hippotherapy in this formal sense, though many work alongside NHS professionals.
Therapeutic riding more broadly — which is what most RDA sessions involve — is led by trained riding instructors rather than clinicians, and the goals are set in conjunction with the rider, their family and any relevant professionals.
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Who it's for
RDA works with riders across a wide range of conditions. The most common include:
Physical disabilities — including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, acquired brain injury, spinal injury and limb differences. The postural demands of riding, and the muscle activation that comes from following the horse's movement, provide benefits that are difficult to achieve through other forms of exercise.
Neurological conditions — including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. The rhythmic movement of the horse has been associated with improved gait, balance and muscle tone in both conditions.
Autism — the sensory experience of the horse, the predictable physical rhythm, the non-verbal relationship and the outdoor environment all suit some autistic riders well. RDA has specific experience working with autistic children and adults.
Learning disabilities — communication, confidence, sequencing and task completion are all areas where the horse provides a natural and motivating context for development.
Mental health conditions — RDA increasingly works with riders whose primary difficulties are psychological rather than physical. Veterans with PTSD, people in recovery from mental illness and those experiencing social isolation are all within RDA's remit.
There is no upper age limit. RDA works with riders from age three upwards, and a number of groups specifically support older adults.
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What happens in a session
Most RDA sessions run for thirty to forty-five minutes. The format varies by group, by the rider's needs and by whether clinical goals are being addressed.
Before mounting, the rider meets the horse and is introduced to the tack and equipment. Many participants help with grooming before the session, which is itself part of the therapeutic value — the physical contact, the sensory experience, the responsibility of caring for a large animal.
During the session, the rider is supported by a side walker on each side and sometimes a leader at the horse's head, depending on the level of support needed. This means that people who could not ride independently in any other context can ride safely at RDA. Instructors work on specific goals — balance activities, reaching exercises, game-based tasks, transitions — while keeping the experience enjoyable rather than clinical.
The horse does a lot of work simply by walking. A typical session involves walk, and for more able riders, trot. The progression from walk to independent trot, and eventually to the opportunity to compete at RDA regional and national championships, is a structured pathway that gives riders long-term goals to work toward.
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RDA competitions
RDA has a full national competition structure covering dressage, showjumping, equestrian vaulting, carriage driving and countryside challenge. Regional qualifiers feed into national championships. The competition pathway is fully adapted, with classifications matched to ability rather than diagnosis, and a number of RDA riders have gone on to compete at Paralympic level.
For riders who are not motivated by competition, this matters less. But the existence of the competitive pathway is worth knowing about, particularly for younger riders who may eventually outgrow the need for therapeutic support and want a route into mainstream equestrian sport.
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Cost and referral
The vast majority of RDA sessions are free or very low cost to participants. RDA groups are largely funded by grants, fundraising and volunteer labour. Some groups charge a small contribution of £2 to £5 per session; many charge nothing at all.
You can refer yourself or a family member directly to an RDA group — no GP or clinical referral is required, though many riders come via physiotherapists, occupational therapists, special educational needs coordinators, or NHS mental health teams. If you're already working with a professional who might know about local RDA provision, it's worth asking.
RDA groups vary considerably in size, horse numbers, facilities and waiting lists. Some have capacity immediately; others have waits of several months, particularly for younger children. Contacting more than one group in your area is worth doing if waiting time is a consideration.
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Finding an RDA group near you
The RDA website has a group finder covering all of England, Scotland and Wales. Saddl also lists equestrian venues with therapeutic riding and equine therapy provision across the UK — search near you to find what's available in your county, with details on facilities and contact information.
When you contact a group, ask about waiting times, what conditions they have experience with, how sessions are structured and what the support ratios are. A good group will be happy to discuss your specific situation before you commit to anything.
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The difference between RDA and equine-assisted psychotherapy
These two approaches are often confused. RDA and therapeutic riding are primarily for physical, neurological and developmental conditions, and involve riding. Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is primarily for psychological and emotional conditions, and does not involve riding — it's ground-based work with horses facilitated by a licensed mental health professional.
If you're trying to decide which might be more relevant, the nature of the difficulty is the clearest guide. Physical, neurological or developmental — therapeutic riding. Psychological, emotional or trauma-related — EAP. Some people benefit from both, and a number of UK providers offer both programmes from the same site.
The full EAP guide is here.