RDA: thanks to and praise for

After a long fundraising and building project to complete the new covered equestrian centre, all the work has paid off for Tauranga RDA with thanks and smiles from clients.

Tauranga RDA chief executive Kat Macmillan says she and her team have been heaped with praise by riders and their families who are excited to be able to use the new pavilion in Welcome Bay since riding therapy sessions resumed on February 7.

Rob Pakes speaks on camera about how the new centre is benefitting his daughter Alysha and many others, describing it as a “fantastic” facility for the area.

A new lifting hoist at Tauranga RDA’s upgraded equestrian therapy centre is now allowing it to offer riding therapy’s benefits to bigger people with disabilities.

Tauranga RDA chief executive Kat Macmillan says until now the centre could only take riders that could be manually lifted onto a horse by the coach and volunteers.

She says the hoist – which was funded by the Legacy Trust – opens up a whole new avenue of clients including people on ACC, road traffic accidents victims or those with MS.

“A lot of adults they are just too big to lift on. If they are paraplegic or quite extremely physically disabled even with four or five strong people it can be extremely difficult to lift some one with no muscle tone and sit them down safely on a horse.

“But with the hoist that takes away all the safety issues for the handlers and the people can still receive the benefits of equestrian therapy.”