Woodbridge & District Group RDA

In 2017 the Riding for the Disabled Woodbridge & District Group moved to its new home at The Bays, in Clopton. It was officially reopened by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, President of The RDA, on 19th December 2017. We are enormously grateful for the support we received to enable us to build this fabulous new facility.

We are extremely lucky to have wonderful facilities. We have a large indoor arena, an indoor viewing area and an outdoor manège. We teach riding and carriage driving to disabled children and adults regardless of what their disability might be and have been doing this for over 30 years. The benefits to all who ride or drive with us are huge. It provides them with valuable therapeutic exercise, an opportunity to develop their social skills and a chance to build relationships with our horses and ponies. We also offer activities suited to young people with social, emotional and mental health needs and adults living with dementia and other long term conditions.

Our centre is a strong community, where disabled and non-disabled people come together with a shared purpose, build friendships, a sense of belonging, confidence and self-esteem centred around our equine activities. Adults come to us from day centres in Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe and Saxmundham. Children come with school groups or as individuals, often directly referred to us by their doctors or physiotherapists, or by personal recommendation by those children and their parents who already benefitfrom our centre. Our sessions run six days per week, ably supported by a team of volunteers.
We rely entirely on grants, donations and the generosity of our sponsors to allow us to offer disabled children and adults in our community valuable therapeutic exercise, an opportunity to develop their social skills and a chance to bond with our horses and ponies.

Our Group operates six days a week and provides remedial therapeutic riding and carriage driving for people with physical and/or learning disabilities of all ages. We also offer a range of other activities including Horse Care & Stable Management courses and activities suitable for those living with dementia.

The simple pleasure of working with horses is the cornerstone of all RDA activities. From that starting point everything else flows – be that freedom of movement, gaining confidence, building relationships, receiving life-enhancing physiotherapy or achieving individual goals.