VOLUNTEERS
For insurance purposes, volunteers must fall within the 14 to 75 year age category. No experience with horses is required as training and guidance are given.

Volunteers take on a range of tasks, i.e. feeding and mucking out ponies, farrier and vet visits, tack cleaning, assisting riders, instructing lessons, gardening, painting and general maintenance. Some give a few hours several days a week, others commit to less - all are needed and very much appreciated.

At Ravelrig RDA we operate a system of cascade training, new helpers are always teamed up with more experienced volunteers and riders who do not have challenging behaviour. It is amazing how fast you pick things up!

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Joan Alexander jlalexander00@hotmail.com

Training courses are provided by the group in the following subjects;
Basic horse handling, leading, grooming, tack, stable management.
Riding and road safety, British Horse Society qualification and Lothian and Borders Police course.
First aid.
Instructors courses.
Lesson planning.
Vaulting.
Mounting.
Communication skills.
Team building and motivation.
Dealing with challenging behaviour.

Some of the above subjects are mandatory for those who wish to work towards the RDA Group Instructors Badge.

Many volunteers have been working for the group for years; some have to leave for personal reasons, i.e. leaving the area, educational commitments and for this reason new volunteers are always needed and welcome. Click here to contact us.

Here some thoughts from some of our volunteers

I have been fortunate enough to have been involved with Ravelrig for the last 5 years and have found my varied experiences extremely beneficial in more ways than one. Emma Moore

Where can I start. I joined Ravelrig shortly after my thirteenth birthday due to my deep love of horses. I had had some experience having ridden at a riding school for three years previously. However upon joining the group even at the tender age of 13 you realise very quickly that you have not infact joined for the horses but for the riders - the reason why any of us are here.

Helpers are unable to lead or sidewalk in sessions if they are under 14 as under 14's are not insured by the RDA and are only accepted to the group with parental consent. I spent a very busy year (the number of underage helpers has boomed 'since my day!') learning the principals of stable management. Although not able to help in the sessions you soon appreciate the atmosphere which is created the minute a session begins.

When I turned 14 I was able to help in the sessions and the emotions felt wash over you in each session. the pride, enthusiasm and the joy in achieving goals and independence are felt by all involved. Each rider, pony and helper work as a team and progress together. Even if a rider is distressed it affects everyone around him or her. I distinctly remember one Saturday I had just started leading and one rider was particularly distressed, after RDA I went home and sobbed. It is, however a very rare occurrence.

At Ravelrig the helpers are especially privileged with the involvement with horses. No other group to my knowledge allows their helpers to participate in the bringing on of schooling of the horses. By the helpers riding the ponies we are able to improve the horses. (However as horses go our lot have almost impeccable behaviour). We are broadening our experiences with horses and make the ponies more responsive for RDA riders. E.g. taking ponies to a show, undertaking a sponsored ride, lunging, hacking out all improves the horses and allows them to improve their performance as RDA ponies and allows them a great deal of variety.

When I was 17 I began training to be an RDA instructor which allows me to share knowledge most of which I learnt at Ravelrig to other people. There is an even greater sense of pride when watching your own riders progress over the year and fulfill their potential. I am in the middle of my assessment to qualify - tomorrow's number two of three so fingers crossed!

I have got a great deal out of my involvement at Ravelrig. on a personal level it has greatly influenced my future career and view on life as am sure it has with many of the helpers. In September I was going to university to study medicine and eventually I hope to work with children with neurological difficulties as many of the riders do. Even if the helpers don't go into caring professions they will still carry something with them. Discrimination exists but those who have worked with them throughout their childhood and teens carry respect and knowledge that disability is not something to fear. Those who have been fortunate to work with disabled people don't see the stigma and see the person inside. It is those people who understand the sensitivity and do not become condescending and class all disabled people together.

I know I feel exceptionally emotional and strong about this subject. For my higher English I did an individual presentation entitled 'Society's view towards disabled people' and I was shocked and appalled by some of the literature that I cam across. I got so enthusiastic about what I was saying that I slammed the table without realising it. At least people paid attention!

I hope that I have successfully conveyed what I got out of my involvement with RDA. It's so much more than the horses. My love of horses has never died but my priorities changed. If you ever get an opportunity to join your local RDA then I cannot recommend more strongly that you should join. The more you put in - the more you get out of it. For me, RDA has been one of the most invaluable experiences of my life.