I’m now two and a half years in and still get a buzz driving to The Barn each Wednesday morning. I have also become a Committee member, so I take my role very seriously. We are a charity and rely solely on grants, funding and sponsorship, so this is an area that I am trying to help in.

All our riders are amazing kids and they each have a special story. This one is for Corbyn.

The first few weeks Corbyn came to ride, he didn’t even get on a horse. In fact, he wouldn’t go near the horse, touch him or even look at him. It was mentioned to us that if he began to feel uncomfortable, he may even try and run away, so he was usually clipped on to us. (I think he may have had form for this 😊) so we needed to be on guard. 

We would quietly walk up to the horse and ask him if he may like to pat the horse or get on. His response was to talk to his toy, yellow bus, which he always carried around, and head back to the play area. Fair enough, horses are big, scary animals with all sorts of paraphernalia on them.

Each week we would repeat the process, talk to him about his horse and ask him if he wanted to hop on. To be fair he never refused to get close to the horse, just wasn’t ready for any contact with it. Always with his trusty tractors in hand. 

So, one day we decided to pop the yellow bus on the horse’s back to see if it would like to go for a ride and bingo! Suddenly he was engaging with us and playing with the little yellow bus placing it on and off the horse. Patting the horse and really getting involved. You could tell he really wanted to connect but wasn’t quite sure how.

We always like to finish on a positive note, so we didn’t push the issue by asking him to get on that day. I remember walking back to the play area with him and thinking he had made great progress that day and shown great bravery.

The next week, Corbyn seemed a little bit more interested, so we repeated the bus game and asked him if he would like to brush his horse?  Within 5 minutes he had brushed his horse and was ready to hop on. Everyone stayed very calm, but I remember sneaking a look at our Coach Judith and we were both beaming. And best of all, so was Corbyn. He didn’t stop smiling for the whole lesson. Like a lot of our children, Corbyn is a quiet lad and prefers not to look at you directly, but that first ride changed so much for him.

Each week his confidence and connection with the horse and volunteers grew more and more. He had found a new happy place, and it was on a horse. He now rides without aids, in a proper saddle and holds the reins himself. He happily talks to you, answers questions during the lesson and likes to sing whilst riding. I’m told he constantly asks every morning if its horsey day today. 

The only running he does is towards the horse because he is so keen to get on😊

Corbyn’s family have always come to support him and watch him ride. They enjoy it as much as him I think and would probably hop on if we had a spare horse! I know how much it means to them to see him ride with such confidence. This was a little note they sent us.

Dear Sara and North Shore RDA,

We're writing to express my heartfelt appreciation for NSRDA, my son Corbyn participates with this via Red Beach Schools Motuora unit. The positive impact these sessions with RDA has had on him is truly remarkable and life changing. 

Since joining these sessions, we have noticed a significant boost in his confidence. He has developed a wonderful connection with the horses, which has not only enhanced his ability to relate to animals but also fostered a sense of responsibility and empathy. We were completely shocked when we heard he'd got on a horse, this is something that we just couldn't believe, and when we got to see it for ourselves, we were both brought to tears. It was just so wonderful seeing Corybn achieve something we just didn't think was possible. 

We'd like to extend our gratitude to the amazing trainers and volunteers who make this experience so special. Their dedication, patience, and kindness have created a supportive and nurturing environment that my son looks forward to every week, as do we. 

Thank you for providing such a valuable and enriching opportunity for the students. It has made a world of difference in my son's life, and I am deeply grateful.

Warm regards,

Brooke and Karl

Stories like this are why we all enjoy volunteering at NSRDA – it is so rewarding to get to see our kids having so much fun and growing in confidence. If you think this may be something you would like to be a part of, we are always looking for volunteers, so please get in touch.