Group member of RDA Registered Charity No. 1141360 (Please note our charity used to be known as Abingdon Group RDA with charity number 1074161, this charity ceased to exist in 2014 when it was replaced with the current incorporated form of RDA Abingdon Ltd (with the charity number 1141360). (A Group Member of the Riding for the Disabled Association incorporating Carriage Driving, Registered Company No 5010395, Registered Charity No, 244108)
Registered Charity No. 1141360 (Please note our charity used to be known as Abingdon Group RDA with charity number 1074161, this charity ceased to exist in 2014 when it was replaced with the current incorporated form of RDA Abingdon Ltd (with the charity number 1141360). (A Group Member of the Riding for the Disabled Association incorporating Carriage Driving, Registered Company No 5010395, Registered Charity No, 244108) 
Abingdon RDA twinned with Kenya RDA
Abingdon RDA
Offering riding opportunities to disabled people in Oxfordshire and beyond.
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Jan 14th 2018 - Ann Barlows’ 80th birthday surprise party. How we kept it a secret, we’ll never know but Ann thought that she was off to a food fair with her daughters and looked what happened!We had a super party to thank Ann for all that she has done for the group and to wish her a big Happy Birthday. Feb 2018 - QUIZ night We held a Quiz night in Southmoor Village Hall (preceded by our AGM). This was a highly successful, enjoyable evening and we raised approximately £1000 towards much-needed funds. Rachel and Donald put together the questions (& answers) which were expertly delivered. The Fund Raising Team organised refreshments, a bar and a raffle and even had time to add a lovely touch - a flower arrangement on each table. The hall was packed with supporters, so a huge thank you to all the organisers and supporters. What distance can a cow smell????? Now I know the answer, so am armed with the fact to impress my friends. Plant Sale and Mini FeteMay 12th 2018Thank you to everyone who supported this event. At the last count, we raised £740 with more to come.A huge thank you to Sarah Wilkinson who collected, grew etc. all the plants and to all those who baked cakes and donated items for the tables, and helped out. Thanks also to all those who attended and parted with their money. Whoever arranged the weather did extremely well! May 12th 2018 Congratulations to Kate and Christian Towers who tied the knot on a beautiful day. What a poor excuse - they couldn’t come to our plant sale! Here is wishing them both every happiness. 14th April 2018 A Black Tie Dinner and Dance was held at Kingston House.This was a super evening with a very enjoyable meal and we raised an impressive > £13,000 towards our new indoor school. Many thanks to the organisers and our hosts. May 20th 2018 Southern Region Qualifier An amazing 11 riders qualified for National finals. Well done to everyone who rode, to all the volunteers, staff and coaches who put in many additional hours to make this day such an enjoyable success. Check into our Facebook page to see many photos. Good luck for the National Finals in July! June 2018 A lovely sunny day and we are out for a ride! July 11th 2018The Wednesday group arranged the weather again for yet another fabulous picnic ride. After an extra long ride, we were rewarded with our usual amazing spread. We have to congratulate the children for their patience. 14-15th July 18 National Finals Huge congratulations to all our riders who rode so well and achieved so much. Credit must also go to the instructors, staff and volunteers who give up so much of their time. We mustn’t forget to give credit to our wonderful ponies who keep on giving their best. Summer holidays 2018 - Pony for the Day Many thanks to all coaches and volunteers who organised 4 wonderful sessions of Pony for the Day. Much fun was had by all and there were some excellent ideas including making pony treats and understanding your pony’s expressions. Some good leading techniques kept them all.  There was some good riding and fun gymkhana games. September 8th 2018 Fun Day - very many thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this a wonderful day to remember (especially Rachel and Donald).There were so many achievements - Freya had her first canter, not exactly planned, but wow, didn’t she do well! Lots of rosettes were worn with pride. You all did brilliantly!A big thank you to the BBQ & food team for a delicious spread. Thank you to all those who supported our sponsored ride at Blenheim and very many thanks to the Duke for allowing us to hold this annual event. We raised just over £2000 after expenses. Despite the wind everyone seemed to enjoy the event (including the RDA group who did the short ride). Congratulations to Chloe Thomas who raised the most money - she will hold the 2018 cup. Blenheim Palace Sponsored Ride We raised over £5000 this year despite the unkind weather. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful ride despite the heavy showers. A record number of RDA riders turned out and our ponies just loved the change of scenery. Many thanks to all our non RDA supporters, to all the RDA riders who helped to raise so much money and to those who transported our horses and helped in general. Thank you also to the Duke for allowing this event and the Blenheim staff for their amazing help. · March 2nd 2019 Quiz Night A fantastic night and thanks to everyone's hard work this years quiz was the best yet. With the £150 donations that also came in, we took well over £1000. Not bad for an evening's work. Many thanks to Donald for all your hard work, the quiz was great and the hall was packed. March 29th 2019 Volunteer and staff supper. Another great night! Many thanks to Sharon and her team for some wonderful food and entertainment. Sharon even catered a choice of menu and gluten free alternatives. It was a great social occasion with a fun quiz and a hilarious party game (with a bonus of raising £350). We took the opportunity to thank Sandie and Wendy for their help/services over the years and we wish them both a happy, long retirement. Plant Sale May 11th 2019.Many thanks to all involved (especially Sarah Wilkinson who organised all the plants). This was a huge success - there were so many lovely plants and the event was very well supported. With the plant sale, tombola and refreshments, we raised nearly £1000 on the day. 19th June 2019 Congratulations to all our riders who took part in the Southern Region Qualifiers at Wellington Riding. You did so well even though some of our ponies decided to test their riders. It was a new occasion for a couple of our ponies and a judge’s box and mirrors can be a scary things. However our riders managed to reassure their mounts and they all rode brilliantly! Very many thanks to all the team who worked so hard to get our horses there in good time ,and they were so well-turned out as well. It was a long day for you all and much appreciated. 14th July 2019 A massive well-done to the riders who competed at the National finals. You all did so well and achieved so much. Thank you to all the volunteers and staff who worked so hard to make us proud. June 2019 - yet another wonderful day for the Wednesday morning ride with Kingfisher children. We had a wonderful picnic which was much enjoyed by everyone - including Kate’s dog Kizzy, who did the hovering up. Hats off to those children who were so well-behaved! September 2019 Fun Day The weather could not have been better for an amazing fun day. Much excitement doing gymkhana games, handy pony, meeting Clare Balding who came for book signing, eating very yummy food. Such achievements were made! October 5th 2019 Instructors training day We had a very interesting morning watching Clive Milkins teach a blind rider, followed by a child with Downs Syndrome, followed by a young rider with spina bifida. We all took something away from the session - knowing that sometimes it is good to cut the lesson short, only teach what you are comfortable teaching, using two whips and lessening off with the legs and much more Clive is always an inspiration and a very experienced coach. Thank you to all who organised the day. Feb 2020 Unfortunately for us, we had to say goodbye to Chin who has been our handyman for several years. Chin has gone back to Thailand to do some maintenance to his house. Hopefully, he will come back and see us from time to time. We welcome Jaci to the team. Jaci has come to us with lots of experience gained from working for another RDA group for 8 years.from another RDA group, where she has gained 8 years’ experience. March 2020 - COVID-19 lockdown A huge thank you to the staff and volunteers for battling on in very difficult circumstances. Our horses are being very well cared for but we are trying to keep our distance as much as possible so that we don’t pass this awful virus on. Thank you to all our riders and volunteers for your continued financial support. Our fund-raising efforts are now limited the press, word of mouth and the Internet (what would we do without it?). Thank you Alice and India for your Facebook idea - what a wonderful effort!Riders - please get in touch if you have any ideas on how we can continue to support you.Volunteers - please et in touch if you have any ideas for fund-raising. Thank you to Sharon & team, and the Brockies who organised the quiz night in February. Also to the team who prepared and organised the volunteers dinner in March. Sadly this was just at the beginning of the virus and some had to cancel due to vulnerable relatives. It is with a heavy heart that we have had to say goodbye to our much-loved Speckle who had been with us for 20 years. Please take some time to read about his many achievements on our Facebook page . Thank you to the staff for looking after his best interests. Another sad announcement is the passing of Charlie B who was yet another outstanding pony. Charlie B enjoyed a few years of blissful retirement - thank you to those who took care of him. A Day to remember - our sponsored ride on Oct 2nd!With huge thanks to The Duke and Her Grace for their continued support for our group - we made in the region of 5.5K for much needed funds.Thanks to Blenheim staff, all our volunteers and the riders who braved the appalling day! Christmas 2020 -Very many thanks to all those who have worked tirelessly to keep our horses safe and well, enabling a large proportion of our riders to have, at least some, lessons. After a very difficult year, we look forward to 2021 when we hope to erect our new indoor school and welcome back all our riders. Merry Christmas and all the best of everything for 2021. Please download the e-card for all Southern Region staff, Trustees and volunteers. https://www.greetingsisland.com/ecard/p0o1qdjgh0cc/en March 2021 - the New Indoor School is going up fast.Ann’s dream is finally materializing. We would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Shanly foundation who have supported us with a wonderful donation of £6000 for a new surface. We were delighted to welcome staff from Abingdon Tesco to the yard. They brought with them a large basket of apples and carrots for the ponies and presented us with an amazing £410 which they raised when they held an Easter Tombola at the store. A huge thank you to the Tesco team - we are really grateful. Congratulations to those who qualified for the national finals - everyone did so well in difficult conditions. Annual Fun Day Sept 11 2021 Well done to all our riders who took part in various activities such as gymkhana, pony knowledge, & handy pony. You all did so well!Thank you to all those who worked so hard to make the day such a huge success. The weather was perfect, the organization was perfect and the lunch was superb! Sept 11th 2021 All the hard work and frantic fund-raising has been done and it is a day of celebration!The Barlow Arena is opened officially by Ed Bracher - Chief Executive of the RDA National office. Blenheim Sponsored ride September 2021 Grateful thanks to the Duke or allowing our annual sponsored ride to take place. Thanks also to the staff for their friendly and professional support. This year we had a bumper number of entries AND the sun shone! After the weather last year (and the week after the event) we are truly counting our blessings. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful ride and we hope to have made about £7k after GiftAid has been calculated. Thank you to all our wonderful supporters. Thanks also to our photographers from Witney camera club. October 16th Many thanks to Green Gym who came and worked like trojans to clear our ditches. They were very overgrown and it was amazing to see the water flowing freely down the area that was cleared. Some of us helped out - it was quite rewarding! Very envious of those who were sensible enough to bring gloves that were bramble and nettle proof. Jan 2022 - very many thanks to South Adult Social Care Team form Abingdon who held a raffle and donated some of the proceeds to our group.Thanks also to those who donated prizes - which helped to raise a magnificent sum. Jasper enjoyed helping to receive the cheque. April 2022 - A big welcome to Freddy the piebald and Marmaduke. The mini brigade for our new venture!They have swapped homes with Jasper who leaves us for new adventures. April 2022 - Congratulations to our newly qualified jumping coaches. April 2022 - Grateful thanks to Sarah Ellis who organised another Food Fair in aid of RDA. The event raised the magnificent sum of £5713.Well done Sarah - we all know how much you put into this fair each year. Thanks to all those who supported it as well. Huge thanks to Vanessa Bowler who walked round the Isle of Wight to raise money for us- 22 hours of continuous walking - what a star!
May 28th Plant sale and Open Day - A huge thank you to all those who helped make the day so successful - also to those who came to support us.  We raised £1500 with more to come.  Special thanks to Sarah who does the plant sale and to the fund-raising team who worked so hard.
Well done to all those riders, coaches and grooms who marked a very successful day at the Southern region qualifiers.
Registered Charity No. 1141360 (A Group Member of the Riding for the Disabled Association incorporating Carriage Driving, Registered Company No 5010395, Registered Charity No, 244108)
© Abingdon RDA 2022
Abingdon RDA
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Offering riding opportunities to disabled people in Oxfordshire and beyond.
NEWS
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Add Amazon Smile for our group funds.
May 2017 Two of our volunteers came to support us at the Standlake Village market where we have a regular stall with a tombola, cakes etc.  The market is held in Standlake Village Hall on the first Saturday of every month. January 2017 Request for volunteers for yard duties. If anyone has any time to spare to help with mucking out (morning or evening), bringing horses in from the field, grooming etc. please contact us. Wed 7th Dec The Wednesday morning group held a training session during which we packed in lots of topics.  Back by popular request was a very naughty Victoria riding Jim Bob.  Victoria was trying to throw herself off and being very unbalanced and unruly.  This led to discussions about the best support (what felt secure and comfortable for Victoria and what was the best hold for side walkers).  The overwhelming response from everyone was the arm across the thigh and outer hand holding the leg just above the ankle.  We demonstrated why you should avoid supporting the back if at all possible.  Jim Bob was a complete star - he stopped every time he thought that Victoria was about to fall off! Victoria’s antics didn’t stop once she was dismounted - she ran off wildly around the school demonstrating the need to be on the ball all the time. Sept 16th 2016 Blenheim Sponsored Ride Another successful event - we were so lucky the weather was OK but floods all around.  Only 2 riders didn’t make the journey.  Including GiftAid, we raised approximately £3000.  Thank you to all who took part - we hope to see you next year. Wed July 27th - Pony for the day A happy day for Freya with Speckle, Sophia with Bryne, and Libby with Polo.  All proud owners of their ponies for the day.  We packed so much in that we were all quite exhausted.  Skipping out was a sitting affair! Wed 13th July Kingfisher School’s last ride this term ended with our usual feast and certificates and rosettes for the children. July 3rd 2016 - a 6:45 a.m. start and we are off to ride the Titan (ZIp World) in North Wales. Many thanks to all those who sponsored us so generously (even though it is over, it isn’t too late to sponsor). It was a long journey and many thanks to Mel and Rachel for sharing the driving - not an easy task once off the motorway. We all had to wear the gear - special flattering onesies, a hard hat, protective glasses and the harness with a strange seat.  We also had to carry what they called the “trolley” a heavy piece of equipment that attaches to the wire.  All weighed down and hardly able to walk, we made our way to the minibus that took us to the highest point and the longest, but slowest wire.  We admired a wonderful view of Blaenau Ffestiniog and the valley below, and then we lined up to be attached to the equipment. For this wire we went down in tandem to add weight and counteract the side wind (didn’t really help, we still ended up facing sideways).  It was a short walk to the second, steeper zip and we were told that you get a better sense of speed because it is closer to the ground.  What a rush of adrenalin that caused!  Then we had to walk someway up a steep track to the final wire (quite a challenge with the gear) and then down the final zip which didn’t disappoint.  We made enough money to finance the RDA for a month! I think that we all deserve a “we were brave” badge. A huge thank you to a team from Microsoft who came to the stables and gave it a much-needed face lift.  During their team meeting and events, they also raised some money for our group, this they can get matched via Microsoft who support many charities in this way.  We should receive a wonderful total of £2440 which will be put to good use. Thank you so much team - it all looks superb.
19th June 2019 Congratulations to all our riders who took part in the Southern Region Qualifiers at Wellington Riding.  You did so well even though some of our ponies decided to test their riders.  It was a new occasion for a couple of our ponies and a judge’s box and mirrors can be a scary things.  However our riders managed to reassure  their mounts and they all rode brilliantly! Very many thanks to all the team who worked so hard to get our horses there in good time ,and they were so well-turned out as well.  It was a long day for you all and much appreciated.
 ·
March 2nd 2019 Quiz Night A fantastic night and thanks to everyone's hard work this years quiz was the best yet. With the £150 donations that also came in, we took well over £1000. Not bad for an evening's work. Many thanks to Donald for all your hard work, the quiz was great and the hall was packed.
March 29th 2019 Volunteer and staff supper. Another great night!  Many thanks to Sharon and her team for some wonderful food and entertainment.  Sharon even catered a choice of menu and gluten free alternatives. It was a great social occasion with a fun quiz and a hilarious party game (with a bonus of raising £350) . We took the opportunity to thank Sandie and Wendy for their help/services over the years and we wish them both a happy, long retirement.  
Plant Sale May 11th 2019. Many thanks to all involved (especially Sarah Wilkinson who organised all the plants). This was a huge success - there were so many lovely plants and the event was very well supported. With the plant sale, tombola and refreshments, we raised nearly £1000 on the day.
14th July 2019 A massive well-done to the riders who competed at the National finals.  You all did so well and achieved so much.  Thank you to all the volunteers and staff who worked so hard to make us proud.
June 2019 - yet another wonderful day for the Wednesday morning ride with Kingfisher children.   We had a wonderful picnic which was much enjoyed by everyone - including Kate’s dog Kizzy, who did the hovering up.  Hats off to those children who were so well-behaved!
Blenheim Palace Sponsored Ride We raised over £5000 this year despite the unkind weather. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful ride despite the heavy showers. A record number of RDA riders turned out and our ponies just loved the change of scenery. Many thanks to all our non RDA supporters, to all the RDA riders who helped to raise so much money and to those who transported our horses and helped in general. Thank you also to the Duke for allowing this event and the Blenheim staff for their amazing help. September 2019 Fun Day The weather could not have been better for an amazing fun day. Much excitement doing gymkhana games, handy pony, meeting Clare Balding who came for book signing, eating very yummy food. Such achievements were made!
October 5th 2019 Instructors training day We had a very interesting morning watching Clive Milkins teach a blind rider, followed by a child with Downs Syndrome, followed by a young rider with spina bifida. We all took something away from the session - knowing that sometimes it is good to cut the lesson short, only teach what you are comfortable teaching, using two whips and lessening off with the legs and much more.  Clive is always an inspiration and a very experienced coach.  Thank you to all who organised the day.
Feb 2020 Unfortunately for us, we had to say goodbye to Chin who has been our handyman for several years.  Chin has gone back to Thailand to do some maintenance to his house.  Hopefully, he will come back and see us from time to time.  We welcome Jaci to the team.  Jaci has come to us with lots of experience gained from working for another RDA group for 8 years.from another RDA group, where she has gained 8 years’ experience.
March 2020 - COVID-19 lockdown A huge thank you to the staff and volunteers for battling on in very difficult circumstances.  Our horses are being very well cared for but we are trying to keep our distance as much as possible so that we don’t pass this awful virus on.  Thank you to all our riders and volunteers for your continued financial support.  Our fund-raising efforts are now limited the press, word of mouth and the Internet (what would we do without it?).  Thank you Alice and India for your Facebook idea - what a wonderful effort! Riders - please get in touch if you have any ideas on how we can continue to support you. Volunteers - please et in touch if you have any ideas for fund-raising.
Thank you to Sharon & team, and the Brockies who organised the quiz night in February.  Also to the team who prepared and organised the volunteers dinner in March.  Sadly this was just at the beginning of the virus and some had to cancel due to vulnerable relatives.

It is with a heavy heart that we have had to say goodbye to our much-loved Speckle who had

been with us for 20 years.  Please take some time to read about his many achievements on our

Facebook page .  Thank you to the staff for looking after his best interests.

Another sad announcement is the passing of Charlie B who was yet another outstanding pony.  Charlie B enjoyed a few years of blissful retirement - thank you to those who took care of him.
September 2020 Natalie Channer has agreed to become our yard manager and Iris Bunce is now Head Coach.
A Day to remember - our sponsored ride on Oct 2nd! With huge thanks to The Duke and Her Grace for their continued support for our group - we made in the region of 5.5K for much needed funds. Thanks to Blenheim staff, all our volunteers and the riders who braved the appalling day!
Christmas 2020 - Very many thanks to all those who have worked tirelessly to keep our horses safe and well, enabling a large proportion of our riders to have, at least some, lessons. After a very difficult year, we look forward to 2021 when we hope to erect our new indoor school and welcome back all our riders.  Merry Christmas and all the best of everything for 2021.  Please download the e-card for all Southern Region staff, Trustees and volunteers. https://www.greetingsisland.com/ecard/p0o1qdjgh0cc/en
Sept 11th 2021 All the hard work and frantic fund-raising has been done and it is a day of celebration!The Barlow Arena is opened officially by Ed Bracher - Chief Executive of the RDA National office. March 2021 - the New Indoor School is going up fast.Ann’s dream is finally materializing. We would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Shanly foundation who have supported us with a wonderful donation of £6000 for a new surface. We were delighted to welcome staff from Abingdon Tesco to the yard. They brought with them a large basket of apples and carrots for the ponies and presented us with an amazing £410 which they raised when they held an Easter Tombola at the store. A huge thank you to the Tesco team - we are really grateful. Congratulations to those who qualified for the national finals - everyone did so well in difficult conditions. Annual Fun Day Sept 11 2021 Well done to all our riders who took part in various activities such as gymkhana, pony knowledge, & handy pony. You all did so well!Thank you to all those who worked so hard to make the day such a huge success. The weather was perfect, the organization was perfect and the lunch was superb! October 16th Many thanks to Green Gym who came and worked like trojans to clear our ditches. They were very overgrown and it was amazing to see the water flowing freely down the area that was cleared. Some of us helped out - it was quite rewarding! Very envious of those who were sensible enough to bring gloves that were bramble and nettle proof. Blenheim Sponsored ride September 2021 Grateful thanks to the Duke or allowing our annual sponsored ride to take place. Thanks also to the staff for their friendly and professional support. This year we had a bumper number of entries AND the sun shone! After the weather last year (and the week after the event) we are truly counting our blessings. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful ride and we hope to have made about £7k after GiftAid has been calculated. Thank you to all our wonderful supporters. Thanks also to our photographers from Witney camera club. Jan 2022 - very many thanks to South Adult Social Care Team form Abingdon who held a raffle and donated some of the proceeds to our group.Thanks also to those who donated prizes - which helped to raise a magnificent sum. Jasper enjoyed helping to receive the cheque. April 2022 - A big welcome to Freddy the piebald and Marmaduke. The mini brigade for our new venture!They have swapped homes with Jasper who leaves us for new adventures. April 2022 - Congratulations to our newly qualified jumping coaches. April 2022 - Grateful thanks to Sarah Ellis who organised another Food Fair in aid of RDA. The event raised the magnificent sum of £5713.Well done Sarah - we all know how much you put into this fair each year.Thanks to all those who supported it as well.

Huge thanks to Vanessa

Bowler who walked

round the Isle of Wight

to raise money for us-

22 hours of continuous

walking - what a star!

May 28th Plant sale and Open Day - A huge thank you to all those who helped make the day so successful - also to those who came to support us.  We raised £1500 with more to come.  Special thanks to Sarah who does the plant sale and to the fund-raising team who worked so hard.
Well done to all those riders, coaches and grooms who marked a very successful day at the Southern region qualifiers.