Rider information
Our riding programs are designed to:
- help develop and increase physical abilities, communication, concentration, social skills, confidence and self esteem.
- provide our riders with a sport.
- be an opportunity for recreation in a supportive environment that is fun, exhilarating and different.
Do I have to live in Cambridge?
Most of our riders come from Cambridge but we have riders that come from the wider Waikato region as well.
How old do I need to be?
We have riders of all ages - from 5 years old to any age at all.
What horses will I ride?
We have a team of trained RDA horses. We do our best to match each rider with a horse that suits their personality, ability and needs. A special bond often develops between horse and rider. Meet our horses to find out more.
When are the riding sessions?
Riding sessions are every Thursday from 10am to 1pm, and every second Saturday from 9am to midday during the school term. See our what’s on calendar for dates.
What are the classes like?
Riders are split into group classes based on ability, personality or age and the horses available. We have no more than six riders per class. Classes run for 40 minutes, although some riders are only able to ride for a short time, especially when they first begin to ride.
"I ride on a Saturday morning and at the moment Pip is teaching me how to trot on Paki. Riding is giving me lots of confidence. I love going to RDA on Saturday and all the volunteers are really awesome." - Hamish
What other activities can I do?
All our riders are given the opportunity to compete in shows and competitions which are always so much fun! We take riders to the A&P show in Cambridge to compete in the RDA section. The annual RDA regional games day is held at different RDA groups in our region with Cambridge hosting it every three years. We also take some of our riders and horses to the annual Napier RDA dressage competition. See our latest news and photo gallery for some of the things our riders have been up to.
Who are the coaches?
Carol Penman is our Thursday coach and Katrina Roberts coaches on Saturdays. Meet our coaches here.
What clothing do I need?
- Covered-in shoes with a small heel. Riding boots are ideal but not compulsory.
- Long pants to protect legs.
- No dangly jewellery.
We have riding helmets in a variety of sizes and provide hair nets.
How much does it cost to ride?
As we are not government subsidised, our riders pay a small fee per year to help cover the costs of keeping the horses.
Yearly membership: $5
- Thursday classes (riding every Thursday during the school term is about 10 sessions per term): $50
- Saturday classes (riding every second Saturday during the school term is 5 sessions per term): $25
How do I apply to ride?
- Download our riders application form (pdf).
- Download the medical consent form (pdf). This is to be completed and signed by your doctor.
- Thursday riders need to download the rider profile form (pdf). This is to be completed by your teacher or teacher aid. It will give us an indication how we can work best with your abilities and strengths.
- See our contact information for our email or postal addresses.
We encourage you to come and view one or two of our riding sessions to see what we do before starting. See our contact information to email us and organise a time.
