Volunteers contribute huge resources of time and effort to keep the centre running.

Every Wednesday RDA caters for the needs of between 60-80 young disabled people from organisations such as Amicus, Kalianna School, Bendigo Special Education School, and Bendigo Special Development School.

“It’s a big operation, and we have good systems in place,” Martin said.

“Things need to run with almost military precision. Even though we’re a not-for-profit, we have evolved into a seriously wellmanaged business with a board of management and an executive committee. Everyone works in a voluntary capacity.

“If we were to pay wages for the hours our volunteers put in, it would be well over one million dollars per annum.”

This is evident in the versatility of skills and experience that RDA volunteers bring to the organisation from all sectors of the community.

There are many professionals involved from veterinarian, Jan Mellor, RDA’s horse welfare officer, to physiotherapist, Gill King, who facilitates the unique physical therapy between horse and rider. But as Martin points out, everybody has an important role and there are many unsung heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes.

“We have one particular volunteer who makes it her first priority to clean the public toilets at the reserve before each session,” he said.

“It’s that kind of selfless commitment that makes this a special place to be a part of.”

But today, in this beautiful bush reserve ringed by horse floats, and amidst the chatter and laughter, no one complains about the hours spent in planning and preparation.

Or, of course, the many hours spent each Wednesdays working with the young people and the horses.

Carriage driving has become a unique part of the experience for participants at RDA, and thanks to the generosity of the Strategem Group, RDA now has two horsedrawn carriages with easy wheelchair access.

“Seeing a young person, particularly someone who’s wheelchair bound, ride in a carriage or on horseback is just incredible,” Martin said.

“Often a person’s contact with the horses and volunteers is one of the few times their body fully relaxes and they are capable of things that they couldn’t conceive of normally.”

A highlight for Martin was the RDA 40th anniversary celebrations held in 2009.

That day there were 16 riders going through their paces on the arena, eight of them with a disability.

“I was watching the activities with a TV journalist and challenged her to tell me which were the disabled riders,” Martin said.

“Of course, it was impossible to tell. There was no difference in their abilities once on horseback.

“It was a wonderful moment that illustrated beautifully the inclusiveness of horse riding and what we try to achieve.”

Anne-Maree agreed.

“When you see a young person with a disability get on a horse, their disability melts away,” she said.

“Every time you experience this moment it makes it all worthwhile.

“Horses don’t judge people – and we have beautiful animals here.

“There’s one young fellow from the Special Development School who’s stuck in a wheelchair 24/7.

“But when he’s up on that horse, even though it’s only for a few minutes each week, there’s a grin on his face from ear to ear.

“That’s why we do what we do – that’s why RDA is so important.”

- To volunteer at RDA you do not have to be experienced in the equestrian field or even know how to teach. All you need is a desire to be involved in a valuable program and enjoy being around other people with the same aim as you – to make a difference in somebody’s life.

If you would like to participate RDA would love to hear from you.