For many children and adults living with disability, opportunities to feel confident, capable and connected can be difficult to find.

At Riding for the Disabled Ballina District, horses and our amazing volunteers help make those moments possible.

From the first smile in the saddle to the quiet achievement of guiding a horse independently, our riders build physical strength, emotional resilience, confidence and social connection in a safe and encouraging environment.

Based at Glen Burnie in Teven, we support participants from Ballina, Byron, Lismore and surrounding Northern Rivers communities through fully accredited equine-assisted activities supervised by qualified RDA (NSW) coaches and dedicated volunteers.

Many of our riders face challenges including autism, anxiety, developmental delay, physical disabilities, trauma and social isolation. For some families, these sessions become the highlight of the week — a place where their child feels calm, successful and understood.

As a not-for-profit organisation without any government funding, we rely entirely on donations, grants and community support to care for our horses, maintain our facilities, train volunteers and keep lessons accessible for local families.

Your donation helps provide:

• Safe and inclusive riding lessons
• Specialist horse care and training
• Volunteer training and support
• Rider safety equipment
• Maintenance of our beautiful Glen Burnie property
• Opportunities for people of all abilities to thrive
• Every contribution, large or small, helps us continue creating life-changing experiences through the unique bond between humans and horses.

Thank you for helping us keep Riding Develops Abilities alive in the Northern Rivers community.

Together, we create confidence, connection and possibility.