Bradbourne Group Riding for the Disabled Association    Registered Charity No: 1122480

Riding has been recognised for its benefits for people with diseases and disabilities since the 5th century BC when it was used by the Greeks. 

More recently, some soldiers disabled in the 1914 -1918 war were introduced to the benefits of riding by their physiotherapist and  we at Bradbourne provided riding for soldiers injured in the Falklands in 1982.

The Riding for the Disabled Association came into being in 1969 when there were about 80 groups of people spread around Britain who provided riding for disabled people.

Bradbourne RDA is now over 40 years old.  Our Chairman, Peter Felgate, was one of the pioneers who began taking disabled children for riding lessons in the early 1960's before there was any organised structure for providing riding for disabled people.

From 1st April 1999 the Bradbourne Group, along with about 650 other groups, became a separate charity in its own right and part of the Federation of Member Groups. This change was to accommodate the legal requirements of the Charity Commissioners.  With effect from 1st April 2008 we became a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, Company number 06334299 and Charity number 1122480.

The RDA continues to thrive under the active Presidency of HRH the Princess Royal (who visited Bradbourne in 1990). 

Apart from a small staff at National Headquarters, the RDA is run almost entirely by volunteers, many of whom have undertaken training courses and exams to ensure that everything is as safe and as beneficial for our riders as it can be.