RIDING FOR DISABLED BLACKWOOD LEAVES HOME

Riding for the Disabled Blackwood will leave its home of 30 years at the end of this year to make way for more housing on the Craigburn Farm development.

RDA had been expecting this news for a long time, but it comes at a time when the new centre at O’Halloran Hill is not ready to be used – and is a long way from ready.

The news was broken to Blackwood's 86 riders and 90 volunteers last week, after property owners Minda Inc advised RDA state president Jill Ribbons and state manager Kay Milton the RDA site is required for the next stage of the housing development.

Horse riding will end in December at Craigburn Farm, and the RDA horses will be immediately turned out for their usual summer holiday at a country property.

RDA volunteers and their friends and families – in fact, as many people as possible who can be roped in to help - will then spend December and January moving RDA items from the property, and preparing to re-start operations at nearby Jennibrook Farm RDA centre in February.

RDA is leasing a site at Majors Road, O'Halloran Hill where a new centre will be built to replace the Craigburn Farm facility, but it won't be ready to use by the time RDA resumes after the school holidays.

State manager Kay Milton says, "We want to make sure as many riders as possible will be able to continue riding with RDA, because it is so important for their health and well-being.

"That is why we are going to continue to provide riding as usual at Jennibrook Farm, with the help of as many volunteers from Blackwood as possible, and using familiar Blackwood horses.

"For many riders, horse riding is their only physical activity. Other riders benefit from the close contact with horses for their emotional health.

"We hear stories again and again from teachers who say how much better behaved are some children when they know they will be going horse riding with RDA that day, and how their riding sessions make children more relaxed and receptive in class afterwards.

"The site is an open paddock, without water and electricity and no entrance, but we expect it to be operating by Term III in 2009.

"There are many things to put in place before we can offer riding at O'Halloran Hill, including widening the road shoulder, levelling the site, installing power and water, and constructing several buildings. These alone will cost in the vicinity of $120,000, before we look at stables and yards for horses.

"We will also need help over the Christmas holidays in packing and moving our equipment, and dismantling buildings and yards to reuse as many materials as we can at the new site.

"Offers of physical help and vehicles to transport packaged items will be welcomed - call our state office on 8331 1833.

"The large indoor arena at Craigburn Farm will be dismantled and rebuilt, although it needs structural work to make it wider to meet competition training standards.

Ms Milton says the entire project will cost between $1m and $1.5m over three to five years, and at the conclusion RDA riders and volunteers will be using a magnificent, purpose-built centre.

ENDS