Emma receives her Gold Horse care award at Barrow Farm RDA.

Congratulations to RDA participant Emma, from Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled, on being the first their participant to receive a Gold Award in Horse care.

Emma has cerebral palsy and has been riding at Barrow Farm since she was 15 years old.  Now 10 years later, she has competed successfully both regionally and nationally.    

During the last couple of years some physical difficulties have made riding more difficult for her and she has started carriage driving, which she now loves. Emma has been the Rider Representative on the Trustees since 2012.  She has spoken at fundraising talks for local groups, e.g. Round Tables and has helped at training sessions for volunteers. During the pandemic she was successful in gaining both her Bronze (October 2020) and her Silver (July 2021) Horse Care Awards.  She has been working towards her Gold Award since July 2021.  

The Gold Award consists of 7 modules: 

• Describing a horse 
• Grooming 
• Feeding 
• Daily care of a horse 
• The healthy horse 
• Tack  
• Farrier  

Emma was helped with her learning by all the coaches at Barrow Farm RDA and would like to thank them for their teaching, their enthusiasm and their support.  They all wrote reports on her knowledge and these were submitted in a portfolio with photos and videos. Emma immersed herself in her learning, taking time to talk to and observe farriers, physiotherapists and saddlers at Barrow Farm and at Ingatestone Saddlers. Her dedication to achieving this award has been amazing and it is very much deserved. 

The award was given to her at Barrow Farm by Barbora Hallam-Skalova, Interim Director of Business Improvement from RDA National during the Barrow Farm Christmas Volunteers’ lunch 2023.  She also received a congratulatory video from Sophie Christiansen, Gold Medal Dressage rider and Emma is now a member of Sophie’s Gold Club.