Our commitment to equine welfare
Horses play an essential role in delivering RDA’s life changing impact for disabled people and the welfare and wellbeing of our horses is paramount to our participants, volunteers and all of us at RDA. We are committed to the highest standards of welfare and care in the treatment of horses within all RDA activities and ensuring that the horses we work with are always treated with compassion, kindness and respect.
As responsible members of the equestrian community, alongside British Equestrian, and fellow member bodies, RDA is a signatory to the Charter for the Horse – which pledges a unified approach for the ethical and fair treatment of all horses. Under the six headings of Empathy, Care, Respect, Consideration, Ethics and Learning, the charter outlines the actions needed to ensure that the mental, physical and behavioural needs of all horses are met.
In September 2024, we sent updated guidance on the use of the whip to all RDA Coaches. As a reminder, the use of artificial aids such as whips should only be used to support the natural communication between a horse and their handler/rider as a directional aid, for example when lunging a horse or supporting and/or replacing a rider’s leg aids. Whips should never be used for reprimanding an equine under any circumstances
Horse and Rider Combination Calculator & Guidance
Horse and Rider combination is something RDA groups must carefully monitor on a regular basis. In line with our Weight Chart Guidelines we have a Weight Calculator to help our RDA Groups work out the maximum weight a horse could carry. This includes tack and is before taking into consideration, the conformation, age, health and fitness of the horse. Groups must be aware that although heavier horses are deemed to be able to carry more weight when using the figures from the weight chart, this does not include horses that are overweight. If a horse is overweight in itself then carrying more weight will increase the risk of lameness and poor health. Groups must be mindful of adjusting weight carrying capacity in these situations and work towards reducing the equines body weight.
This is purely to ensure that participants and horses are correctly paired. The information is completely confidential.
If you are unsure about the weight of the Equines within your group, a variety of feed companies offer group visits to advise on diet plans and nutrition. They also bring along their weighbridge so you can have your horses, ponies and tack weighed. Examples of this are Dengie, Spillers, and Dodson and Horrell.
The Blue Cross offer a fantastic guide to help Body Condition score your equine. There is also a useful chart to print out which can be used as an educational resource.
Use of artificial aids (the whip)
Throughout all training and equestrian activities, the welfare of the horse is of paramount importance. The use of artificial aids (whips) should be wisely considered for each session. They should only be used carefully to support the natural communication between an equine and their handler, or rider, and should only be used as a directional aid, for example when exercising a horse (lunging) or supporting and / or replacing a rider’s leg aids when asking a horse to move forwards or sideways. Make full use of the warm up routine, to encourage an active forward walk before mounting. Whips should never be used for reprimanding an equine.
Further help and advice
In RDA we have lots of resources available for you to help keep your Equines fit and healthy. As well as the educational videos and guides on this page, we also have a team of Regional Equine Advisors (REAs) and Regional Vets (RVs). REAs can provide a source of information and advice to RDA groups ensuring effective, efficient and ethical selection, training and use of equines within RDA. They are also a point of contact should you have any welfare concerns regarding an Equine in an RDA Group. The National Equine Lead is Doug Smith (who is also an REA), you will find his contact details along with REAs and RVs on the right hand side of the main Horses in RDA page.
Our RDA Honorary Vet is Nick Hart, he and his team of RVs kindly donate their time assisting RDA Groups with veterinary related equine issues and with Regional Training Days. As we all know, the cost of Veterinary care is quite significant, so please do invite our RVs to your qualifiers, open days or Equine events and make the most of this fabulous resource.
Both REAs and RVs attend training days at National Office to ensure current topics and welfare concerns are addressed. If you would like to know who the RV or REA is for your region please contact National Office.
We have a series of educational videos below:
Taking your horse’s temperature
Taking your horse’s respiratory rate
What your horse’s respiratory rate means
Taking your horse’s pulse rate
Taking your horse’s heart rate
Routine care for Equines throughout the year
Find an Equine Physio from ACPAT, IRVAP, NAVP or RAMP.
Find an Equine Dental Technician from BAEDT, British Association of Equine Dental Technicians or use your local Vet.
Find a Master Saddler Saddle Fitter
Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy is a great resource run by MSD Animal Health, who are one of the providers of vaccines for our free vaccine scheme. The page has loads of useful information including yard resources that can be printed off and displayed around your yard.
World Horse Welfare also has a fantastic library of horse advice and research. To view this please click on this link
Worming
The RDA recommends targeted worming for horses, a modern approach to equine parasite control that offers numerous benefits. By utilising strategic deworming methods based on faecal egg count (FEC) tests, targeted worming minimises the risk of drug resistance, enhances parasite control, and reduces costs. This method not only preserves beneficial gut organisms and minimises environmental impact but also promotes personalised health management, early detection of health issues, and overall better welfare for your equines.
Both Westgate Laboratories and Intelligent Worming have provided us with a wealth of information and look forward to working with RDA Groups. For more information, please click on the links below.
For more information about worms, faecal egg counts and worming please feel free to have a look at the Presentation Slides from an Equine Training Day given by Katy Kershaw, Regional Vet. You will also find a video of the presentation on our RDA YouTube page.
