Miriam and Hazel’s RDA Journey
Hazel is 14 and first came to RDA through her school when she was around seven years old. Not long after, her younger sister Miriam joined too. Both girls have disabilities, and RDA quickly became a regular and valued part of their lives.
As their mum, Alison initially attended sessions with Hazel as a school helper. She describes the experience as “almost addictive” – watching children arrive tense or stressed, then transform the moment they were welcomed onto a pony. “It was like magic seeing them calm right down.”
The family are based at Cotswold RDA, where they’ve remained ever since.
Cotswold RDA provides a wide range of activities including group and 1:1 riding lessons, horse care, holiday riding, tea with a pony, and mechanical horse sessions. For Hazel and Miriam, riding quickly became the favourite part, along with the social connection with volunteers.
Hazel is non-verbal and has Autism and Down Syndrome. Riding brings out clear joy and confidence in her – she becomes vocal, smiles, and visibly responds to the experience. For her family, RDA has become one of the few places where she can fully take part in physical activity safely and happily.
Miriam, who has dyspraxia, initially struggled with confidence in sport and school-based physical activity. RDA gave her something she could succeed in. A particularly proud moment came when she received a certificate for sporting achievement and was recognised in her school assembly – a milestone that would previously have felt out of reach.
Both girls benefit physically from riding, especially given their low muscle tone. For Hazel in particular, weekly sessions also provide valuable physical therapy benefits, as she uses orthotic supports and has limited walking endurance.
Over time, both girls have built strong relationships with volunteers and coaches. Miriam has been supported closely by coaches Dan and Gill, who helped her overcome early fears around horses and gradually build confidence through the right balance of challenge and encouragement.
Alison also highlights how important the volunteers are socially. Hazel watches their faces, smiles with them, and shares joy through these interactions – expanding her social world beyond family. The experience has also helped Alison connect with other families in similar situations, creating friendships and a supportive community.
For Alison, RDA is more than an activity – it is a rare, accessible space where both daughters can participate together without needing complex planning or additional support.
“It’s an army of trained people who understand disability and don’t see barriers,” she explains. “We can just step into the arena and enjoy it together.”
Without RDA, opportunities for shared physical activity would be extremely limited. Many other activities are not accessible or cannot meet both girls’ needs together. RDA’s ability to adapt across a wide range of abilities makes it unique and irreplaceable for the family.
Access to outdoor spaces can also be challenging, with many local parks and environments not fully accessible. RDA helps bridge that gap by providing safe, inclusive access to horses, nature, and movement.
For Alison and her family, RDA creates a deep sense of belonging:
“Each time we go, I feel like the volunteers genuinely want to give my girls the best time. It means so much to us.”
“Miriam has grown in confidence throughout her time riding at Cotswold RDA. It’s a pleasure to see her smiling in every session. She approaches everything with such a positive attitude and has real potential to continue progressing.” – Georgina, Miriam’s coach
Miriam
“I just feel so happy when I’m riding, because it’s actually a sport I can do. I love the feeling when I trot and I know Hazel does as well. It’s fast and you get an adrenaline sensation and I just don’t get to have that experience anywhere else. The ponies are really calm and you can just stroke them, you feel so relaxed and safe with them. It’s the highlight of my week – I really love it – it’s just a such a fun activity to do. My favourite memory is when I trotted around the arena for the first time, you feel really free. I felt really proud when I did it, especially on my own. That was a really amazing thing to do all on my own. Hazel really likes it as well, trotting. We don’t have many activities we can do with each other, so it’s nice to have something we can do together.”
