Article written by Aisha Akams

Once we found this out, my mum filled in an application form and within a few months we received a call saying that they I could visit RDA to do an initial assessment. On the day of the assessment, I felt both excited and nervous . I had never ridden before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. After meeting with my coach and physiotherapist I was paired with a beautiful horse named Gyp.

I later shared that whist riding Gyp I was scared of falling off, but felt happy and free. After getting accepted and with only having two lessons out of the six completed COVID hit and everything stopped!

During lockdown I often spoke about horses and regularly asked my mum if she had any updates but there was no news. Two years later, whilst I was preparing for my GCSEs, my mum received a call saying I could come back and ride again.

I felt both excited and nervous after returning. However, as soon I started riding again it was as if my world went quiet. Riding allowed me to finally focus on the present moment.

I noticed that riding helped my anxiety and even experienced fewer meltdowns. Horse riding became more than just physiotherapy; but had become a vital support for my mental health.

What originally started out as a six week physiotherapy block extended to 12 weeks, then 18 weeks, and now, three years later, I’m now classified as a Grade 1 rider.

To find out more about how RDA supports its participants, visit the impact page and RDA social media channels, where I will be sharing all the fun and exciting things RDA have to offer.