• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • WHAT FEDS DOES
  • Download FEDSVoice
FedsNews

FedsNews

FedsNews

  • National
    • Agri Business
      • Maori Agri Business
      • Marketing
      • Agri Tech
    • Biosecurity
      • Mycoplasma Bovis
      • Pest Control
    • Environment
      • Climate Change
      • Water
      • Biodiversity
    • Infrastructure
      • Transport
      • Shipping
      • Freight
      • Roading
      • Telecommunications
    • Arable, Grains & Seeds
    • Dairy
    • Forestry
    • Horticulture
    • Meat
    • Wool
  • Local
    • Councils
    • Rates
    • Compliance
  • Politics
    • Economy
    • Elections
    • Education
    • Exports
    • Immigration
    • Trade
    • Tax
  • Opinion
  • People
    • Community
    • Events
    • Employment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Training
    • On Farm
      • Adverse Events
      • Animal Welfare
      • Health and Safety
      • Awards
      • Traceability
      • NAIT
      • Welfare
    • Farm Stories
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Hay you! Will you help Riding for the Disabled’s Haystack Challenge?

April 20, 2021 by Simon Edwards

Horses need to eat 1.5% to 3% of their body weight every day, depending on their workload and metabolism.  If they aren’t foraging much grass, that can mean five or six kilograms of hay a day for an adult horse.

It’s not hard to work out that NZ Riding for the Disabled, which has more than 50 affiliated local groups and more than 440 horses, needs a lot of hay!

That’s why Riding for the Disabled and Federated Farmers of NZ have got together to launch the Haystack Challenge.  We’re asking farmers to consider donating bales of hay to this fantastic organisation, and for anyone who doesn’t have hay to think about giving money to enable volunteer workshops to be provided – so volunteers can help riders.

Riding for the Disabled provides interaction with horses for children and adults with physical, intellectual, emotional and social challenges so that they can develop increased ability, independence and self-esteem.

NZRDA was formally established in 1972 but some local groups had been around for a decade beforehand, starting in the Hawke’s Bay.  They’re now in pretty much every part of New Zealand  and thanks to the efforts of more than 1,800 volunteers they cater for around 3,200 children and adults with disabilities each year.

NZRDA’s vision is to ‘Reach More Riders and Change More Lives’.   Donating some bales of hay is a practical way of helping their mission.

Neville and Susan Disher, from Ōtorohanga, know what a difference Riding for the Disabled can make.

Jack Disher, is on Ōtorohanga  Riding for the Disabled’s Little Cracker, a 10-year-old Appaloosa paint cross mare.  The Haystack Challenge aims to feed Little Cracker and more than 400 other RDA horses and ponies around New Zealand.

The couple, who are agricultural contractors and also run a small lease block, have two children who have benefited from the programme.

Febe, now 14, started with  Ōtorohanga Riding for the Disabled, four years ago.  Through underlying anxiety, she was a selective mute when she started school, and wouldn’t even speak to teachers.

“When Febe came back from Riding for the Disabled days once a fortnight, she’d be on top of the world.   She’d always had a love of horses, and the riding just boosted her confidence,” Susan said.

“They’re lovely people running the group and Febe just became happier in herself, and willing to go off and do things on her own.”

Febe’s brother Jack, 8, is now in his second year with RDA.   Susan says counsellors aren’t entirely sure what’s behind his speech problems “but we’ve seen that Riding for the Disabled, together with what they’re doing with him at school, has really helped.  He’s now stringing together sentences.”

Jack and Susan take their turn carpooling children with various disabilities to the riding arena and have seen for themselves the looks of joy, freedom and boosted confidence on the faces of participants.

“It really does make a huge difference,” Susan said.

  • To get behind the Haystack Challenge, go to rda.org.nz and scroll down the page.  You can keep an eye on the donated bale tally on the Federated Farmers Facebook.

Filed Under: Community, Events, Local, People

Primary Sidebar

Spotlight

EU approves methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer®

February 25, 2022 By Bronwyn Wilson

More to see

Andrew wraps the week…

Animal and plant health industry association name change

Federated Farmers and NZ Thoroughbred Breeders saddle up for mutual benefit

Preparing for new dam safety requirements

Calling all primary sector women!

Feds slams miserly EU meat and dairy quotas

Tags

Agribusiness andrew hoggard animal welfare Arable awards beef Beef+Lamb bees biosecurity climate change competition consumer councils COVID-19 Covid-19 effects dairy DairyNZ dairy prices Damien O'Connor economics economy education emissions employment environment exchange rates exports free trade agreements government health and safety innovation meat on-farm safety OSPRI rates red meat safety science sustainability technology trade transport water wool worksafe

Footer

Federated Farmers is New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation.

The federation’s aim is to add value to the business of farming for our members and encouraging sustainability through good management practice.

Recent

  • Animal and plant health industry association name change
  • Federated Farmers and NZ Thoroughbred Breeders saddle up for mutual benefit
  • Preparing for new dam safety requirements
  • Calling all primary sector women!
  • Feds slams miserly EU meat and dairy quotas

Search

Tags

Agribusiness andrew hoggard animal welfare Arable awards beef Beef+Lamb bees biosecurity climate change competition consumer councils COVID-19 Covid-19 effects dairy DairyNZ dairy prices Damien O'Connor economics economy education emissions employment environment exchange rates exports free trade agreements government health and safety innovation meat on-farm safety OSPRI rates red meat safety science sustainability technology trade transport water wool worksafe

Federated Farmers of New Zealand