The Heroes for RDA program brings together two pillar organisations operating in the life after harness racing sector, HRV Hero and Raising the Standards, to assist the Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria (RDAV) in sourcing more horses to meet the ongoing demands of centres that provide equine-assisted activities for people with disabilities.
Read more about the Heroes for RDA program by CLICKING HERE
Although the usual process is for Heroes for RDA prospective horses to be sourced via the Hero program, harness racing industry professionals are welcome to contact Raising the Standards directly to notify them of a potentially suitable horse.
Generally speaking, the following criteria best meet the requirements of RDA horses:
- 5-12 years of age (negotiable, based on the individual horse)
- Under 15.2hh (negotiable, based on the individual horse)
- Stocky build is ideal
- Quiet, with no spook/low reactivity to loud or sudden sounds and stimuli
- No aversive behaviours (bolting, bucking, rearing, kicking out, biting etc)
- Kind, gentle and easy to handle (by children and inexperienced and/or elderly RDA volunteers)
- Friendly and loves attention
- Paddocks nicely with other horses (RDA herds often include slow, old, small ponies who need to be safe)
- Well-mannered for the farrier, to worm and be treated by health professionals
- Vet-check sound (old racing injuries are ok, but must be declared. Horse should be sound, barefoot, able to pass a vet check and have no ongoing medication needs)
- Able to be brought up to date with health needs prior to acceptance into the Heroes for RDA program (i.e. arrive in good body condition, recently wormed and with neat feet…dental needs up to date would be fantastic too, where possible!)
Further to this, Raising the Standards’ head retrainer Nic Tassone says:
“I welcome racing professionals with a standardbred who meets the above criteria (or the majority of points) to reach out via email to introduce their horse.
“It would be most helpful if the horse’s owner/trainer could perform a couple of simple tests, to see what the horse’s reactions are to: opening an umbrella (ideally a large, golf one) next to the horse and rolling a wheelie bin past the horse. A huge bonus would be to film these tests on a mobile phone and send them through to me. **I don’t expect horses to be statues, but seeing what kind of reaction the horse gives when frightened or unsure of something is very helpful for assessment.
Here is an example of the groundwork activities Heroes for RDA horses will undergo as part of their retraining:
“It is my preference to meet/do some basic groundwork tests with RDA prospects in person prior to acceptance in the program. However, if I am satisfied with the video footage/discussions over the phone, it may be negotiated for the horse to come directly to our property for retraining.
“Our retraining complex is located in Clonbinane, Victoria (2km from an exit on the Hume Hwy and about 15 minutes, as the crow flies, from the Kilmore Racing Club).
“Heroes for RDA is a special passion project of mine, however I am a busy mum of two young boys and I work full time. Unfortunately, this puts some limitations on the amount of travel I can squeeze in, to assess and transport horses.
“Ideally, horses will be located or able to be floated to a location within an hour of our property (there are several pony club grounds where it’s safe to unload horses, or I am possibly able to arrange to meet at Kilmore, Bendigo, Shepparton or Yarra Valley’s racetracks if this is mutually convenient).
“There are high expectations and pressures placed on RDA horses. As such, not all of the horses who undergo retraining will be successful at being accepted into a RDA centre.
“Additionally, soundness issues can be discovered during the retraining process (this is very common when the horse is put under different physical demands, such as carrying the weight of a rider).
“As such, it would be wonderful to establish a relationship with each prospective standardbred’s racing connections and place a safety net around the horse in the event that the horse fails to meet the grade for RDA (i.e. horses who fail assessments can be returned to their racing connections).
“I am very excited to provide a second chance beyond the track to more lovely standardbred horses and to assist the amazing work being done in RDA centres around the state, to provide the therapeutic benefits, sense of freedom and friendships garnered through their wonderful programs”.
To register a horse for the Heroes for RDA program, please contact Nic via email at: raisingthestandards@hotmail.com
Please include:
- Your name, connection to the horse and horse’s current location
- Your contact number
- A detailed overview of why you feel your standardbred would be suitable for Heroes for RDA
- Overview of horse’s health history/injuries
- Video footage of assessment activities (outlined above), if possible
Here are some happy stories from past RDA horses:
