Interesting lives

The four day RDA intensive coach training course for Level 2 trainees (top RDA level) was always going to be strenuous for presenters and participants. It certainly was fun, interesting and exhausting.

By the time coaches come to their third level of qualification they have a wide range of experience, opinions and expertise. People upgrade their qualifications in RDA not because they are going to earn more money but because they are passionate about the work they are doing - using horses to increase the quality of life of people with disabilities. Some of the 14 coaches were starting off their Level 2 training while others were able to complete the syllabus and leave the workshop as Level 2 coaches.

Coaches came from Queensland, Victoria and South Australia and it was funded by the Ian Potter Foundation. If each coach teaches an average of 10 riders a week then 140 riders will immediately benefit from the workshop!

Nikki was one of the coaches who is now an RDA level 2 Coach. She came with her husband and three children to Mt. Gambier from Zimbabwe four years ago. Their farm was taken from them and they left with very little. They were sponsored by a family in Mt. Gambier.  When they left, all their horses and donkeys were given to an RDA centre in South Africa who were in desperate need of well trained horses and ponies. They had been used in their riding school and some had come from other families whose properties were taken over. They had  lots of problems finding a way to travel the animals out of the country. Finally a truck driver, who himself had cerebral palsy, agreed to take them even though he knew there would be repercussions for him at the border.

As Nikki trained as a teacher after Rhodesia became Zimbabwe the Australian Government do not accept her teaching qualifications. Her mother is also a trained teacher and her qualifications are accepted, but she is not allowed to work as she is on a temporary refugee visa. Nikki can work as a teacher's aide but otherwise has to complete the 4 years of training over again. How soul destroying!

RDA are the lucky ones as Nikki has time to coach at the Mt. Gambier RDA centre.

Nikki is happy for these photographs taken in Zimbabwe to be in this blog.

She grew up riding a zebra which they had found as a baby stuck and abandoned in a waterhole. It would not drink out of bottle - only a bucket.

Her mother trained the zebra to be ridden. Apparently it was always rather flighty. Zebras are said to be the hardest animal to train.

I am not sure which donkey this is but it is clearly enjoying jumping on the lunge and with such excellent style.

We are so lucky. We do not live in constant fear for the safety of our family, animals, or property. We do not scour the 'land for sale' ads to see if our properties have been listed and are up for grabs. We may choose to move - we may choose to but we do not have to relocate to a new country and start our lives again.

It would be nice for Nikki's mother, who joined them in Mt. Gambier, to have a nice young donkey to  work with so she can enjoy her animal training again.  When her property was taken, several people wanted it and it ended up being burned to the ground. As Nikki says 'such a waste'. If anyone (in Australia) knows of a large size donkey weanling that is looking for an active home please let me know.