Help RDA Hervey Bay Care for Our Horses and Rebuild Our Herd

At RDA Hervey Bay, our horses are the heart and soul of everything we do. They’re more than just animals—they’re trusted partners, teachers, and healers who touch the lives of children and adults living with disabilities in our local community.

Sadly, we’re facing one of the toughest times in our centre’s history. In recent months, we’ve had to say goodbye to five of our beloved horses. Just this week, two of our remaining six horses were traumatised after-hours by roaming dogs that entered our property.

Bonnie, our sweet little Shetland pony and a favourite among our younger riders, developed stress-induced colic following the incident. After multiple vet visits and constant care from our volunteers, she had to be transported to the nearest equine vet hospital, where she remains under treatment.

Sparkles, our beautiful competition-level horse, was also injured and is being monitored for a possible fractured pelvis and a painful hoof. These injuries may mean the end of her riding career—a heartbreaking possibility for our team and riders who adore her.

All of this comes at a time when we are already under significant financial pressure. The unexpected vet bills, combined with ongoing costs for feed, bodywork, care supplies, and the need to bring in new horses to rebuild our program, have left us needing urgent help.

We’re asking for your support to help us:

Every donation—no matter how big or small—will help us continue providing our life-changing services to those who need them most. And allow our team to continue to give our incredible horses the highest level of care that they deserve.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of the RDA Hervey Bay community. Your generosity means the world to us, our volunteers, and especially our horses.