Tina is a part time GP in a surgery in Derbyshire, has two teenage boys and has ridden and worked with horses all her life.
When Tina’s own horse was sadly taken ill and couldn’t be saved, she took the difficult decision not to get another, but still loved the idea of being around horses. RDA was an organisation Tina had been aware of for many years, and so she began to look for centers to get involved with. Having received the warmest of welcomes from Lesley, the idea of working with Belvoir vale RDA, getting her pony fix and helping people, was too good an opportunity to pass up.
Tina has been volunteering for three years, helping with lessons, supporting the riders and doing all the “behind the scenes” horse care and yard work that is so integral to the smooth running of the centre. With the support of Lesley and Abi, Tina went on to qualify as an RDA Group Coach too, so is now taking lessons, which she describes as an ‘honour’.
When asked her favourite thing about working at Belvoir Vale RDA, Tina says, “the smiles…the smiles on the riders faces when they’ve had a good lesson, the smiles from the volunteers having a sneaky cuddle with their favourite horse and the smiles from the instructors when riders (& their supporters) achieve their goals, whatever they may be!”
