Rhonda originally saw an ad in the North Shore Times and began volunteering once her boys had all started school. NSRDA fitted the bill as it involved horses, with which she had some history, had an interesting medical element and was also nice and close. She became a Tuesday volunteer but throughout her time here, has volunteered on every day at one time or other.

Rhonda has taken spells of time off here and there over the years, for further study and to support family members, but at one stage, took on the Day Coordinator role and was also Secretary on the Governance Committee.

She has lots of memories of all the horses who have come and gone, but in particular, a recollection of how a mischievous pony called Beau used to try the patience of some of the vols at the time. He was renowned for dragging his leaders on field trips into the bushes and creeks but was an angel once he had a rider on board.

Rhonda talks about a rider who rides currently and the progress he has made. Dawson has gone from not wanting to get on a pony at all, to beaming throughout the entire ride. His experience is a measure of what riding at NSRDA is all about. Big hearted ponies, riders who gain reward, parents networking their knowledge and volunteers who generously give their time. There are many moving parts to the wonderful machine that is NSRDA.