S1 E11 Riding for the Disabled: Joy, Inclusion and the Power of Quiet Advocacy with Tanya Twaits

There are moments that stop you mid-breath. A non-verbal child speaks for the first time. A teenager comes home from his first competition and says something you'll never forget. This episode is full of those moments.

This conversation is not what you might expect from an episode about horses and disability. Yes, it's about the Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria — but really, it's about what happens when people are finally told yes, you can, often for the first time in their lives.

Tanya Twaits came to this work as a parent. Her son needed support she could no longer safely provide on her own and what began as a practical solution quietly became something much larger. Stepping into the presidency of an organisation with over 1,200 volunteers and 225 horses across Victoria, Tanya has consistently shown up, leaned in, and done the quiet work that most people never see.

What strikes you in this conversation is how gently powerful it is. There's no grand reinvention story here, no dramatic pivot. Just a woman who showed up and kept showing up with absolute passion. And in doing so, quietly showed the rest of us what's possible — for parents, participants, volunteers, and for anyone who wonders whether they have something to offer.

This one will stay with you.

In this episode we explore:

• How therapeutic horse riding supports people with disabilities

• The quiet confidence that builds when someone is told yes, you can for the first time

• What it takes to volunteer with Riding for the Disabled and why you don't need horse experience

• Why the human-horse connection is unlike anything else

• How one mum stepped outside her comfort zone and into advocacy and leadership

• What riding for the disabled programs offer belonging, joy and community

• The milestone moments that volunteers, participants and families carry with them long after they leave the arena

• Why inclusive sport and disability programs matter more than ever in today's community landscape