MISS Laurentia Tan's physical disabilities just about disappear when she gets on a horse.

Born deaf and with cerebral palsy, she took up horse riding at age eight.

Now, 20 years on, she has entered competitive horse riding and has become eligible for both the team and individual equestrian events at next year's Paralympics.

She relishes the sense of freedom and adventure she experiences every time she rides a horse, she says.

For her move into competitive riding, she has her coaches from the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) to thank.

The RDA sees her as the poster woman for encouraging other people with disabilities to take up a sport.

The association, set up in 1982, has been providing therapy through horse riding to individuals of all ages who have physical and intellectual disabilities.

It is a registered charity and an Institution of Public Character, which means that the donations made to it are tax exempt.

Said Mr Eugene Lim, the executive director of RDA Singapore: 'For someone who cannot walk, see or communicate, riding a horse lets them experience freedom and independence while assisting them to gain balance, improve their coordination, muscle tone and self-esteem.'

The association has seen more than its fair share of happy turnarounds among those who have undergone its therapy sessions. Members see dramatic improvements in their areas of disability.

Improvements have been particularly noted among members with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism, Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy.

Word has spread and the RDA has seen 360 riders join its programme every year, among whom are those with autism or mental illnesses.

Independent riders are given the nudge towards competitive riding.

Membership fees for the riding programme have been kept reasonable. Ordinary members pay $45 a year and student members, $15 a year.

Members of special schools and day activity centres are among those who qualify for free horse-riding therapy.

The RDA has 250 volunteers who are therapy instructors, side-walkers or who help out in raising funds.

Donations, sponsorships and fund-raising projects - like an upcoming sale of Christmas cards - are the main sources of funds.

Another important source of funds is the RDA's horse sponsorship programme, in which individuals or companies give $10,000 to cover the maintenance of one animal for a year.

Mr Lim said the RDA's budget for its operating expenses this financial year is $1 million, so anything beyond that amount will go into setting up more training sessions 'so we can help more disabled members of society'.