THE clean up continues for the Nepean branch of the Riding for Disabled site at Orchid Hills after the flood event of June, but the biggest issue the RDA is facing is yet to be sorted.

Since the inundation representatives from the RDA have struggled to sit down with assessors from their insurance agency.

Narelle O’Kell, President of the Nepean RDA, said the issue is the assessors are hard to contact.

“They don’t even answer emails,” she said. “We are struggling to get a sit down with the assessor to make sure I don’t do the reports wrong.”

During the flooding rains and water inundation of last month'

s rain event, the Nepean RDA site at Orchid Hills was washed away with more than two metres of water flowing through the paddocks and yards.

Four horses were swept away in the flood with one of them, Archie, found wandering the M4 with deeps cuts to his legs, the other three were found deceased in nearby South Creek.

After the floods the surviving horses were moved away from the site so they could be assessed for physical and mental health issues. Ms O’Kell says all the horses are recovering accordingly.

“Archie is still recovering after he was found on the highway. He has new skin growing back, which is great to see,” she said.

“The horses are still really nervous around water though so we are hesitant to bring them back at the moment, mainly because our fences aren’t fixed,” she said. “You don’t realise animals feel the same as we do.”

All up there has been tens of thousands of dollars worth of donations given to the Nepean RDA including new horses, equipment and cash.

The site still hasn’t had power restored so Penrith City Council supplied the charity with a petrol generator so they can continue their clean up.

Ms O’Kell said without all the help from across the community they wouldn’t be recovering as quickly as they are.

“The community have been amazing. Prior to this devastation we were struggling to get donation and volunteers, but after this devastation people have realised we’re hear and they want to help,” she said.

The RDA set up a go-fund-me page after the floods so members of the public can donate directly to the charity. You can find this at www.gofundme.com/rdanepeandisaster.