Warrenheip's Bill and Marie Rinaldi are each a new recipient of an Order of Australia Medal.

The couple, who have been married for 50 years, are receiving the honours for "service to people with a disability and to the community of Ballarat".

Mr Rinaldi was born into a 'horse family'. His mother and father were from the Mallee region and had Clydesdale horses and his father started a riding school at their property on the outskirts of Ballarat in 1960.

In the late 1970s, Mr Rinaldi's mother was approached by a friend, Patricia Fisken, saying that she wished to start up a Riding for the Disabled Association branch in Ballarat. She asked if any of her sons could supply the horses.

The RDA program involves people with disabilities being supported by trained coaches and volunteers to ride horses, with participants experiencing a range of physical and social benefits.

When it was established in 1978, the Ballarat RDA program was run at the Rinaldi's property - already equipped due to the riding school being located there at the time.

Over the years it has moved around town, but is now based at the Federation University Equestrian Centre at Mount Rowan.

The Rinaldis have supplied the horses for the program since its inception. Every week, Mr Rinaldi continues to volunteer his time - transporting about 15 of his own horses down to the equestrian centre for the program.

Mr Rinaldi said he continues to do so as he enjoys supporting his community.

"I like helping people. I do it for the kids' sake," he said. "A lot of kids wouldn't get a chance [otherwise]."

With a lifelong love of horses, Mr and Mrs Rinaldi eventually started running the riding school themselves and moved it up the road to their own property.

The Rinaldis have bred and sold many horses over the years, though some are kept for use at the riding school - which they continue to run today - and for RDA.

In the more than 60 years it has been running, multiple generations of the same local families have attended and learnt to ride through the bushland surrounding their home. Many of these riders have gone on to have successful careers in the industry.

While they used to take 30 people on a ride three times a day each weekend, business is not as busy as it once was.

They continue to run the riding school themselves with help from one of their three sons, Michael, and currently have more than 20 horses on their property.

Growing up riding horses and one day even riding his Shetland pony all the way out to Burrumbeet, Mr Rinaldi competed in and won many competitions in his younger years.

He was also involved with the Ballarat Pony Club for a period.

"I've had horses all my life. That's my life and what I do - breed them, break them in and sell them," he said. "It's just a way of life, I suppose."

The couple's children also went on to compete in and win many events.

Mrs Rinaldi said receiving the honour alongside her husband was unexpected but "just wonderful".

"It was the biggest surprise I've ever had in my life when I opened that letter," she said.

While humble about what they have done for their community, Mrs Rinaldi said the honour was a "privilege".

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