Well a lot has happened
since I last blogged, when I wrote my last blog about my antics over the last
12 months it was extraordinary looking back at it. I am now approaching the anniversary of being
home a whole year! Yes even I can’t quite believe it. I was discharged from
Salisbury hospital on Friday 26th February 2016. Let’s just say the
last year has been a massive challenge. Not only learning to live with my
spinal injury in my home, adapting to being a full time a parent again to Harry
and Stella and sorting out lots of personal complications with the house,
finances and dream of getting back on the horse.
Thank god my amazing friends
and family have managed to keep my feet on the ground (so to speak!!) it’s been
a whirl wind…. As soon as I got home I
started making plans to adapt my 3 story town house, yes that’s right 3 story!!
As yet I am unable to do stairs in my wheelchair, even though my wheel chair
skills have improved, they’re not that good!! I had already decided that I was
going right to the top!! I had to work with South Gloucestershire council to
adapt my house to my needs and it’s been a hard undertaking. Lots of meetings
and discussions about what I actually needed. I am glad I am head strong and
confident as have been able to get what I wanted in the end.
Well after 10 months of
sleeping in the lounge I am finally upstairs much to Harry and Stella’s
disgust!! They actually loved my bed in the lounge, when they could lie in the
bed, eating pizza and watching telly they were in there element. Sometimes when
I got into bed at night, I would find snacks, empty crisps packets yoghurt pots
and loads of bloody crumbs. Last thing you need is a crease in the sheet and a
large crumb up your ass when you have a spinal injury!! OMG what would the
spinal unit say? Potential pressure sore risk. They would have me on bed rest
checking my pressure areas with a mirror ha ha ….
After coming home in
February 2016 I had the best Christmas present ever, I got to go upstairs 3
floors to my room and have cuddles with my kids and Alfie dog. I have a brand
new Oto air light stair lift and a new wet room and new bed provided by Mark
Davies injured rider’s fund.mdirf.co.uk I actually feel very lucky with what can do. I
have been able to get into my kids bedrooms, well let’s just say WTF, they have
certainly enjoyed having the run of the house!! It looked like we have
squatters…
While the building work had
been going on I have been able to not lose the plot as I’ve had so much to
concentrate on. Firstly back to the RDA issues I had. After my initial
application to ride there being turned down due to me being too disabled! I
decided to challenge their decision. As I have already found out it’s who you
know not what you know, I decided to write to Pammy Hutton, She trains grand
prix level dressage horses and Beth my friend/trainer knows her. Pammy has a
RDA in Gloucestershire but no hoist facility; she was very helpful at putting
me in touch with individuals who might be able to help. tallend.net
After lots of emails and phone
calls I was able to make myself the topic of discussion at a conference on RDA
applications and types of clients that use the facilities. Good old “go to the
top attitude”!!! ha,ha , after this and
many a discussion with the Head of therapy at the RDA headquarters in Warwick I am now just waiting for my second
opinion with a Professor in oxford to be assessed as to my ability to ride at
the RDA and over rule my spinal consult who wants me to take up dominoes.
I have put my application
into British Dressage for classification assessment; this will express which
level I will need to ride at in British dressage. I have been advised that this
is likely to take place in July at Hartpury CPEDI 3* event, so need to be
patient, (not one of my strong points) and also not to be disappointed if I don’t
get selected this year as they have a policy and have to re-assess already
classified athletes.
Now I am living
independently at home, which is by no means a mean feat with a spinal injury, I
have learnt to adapt a lot of things in the home. Driving has opened up a whole
new world; it has given me my independence back! I can now go anywhere I want
when I want without the help of anybody.. I do like to have assistance at times
as it makes it easier for me, I will accept all offers of unpaid help!! I am quite a force to be reckoned with so the
turnover of willing volunteers may be high!
I have been offered a horse
to ride by my friend and trainer Beth Hobbs. Beth has her own very successful
business in schooling horses, lessons, training and competing herself. She also
has regular training sessions with the
Olympic Gold medallist in Dressage, Carl Hester. She has very kindly offered one of her horses
to me so we can learn the ropes together. I will do a separate blog for
introducing Flynn as there is lot’s to say…
As I mentioned before in one
of my previous blogs the para hoist is being sponsored by Severn Vale riding
club and a small donation from Pearce Brothers mobility. This hoist is going to
make all the difference for me and I am so grateful to Severn Vale and Pearce
brothers for their support with this. The hoist will make me independent at
being able to mount my horse in the yard for schooling sessions and also when
we leave the yard and attend other areas and competitions.
I joined British Dressage and have attended 3
training sessions so far. I have met some lovely people and their amazing
horses. Mandy and Nick who organise the south west para side of British
dressage have been amazing and supportive at helping me organise the admin side
of applications, how to apply and what to do. I attended a dressage training
session at Knockdown near Westonburt in October.. OMG this was an amazing opportunity
to see how the other half live, It was like something in Hello magazine, the
house was owed by Christian Landolt, (A Swiss eventing and dressage athlete)
who owns some of the horses Natasha Baker rides (she is 5xparalympic equestrian champion and
5 times European champion)
The day was very exciting and we were able to
watch dressage seminars and training given by Michel Assouline. Since 2005
Michael has been the official UK para-Dressage squad coach and has been
involved in the Paralympic dressage teams wining all their gold medals…. What a
great opportunity this was for me to spend time watching and learning from the
best in the field. Hob knobbing you know…….
I spent another day with the
para dressage training teams at the RDA in Cheltenham in December. This day was
individual test sheet training and sports psychology. This gave me another opportunity to make new
friends in the para world and ask questions about my situation and get advice
to help me in the future. I love watching others ride, I find it helps to feel
calm and relaxed…like therapy!!! Problem is though horses are more expensive
than any therapy!!!
On February 11th I
attended the equine therapy centre at Hartpury College hartpury.ac.uk with my friend verity.
She was unpaid carer for the day… . This was an amazing day. We had sports
psychology all about the positivity and ambition of riding and great
physiotherapy sessions, rolling about on a gym ball.. Was a first!! I had to
learn to trust myself as the others just pushed the ball and said they were
holding it...when they clearly weren’t. I realised my balance is quiet good in
this situation. Then came the best bit of all, my turn to ride Margaret, the
mechanical horse simulator. I had phoned the college before hand to check they
had a hoist. They don’t!!! I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to get on top.
Nick who was running the session said it’s not about what you can’t do. It’s
about working out how we can get round this. The consultant told me I couldn’t
ride THAT’S WHY I DID!! ( I am not very good at doing what I am told!!! Ha ha).
We worked out with the
physio Andy the best way to get me on.. Which was transfer onto mount block,
transfer onto a chair on the mount block!! At this point all health and safety
went out the window.. And thank god for upper body strength, as then had to push/pull
myself up and over the saddle and verity swung my leg over!! I was up!!! It
felt amazing and I felt like it did before my accident!! Normal!! Whatever
normal was. Riding Margaret felt
wonderful and mind blowing.. It was as
nearest thing to riding a real horse since my accident, obviously it was very
emotional. Not in a flashy back nightmare kind of way... But I felt happy and
free.. From the confides of my wheelchair and that felt great. I had some tears of joy and I didn’t want to
get off. This simulator was fantastic,
if you want to go cross country or ride a grand prix dressage test you
could do it all on Margaret!!! Something to aspire too!!!! Well at the moment I
think I will just settle for getting up right and staying upright.
I had some exciting news in February
and this is an offer by Julia Mottram, Chartered veterinary physio to work with
me and Flynn (the horse) when we start riding. Julia understands there is a
holistic relationship between horse and rider, because she is chartered in both
human and equine she is able to give an all-round assessment that can bring out
the best for horse and rider. Julia is able to offer domiciliary visits so she
can treat you and your horse in familiar surroundings. I am really looking
forward to be able to work with Julia and Flynn over the coming year. keystonephysiotherapy.co.uk
Earlier in the blog I mentioned
that a charity named Mark Davies injured riders fund donated me a new profiling
bed. My friend Kelli found out about this charity, over the past few months I
have had lots of communication from Rosemary who is the charity coordinator. Me
being me!! When she asked if I would do a magazine article for “YOUR HORSE” I said
of course I would. She wanted someone who had benefitted from the charity to explain
how the charity worked and how to access their support. I did the interview which
is due to be published in the March/April magazine.
This has led on to me
chatting to Amy Moore one of the editors for Your Horse magazine. She has asked
me to be a monthly blogger for Your Horse magazine and would like to follow my
journey of complications following my horse riding accident, spinal injury and
getting back on top!!! I am so excited to where this could lead. I am liaising
with various other para riders to get ideas from and now being part of BD para dressage.
I am attending training sessions unmounted (at the moment) so there is loads
happening and lots to look forward to...it’s going to be a busy year.
My next blog will be meeting
the team who have the privilege of working with me and my ambition…. and
meeting Super Flynn the horse!
