My Para Riding Dream: April 2017

trying out body support

Stella on the equi-tech!!!!!

What’s new?

Well as those who follow my blog will know, I have decided to tell you what’s new this month and introduce the team at lone oak stables, the horses and the para squad. So much has happened lately I don’t know where to start!! Let’s begin with how things are progressing for me! As we all know it’s all about ME!!! Well after my persistence with following my dream to get back in the saddle,(I was not that impressed when my Spinal consultant from Salisbury hospital wrote a letter to me advising that she does not support me riding because of the risk!!) OMG if only she had a spinal injury then they would understand that every day I take huge risks, Like when I transfer out of bed into the shower, onto my wheelchair into the car, out socializing with friends is one of the main risks when a few prosecco’s are on board as the wheelchair seems to tip up !!! Ha ha-ha . This happens quite a lot as I am always out!! I know about the risks of riding, don’t forget I am an extreme sports woman (well according to the A&E report I am anyway ha hah hhaa)

So after my application was turned down by our RDA (Riding for disabled adults) I set about how I could get a supported second opinion. The head of therapy at the RDA, (notice I always go to the top!!) Put me in touch with a professor of spinal surgery in oxford. So on the 20^th march after a lengthy referral process I eventually got an appointment. It’s funny but as I have said before if you have money and know the right people things start to happen! Well I paid for a private consultation and up to date x-ray and scan. Thank god for sat nav.. My friend Jane came on the day trip to Oxford to keep me company and we drove straight there.

Following a very through consultation and review of the x-rays, The Professor spent 2 hours chatting to me, assessing ,reviewing, reading the reports he then concluded that. The x-rays show a solid fixation of my spine from T10 down to L3, which apparently means I have 3 mobile segments below and above the fixation which are in good alignment, there is no evidence of any loosening and malalignment of the spine. The L1 fracture has healed up and is solidly fixed. This has been fixed at two levels above and below the fracture. He considers this to be entirely stable and there is no evidence of any loosening or failure. He states a number of times that in his view the fracture is absolutely stable. He has said that if I was to fall off again!!! (Possible) that this part of my back would be stronger now than it was before. He said he sees no concerns with me riding again and competing within the para dressage discipline!!!

Yippiiiiieeeee get in.. I am so excited about this, well worth the second opinion; I could have kissed the professor of spinal surgery… I actually could have!!!!! He was a little bit old for me, but hay ho.. Who worries about age when he has just delivered that amazing news to me… The pictures I have put on are of my fixation, screws and bolts. I had no idea my back looked like a maccano set! As far as the confirmation letter goes from the professor I am going to copy it and send it to the RDA who said I was unable to ride there. I will now try again to get access to ride the simulator horse and this time I swear that if they say no “I’m too disabled to ride I will go to the papers” just because!!!! .

Another bit of really exciting news is that severn vale riding club have donated money towards the lorry hoist….Downend round table have donated money towards the hoist and with the small contribution from Pearce brothers mobility it’s all funded. So on the 27^th March the lovely Ian (Beths dad) drove the lorry to oxford, I offered to follow him and pick him up!! Then he told me he wanted to leave at 6am….. Obviously this is like the middle of the night to me... But I got up early and Beth’s lorry now has the hoist system fitted to the back of it. We used dolphin mobility to have help with this, they have used unihoist a company in oxford who have installed the hoist and now Dolphin mobility have to organise the actual sling that grabs me safe and allows me to be lifted out of my wheelchair onto the horse!!!! We still have to collect it from oxford and hopefully this is planned for Monday 10^th April... then the fun starts!!! I think we will have to teach Super Flynn to stand very still while the hoist moves over him, I will be looking for volunteers for this as I won’t be mounting till we have cracked this bit!!! Then I need to win the lottery as want to go on a shopping spree to buy a new hat and air jacket and body protector, as mine all ended up in the bin that fateful day on 10^th October 2015 when the paramedics had to cut all my clothes off!!!

I am hoping to have a big spend at Badminton Horse trials 2017. I and some friends have volunteered to help with Event mobility, the official charity for Badminton 2017. Event mobility makes you mobile at large events by offering you the opportunity to hire a manual wheelchair or electric scooter for the duration of the day, this will enable individuals with mobility or health problems to access the event and enjoy the day… what an amazing opportunity for some people who would otherwise not be able to attend such big events. Event mobility has a great web site at www.eventmobility.org.uk. I am really looking forward to the day as helping others enjoy such a massive event will be great. Fingers crossed the sun shines so we can have a pimms!!!! While enjoying the horses…… and doing our bit to make access possible for others.

My physio sessions are still continuing to challenge me; I have bought a balance cushion to use at home and also an equi trainer. The balance cushion I can sit on and try and hold my core while wobbling about! And the equitrainer is a gadget I won on eBay for £50. This is a bit like being in the saddle as you have to mount on top and sit balanced while the machine goes through a series of settings, from a warm up, up to a top speed like a trot/canter… I obviously haven’t done this setting yet!! its so funny, like a very large vibrator between your legs!! My daughter Stella has been on it, also friends when they have come round after a few beers have been keen to have a quick go!!! Hopefully these gadgets will help me balance better and are training my core to be strong, which will help when I get back up on top of super Flynn…

I am now writing a monthly blog in your horse magazine as well. My daughter Stella now has a horse on full loan, so this keeps me and her very busy, luckily Stella horse is at Loan oak stables also, so I am spending time on the ground grooming, putting on rugs, doing hay nets, feeding and generally getting super Flynn and the other horses use to me wheeling around them and sometimes screaming as I often feel a little bit stuck in the mud!!! Literally. I am really pleased the weather has now improved as was getting a bit fed up of being wet and muddy all the time, perhaps I could be a fair weather rider?? And one day ride/train in an indoor school?? Well keep dreaming sally and wait for the sponsorship deals to come in!!!

I’ve continued to socialise a lot and have had some great nights out with my family and friends, and I still like to have the odd prosecco, I feel my tolerance is improving in this area too…. Ha hah… I had a fun couple of days when my friend Mark came to stay... Well too wheelies in a house do cause quite a lot of congestion... I took Mark to my PT instructor Seona at Frampton fitness. Well I nearly wet myself laughing... What fun we had, but I don’t think Seona would say the same!!! Too much alcohol and food consumed, I was bloody glad when you left Mark!! Give my liver a rest! I’ve been for a trail session on the toning tables at the local leisure centre; let’s just say they didn’t work for me... It’s funny when you have to transfer on and off these machines all for 3 minutes of work out; especially when the instructor said just do what feels right!! Bloody hell does she not know I can’t feel my legs!!

Well another room decorated at home, thanks to the help of my dad, Nicky and Alan, I supervised!! Just the flooring to go down now and then soon we will have an office. I have a stand frame I will be able to put up as well so standing will be able to be done at home too! This is all helpful for the rehabilitation with this spinal injury. My house plans and adaptions are on hold at the moment as I am still waiting for quotes to come in that I can actually afford, I would love to be able to adapt the downstairs of my home the plans have been drawn up by my architect, but I may have to scale the extension down... As the prices seem to be sooooo expensive. But knowing me I will get something to help achieve my goal of a lovely family downstairs we can all use.

Meet the team….

The para team consists of me, my daughter Stella and son Harry (who occasionally comes when he has nothing better to do!), my horsey friends Julie and verity and Beth Hobbs. I have known Beth Hobbs for 6 years; she was my trainer/instructor prior to my accident and now has become a very good friend. One thing I am discovering is that this para dressage lark needs a big team of supporters and a potential large amount of money (I have the team of supporters but not the large budget!!)

Beth has a yard called Loan Oak Stables and concentrates on schooling, Training and teaching. She also has an extensive wealth of experience in riding and competing. She was trained at Tallend and has gone on to develop her skills by running and managing her own yard. (It’s all helped and supported by her lovely family) She currently is competing on her Black diva silky!! In dressage, she rides Flynn in eventing and side saddle and also has some livery horses on the yard as well as her own and horses that come in for a week’s holiday/schooling. Yes I wouldn’t actually call it a holiday!!!! But Beth is so supportive and rides amazingly she’s a pleasure to watch. Beth currently has lessons herself from Carl Hester and Ellen Berchner-Nolan, who put her and the black diva through their paces, and then Beth passes all that knowledge onto her clients.

My daughter Stella is very keen to see me ride again, she supports me in this venture as she knows the love I have for the sport and horses. Stella has not been put off riding or horses in anyway, she still rides herself and has forgotten the events from the day of the accident, perhaps this is her way of dealing with it. I don’t think Harry is that excited as he is much more sensitive and worries about what could happen to me, and he saw how unwell I was when the accident happened and doesn’t want me to have to go through anything like this again. Or maybe he doesn’t want to go and have to live with his dad again for another 7 months!! As he’s a home bird and loves being here.

My friends Julie and verity have attended some of the para dressage training days with me, of which I am really grateful, Julie had the pleasure of attending the knockdown day, where we thought we were stars in a hello magazine shoot!! Verity attended Hartpury and she got to be their when I first mounted the simulator Margaret!! Not very dignified way of mounting as was thrown up and over and verity has to make sure I stayed up on top and didn’t go off the other side. I can’t wait now to progress over the summer months and I am looking forward to my first ride!!! I have been successful at mucking out, filling hay nets sweeping the yard. I can take on and off rugs and have even put Flynn’s bridle on,(Well sort of, as when I looked he had one ear stuck under the brow band, he must think oh here she comes again that nutter!!!) I’ve managed to lead Flynn round the yard and get him to walk into his stable and turn around… sometimes he comes straight back out!! “No back, back,” That’s not supposed to happen you’re supposed to stay there Flynn... All this ground work has been invaluable in helping with my confidence around horses on the ground, as they seem even bigger now I am sat down all the time. I am absolutely loving been around the horses at the yard. It makes me feel so happy and I look forward to going, I am sure this is a massive help with the emotional trauma I have been through with the injury, as emotional wellbeing is an enormous part of the rehab. A huge reason to get up in the morning is the challenge and the enjoyment the yard environment gives me.

Well I am looking forward now to working up towards getting on…. Not long now!!!!