My RDA simulator sessions begin
My RDA simulator
sessions begin
You wouldn’t believe how happy I am! Well after all MY hard
work and keeping on to the right people I have eventually started my riding simulator
sessions at the Avon Riding centre in Henbury Bristol(avonridingcentre.org.uk) I have now attended
three sessions. The first was an assessment which my Para team mate Julie came
too. We were both taken back with the set up. It looks an amazing facility. I
was assessed and measured up and hoisted up up and away!!!! The hoist went up
quite high I can tell you. I am actually
quite scared of heights, and when I went to New York being on top of the rock
made me feel quite sick!! But this was
another amazing wonder of the world to me.. I am getting nearer my dream of
getting back on top and riding for the para Olympics!! So I don’t have time to
feel sick now!! (Set you sights high that’s what I say. Obviously I have set
myself much smaller goals to achieve in the short term :)
I have attached lots of pictures of me in my first session,
I have booked 6 weeks of lessons and we are galloping through loads of amazing
goals already. Basically getting hoisted on to the horse simulator is fairly
easy, a bit of swinging but all very controlled. Once up on top for the first
time I had my feet in the stirrups. I had to balance myself and do loads of
exercises, bending down as far as I could this might sound easy but when you
have no core balance this is extremely difficult (I was wondering at this point
why the room with the simulator in is not padded with a foam pit just case I
fall off), also twist side to side and learning to balance with your eyes shut.
I have to learn to engage my core from my pelvis up to just under my arms, and
try and use my arms and shoulders only to go forward and back, with the pace of
the moment… (God knows what will happen when Flynn decides to scratch his leg
or eat some grass and pulls the reins…
Ill probably go over the top.. Thank goodness I purchased a hit air air jacket)
On my second lesson I was asked to work without stirrups,
this puts my legs in a better position and opens my pelvis, I don’t find this
uncomfortable and it actually works quite well. Wow I couldn’t believe I was
able to canter today, with no reins or strurrips, I said I feel like Rose on
the film “The Titanic” when she’s singing standing on the front of the ship!!!
“Every night in my dreams I see you I feel you, that is how
I know you go on
Far across the distance and spaces between us, you have come
to show you go on
Near far wherever you are I believe that the heart does…..
My heart will go on,
once more you open the door and it feel you in mine heart ll go on !!!”
You know the rest!!! And can picture me on top of the
simulator with my arms out to the side balancing singing this. (Obviously very
out of tune ha ha ha)
I was given 2 whips to hold this session to practice holding
these. The whips act as my legs and back up the instruction to give the horse guidance
of where to turn etc.… I found this comfortable and ok so we will continue to work
with me holding the whips. When I am on
top I feel happy, so free from the wheelchair, I really do feel on top of the
world, it is amazing. I did wonder if I would experience flash backs or trauma
from the accident, but this does not seem to be the case, well at the moment I am
not moving or going anywhere on real
horse but I believe all the counselling and trauma therapy I have had has
helped me overcome this huge event in my life.
Well I wanted to say a massive thank you to long time family
friends Pat and Gordon Butters. They have bought me a Charles Owen leather look
AYR8 with red and white piping riding hat. I am so lucky to have their amazing
support. I can’t wait to wear it… I absolutely
love it. I have decided to go with Navy colours rather than black this time. I
will post pictures on FB and the blog of the hat in all its glory.. When I wear
it… This is what it’s like!!!
I am so happy now that I have achieved this massive step
closer to my dream of Para Dressage, this has to be one of the hardest things I
have done in my life post injury.. I never gave up, even when all the odds were
stacked against me. Due to my passion and drive I am able to say that I achieved
this only 18 months after this life changing event!!! I have my simulator
lessons, which will lead on to mounted riding, I have my lorry hoist , I have
the most amazing horse and the best of all the most amazing friends and family
in the whole world who have supported me to go after my dream.. What more could I ask
for??? (Actually I have a long list)
Guess what??? I’m
getting on.. Who’s coming along on my Journey?
