Biography
I started riding when I was two years old, when my very unhorsey parents visited Stow Fair. There was a Shetland pony left at the fair which was being sold for meat, so my father paid £100 to save him and we called him Bubbles. From that day forward it was a fast learning process on how to look after and ride Bubbles! I loved Bubbles and I was "hooked".
Then came Blue, Cindy and Amber all of whom were lovely grey ponies. I am known for always riding grey horses these days - I never go looking for them but they always seem to find me. My next pony was Ems, a 14.2 grey, with whom I got selected for the Pony 3 Day Event Europeans and came back with Team Silver.
I then evented my father’s horse, Venture to Tell and took him from Novice to Advanced in one season. I was short-listed for the Junior European 3 Day Event Team but, unfortunately, he threw a splint and went lame just before the Championships.
During my first year in Young Riders, the selectors asked me if I would like to take a horse to Atlanta for six weeks to take part in the field trials for the Atlanta Olympic Games and I jumped at the chance. This turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I learned so much, especially about the effect of heat and humidity on the horses and cooling down procedures.
The following year (’95), I was selected for the Young Rider European Champs’ and again came home with the team silver. During my Young Rider years I started to suffer with back pain. This gradually became unbearable and after four years, I was diagnosed with a tumour on my spinal chord. This was extremely serious and had to be operated on immediately. There was a 50:50 chance I could be paralysed. The tumour which was removed successfully without severing my spinal chord, was benign but the operation had disturbed my nerves and left me with no feeling in my left leg and foot and I found myself unable to walk and was wheelchair bound. My surgeon told me that in time, he hoped that I would be able to walk again but doubted that I would ever be able to ride competitively.
My fighting spirit then came to light then! After six weeks in spinal rehab’ working very hard, I was able to walk out (with some assistance) and was allowed home to continue physiotherapy. I started cautiously to ride a safe horse and gradually began to get some feeling back in my leg and foot. The following March (2001) I was competing, although not terribly successfully.
Sir Roselier was my main horse and we had completed Blenheim just prior to my operation. For the next three years I kept falling off him over the big fences as my balance was not great due to being so weak, but, bless him, he kept trying for me and that is why I have such an amazing bond with him - without him, I am not sure that I would have been able to carry on with my eventing career at all. I owe him so much.
Eventually, in 2005/2006 I finally got back to full strength and had adapted to the lack of feeling in my left leg. Now, I'm glad to say, I am completely back to normal and have a lovely string of horses with which I am determined to represent Great Britain at Championship level once again in the near future. My main prospect is currently Lord of the Owls who will be campaigned at Advanced and 3* level in 2010. I am hoping he will fill the rather big shoes of Sir Roselier who is now retired from top level competion.