FELICITY’S STORY - Did some say inspiring?!

‘After my accident in 2017 in which I broke my back, I was never really sure if I was going to ride again. I returned home after 5months of hospital and rehab, back to the farm in Cowra NSW and started to settle back into ‘normal’ life. This of course excluded riding but I was still around horses as I had started my stud, Meraki Ridge Australian Stockhorses, the year before.

 

2yrs later I had started my family with partner Andrew and gave birth to my beautiful son, Elliot. He was 6months old when I decided it was time to try and return to the saddle. I had attended RDA for a short time as a way to do this but it wasn’t enough for me to ride once a week, it was time to buy my own.

 

I knew I would have to find a stockhorse as they are quiet, sensible and easily trainable. All the ones I had bred were sold on or too young. I spent about a month searching for anything suitable and set out on a weekend with my mum and sister to try “Barnetts Fascinator-HSH” aka ‘Fancy’. It was pouring down rain by the time I was getting on her to ride. And she was perfect even in those very trying conditions. I knew I would be able to create a partnership with her because even at 3yrold she was so willing and accepting of a different way of riding, and I was still figuring it out myself.

 

Fast forward 12months, we were on a roll. Winning dressage against able bodied riders and working together well, improving our movements. I started looking at the possibility of the Paralympics and it is now one of our goals. Fancy is not yet old enough to compete at that level so we still have 12months before we can really consider it. Our goals for this year include competing in an EA Para Graded test (Fancy is now just old enough for this level test) and also competing in a test with canter.

 

Living life in a wheelchair really isn’t all that bad. Life isn’t over and I am excited to prove this to all who think it. When we have those life changing moments, it’s coming out the other side that really shows you who you are. I am a different person today because of that life changing moment and I don’t really know where I would be, 4yrs on, if it had not happened. We all have inspirations, goals and dreams. And although there may be limitations- never give up on them. LIVE FEARLESSLY!!!’