Page 11 - Just Better Care Possible Magazine - Issue 5

RIDING TO RECOVERY
At the age of 16, Marnie suffered a debilitating stroke that took away her ability to walk and talk. Today, she is training for the Paralympics as a para-equestrian athlete.
Five days a week Marnie can be found riding her horse Bella. They have a close bond, mov- ing in perfect harmony despite the mare’s often unruly nature.
Watching them canter and trot like a dancer, you would never guess that Marnie is still in recovery from a severe brain bleed four years ago.
Many things have changed for Marnie since then, but the one thing that hasn’t budged is her fiercely competitive spirit. Once a talented athletics champion tipped to be the next school cap- tain, Marnie was always hungry for success.
“Yes, you might call me com- petitive,” Marnie laughed. “My goal right now is to compete in the Paralympics for para-eques- trian.”
It’s an ambition she’s been slowly chipping away at since 2016, when she first joined the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), a couple of years after her stroke. Getting back on a horse was a mile- stone moment for Marnie; riding reignited her competitive spirit and gave her something important to work towards.
Her mother Donna is also an avid horse rider. Seeing her daughter ride
Bella feels like a miracle.
“It’s a real blessing to see Marnie
riding again. She’s working very hard to get to a future Paralympics and I fully support her dream. I am in awe of her ability to take everything in her stride. She could be very angry – but she’s not,” Donna said.
Four years ago, Donna was driving home from work when she received a phone call from her youngest daugh- ter, Brittany; Marnie was ill and had collapsed upon arriving home from school. Donna rushed home and rang an ambulance.
“Marnie was taken straight into the emergency theatre. She was placed in an induced coma and we were told she had suffered an intense brain haemorrhage. She only had a one per cent chance of survival, it was completely terrifying,” Donna recounted.
Marnie fought her way through surgery, but spent the next 15-months in the hospital’s brain and injury unit, having lost her abil- ity to walk and talk. Four years later and Marnie has progressed in leaps and bounds. Within a year she was speaking again and showing off her old wit and charm. Now that Marnie is physically mobile with the aid of a walker and wheelchair, her focus is
back squarely on horse riding. Marnie’s stroke occurred in a section of the brain responsible for balance and coordination. Her rapid physical recovery has been attributed, in part, to the core strength she gained from her regular
horse riding sessions.
“The benefits of horse riding are
endless. Not only has it been great for Marnie socially, but it has been a really integral part of her physical improvement,” Donna said.
“It’s incredible. Looking at her riding her horse, you wouldn’t know what she has gone through. It’s like her body instinctively knows what to do.”
A few months after getting reacquainted with riding, Marnie decided she wanted to start compet- ing in para-equestrian competitions. The only catch, she needed her own horse.
“Marnie’s horse Bella had quite the personality. She was a well-loved horse, but could be challenging at times,” Donna laughed. “But the first time Marnie rode Bella, she just listened. They were so connected; it was incredible.”
Bella’s owners had been watching Marnie’s journey since joining RDA, and were equally touched by the
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