#para-equestrian horse

[isthehorsevideocute]

NGL i think the Olympic breaking, skateboarding, and surfing would look very different if weed wasn't a banned substance by the Olympic committee just saying

[autisticbokutoenthusiast]

we've had celine dion my quetion is will any of the riders use a song from cowboy carter 👀

[mysunshinetemptress]

Patience

Alexia putellas x equestrian!reader

Warnings:rushed shitty writing, not proofread

“Vamos!” You shout arms outstretched above your head in relief and excitement as you watch the Spanish girls dance around the pitch hugging one another and thanking their Japanese opponents, your mamí wraps her arms around you tightly pulling you into a hug “Oh, Potro, eso fue increíble” You let out a small laugh hugging her tighter “Conozco a Mamí y esto es solo el principio, VAMOS ESPAÑA”

You smile watching the team happily talk to each other about the match that has just taken place before deciding to call it a night, you had one final training session before you would have to take part in the first round of the eventing on the 27th.

Your least favourite event was dressage, you hated how meticulous it was how precise, everything had to be on point, one wrong stride and you would be falling down the table, the bid for a medal slipping further away. But dressage was like a dance, a dance where your dance partner is your horse Once fuertes, you lead and he follows in time to the music.

When it’s over and you see your name sitting in first place and you don’t seem to dislike it as much, you are happy with your dance partner, with the precision of his hooves through the sand his strides perfect, of course it is you who cause the fault only a slight one but still you have raked up 16.00 penalty points.

1.5 penalty points less than your closest opponent but it’s not enough.

“Lo siento, mamá, debería haber sido mejor” you fall into your mothers arms “Potro, it was perfect, parada being so hard on yourself, tienes razón donde necesitas ser un potro, llegarás allí, solo espera.” All you can do is let out a grunt as you push off her and turn to follow your grooming team.

You don’t get a day to relax, to process your recent accomplishments instead your sitting on Once fuertes in a forest in Versailles getting ready to take part in the cross country trail for both Spain and yourself just like yesterday.

Only today is not a dance, today is a race against a nine point two minute clock and twenty eight fences/obstacles in the way. Once fuertes is big at 17.5 hands these obstacles will be nothing for him the time trial a minuscule thought for such a long strided horse like him, but it’s up to you to get him there.

You do so perfectly, you trust in him to leap over every obstacle and land ready to race towards the next and he does it without hesitation yet you don’t stop talking to him pushing him forward edging him to go faster to jump higher and it pays off. You hold your lead. You’re still number one, still in position for gold. Your first gold.

Your happier this time around, your mother can tell just from the way your hunched over Once talking to him happily “ Oh, mi chico, eres increíble, eres perfecto, podríamos hacer esto, yo y tú, once, yo y podrías ganarlo todo, oh, ese es mi sueño para ti y para mí.” Your mother pats Once happily “Bien hecho once, gracias por cuidar de mi potro” you beam down at your mother before swinging your leg over and jumping down from the thoroughbred laughing happily as your mamí pulls you in for another bone crushing hug “Dios mío, mamá I think we might actually have a chance, we might actually place on the podium me and Spain, me and Once.” Tears spring to your mothers eyes, happy tears at your growing excitement, at your accomplishments so far “I don’t think you’ll just place Potro, you will win it all, you and España and Once, you will win the gold.” You shake your head not wanting to get your hopes up just yet “Paciencia, es todo lo que tengo en este deporte.” Your mother squeezed your arms before letting you stand back as you got ready to follow your groomers again “you sound just like your Papá.”

It’s not over, far from it, you still have the eventing show jumping tomorrow, the team final and the individual qualifiers but tonight you can relax, tonight you get to watch La Rojas face off against Nigeria, tonight you get to focus back on a different race for a podium and your happy to get to switch off even just for an hour.

You sit happily in the Olympic village with your team around a table as you watch the girls battle it out, fighting for a point that never seems to come. “Uhh, no van a anotar, quiero decir, vamos, quedan diez minutos.” Your teammate Carlos shakes his head, you simply smile and shake your head “Paciencia Carlos, they will strike when they are good and ready. She will strike when she is good and ready.” The team laugh at your faith in the Spanish girls, your faith in your favourite player La Reina herself, but it is you who is laughing five minutes later when Alexia scores the only goal of the match “Mira, te lo dije, when she is good and ready.”

You look out at the castle the next morning getting ready to walk the course with your teammates insuring you know your route, your strides, when to push Once on more with your leg and when to let off, to losen the reins, this is it, you could win your first gold medal today with Spain, your first gold medal as an individual, you just have to be patient.

You must qualify in the top twenty five to reach the individual qualifiers, you must be in the top twenty five to win, you have to jump a clear round all while staying within the eighty second time period. Once has to stay calm, so you have to stay calm, Once must keep his strides precise, he can’t over stretch, he might knock a pole if he does, he might knock more than one and the penalties you have been working so hard to keep down could wrack up suddenly, but again your against the clock a time trial, you have to do this fast, he has to do this fast, you both have to do this fast and clean together, it’s the only way you will keep your spot.

And you do. You jump last for Spain, you jump clear for Spain, for your self, to qualify for the individual medal, not a single pole rocked within the cups and you stayed five seconds under the time limit, for Spain, for you and Once, you were perfect, he was perfect, now it’s a waiting game as the last five jumpers get ready to try and knock Spain off the gold position.

None of your other teammates scores are as perfect as yours but they aren’t the worst, not even middle, they are comfortably in the top twenty and so you stand in the stands to watch the final rider with bated breath.

Great Britain sit second, France sit third and with Tom McEwans for Great Britain four faults in his round he seals the deal on all three podium spots, you have done it, you’ve won a gold medal, Spain have won a gold medal, Once has won you both a gold medal and now you have to refocus to win your individual one.

Your jumping last out of the twenty five riders, you sit in first and you can’t do anything except watch how the riders ahead of you take this new course, their turns, their leg sheathed it’s on or off, how their horses react, you watch the screen as the names move up and down below the top four, the top four, four faults sit between you all, four faults is all it will take for you to drop off the podium altogether, for this to be all for nothing and as your time comes closer it seems to be the only thing swimming around your head.

But it clears, it clears as you swing your leg over Once and as your mamí squeezes your leg before turning to the thoroughbred “Enciérdala por mí, cuida a mi pequeño potro.”

Sixty seconds till your gold medal, sixty seconds till you hold a gold medal, till you and Once become Olympic champions sixty seconds and a clear round.

You don’t remember the course, you don’t remember starting the course, but the roar as Once touches the ground on the far side of the final fence, clear, two seconds under the time giving, clear, clear, he jumped clear, you jumped clear both of you together jumped clear, your an Olympic champion, Once is an Olympic champion, Spain are Olympic champions and all you can do is look towards the sky and shout.

You arrive back to the village beaming, two gold medals around your neck, a team and an individual, you won’t have time to celebrate it, not yet, the games aren’t over but for now you beam and let out quite thanks you’d as athletes pass you in the village congratulating you as they pass.

You freeze as a certain athlete stands in front of you “Guau, hace tres días y ya tienes dos medallas de oro, debes ser bueno.” Your frozen unable speak, unable to think, unable to breath. She’s gorgeous, she’s breathtaking and she’s standing right in front of you. “No, No not really.” She smiles holding out her hand to you “I’m Alexia.” You look at her hand before taking it gently, scared your hand might pass through hers “I-I am Y/n.” Alexia beams happily holding your hand for far longer than she expected but she thinks you’re gorgeous, that you’re breathtaking and so she doesn’t mind “I was going to get a go coffee, would you like to join me.” You nod before finding your words “Sí, me encantaría.”

You let out a laugh as Alexia tells you of her younger sister Alba stating that the only role she wanted in the Olympics was that of a WAG or singing in the opening ceremony.

You sit happily listening to her talk about her family, talks about them like you have known her and them forever, you want to ask about her father but decide that if she isn’t happy mentioning him to you, a complete stranger she met mere hours ago then you weren’t going to ask.

“I am here for Fútbol.” You nodded “Sí, I-I am a fan.” Alexia doesn’t react like you thought she would, her smile seems to grow “a fan, of Spain?, of Barcelona?, of me?.” You laugh “De todos ustedes, de España, de Barcelona de ustedes, la Reina- I have been in love with fútbol my entire life, I have been a culers my entire life, and I have been a fan of you since you started playing.” Alexia lets out a sigh, a content sigh. “That is good, because I don’t think I could give my phone number to a Real Madrid supporter.” You laugh again this time sliding your phone over to the older girl.

Alexia watch’s you as she types in her number, adding emojis to her name. “So you never told me what sport you’re so great at that you won both of your medals for.” You blush as the conversation turns to you, you were quite content listening to Alexia talk and now she had switched to you. “Ecuestre, this one is from the team eventing so Yo y otros tres ciclistas ganamos este.” You hold out your team gold medal for Alexia to inspect “Y entonces this one is my individual medal, but really I couldn’t have done it without Once.” You hold out your individual medal as Alexia’s eyebrows raise “what is your horses name.” You smile “Once fuertes” Alexia nods approving “eleven is a strong number alright.” You let out a giggle taking back your medals “so what does Once get.” You go to take your phone out to show her pictures of the thoroughbred “he gets a rosette, and carrots, lots of carrots.” Alexia let’s out a small oh “well that’s not fair.” You pause as you go to hand over your phone “what do you mean.” Alexia shrugs “well your job is easy, the horse does all the work, so shouldn’t he get a better prize.” You feel your face heat up and turn bright red from embarrassment, as you smile sheepishly putting your phone back in your pocket, you push your chair to get up from the table and Alexia can tell she’s said the wrong thing “Y/n.” You ignore her as you stand “Good luck for the rest of the games.” You leave immediately as Alexia shakes her head “Joder.”

Alexia tried texting you but your not answering and so she decides to see if you have any social media, with a quick google of your name Alexia feels her guilt increase ten fold “Y/n Ferré Balagueró dedicates her Olympic wins to her father.” “MIERDA”

[cripplecharacters]

A character of mine uses elbow crutches (fantasy setting) due to chronic pain from poorly healed injuries on his legs. He used to dance as part of religious/spiritual ceremonies, would it be implausible of him to try and develop a way of dancing that might work for him since it's very important to him? Can people with canes/crutches still ride horses? Would it cause them pain? More fatigue? What other ways might his injuries (he was beaten) affect his overall health and day-to-day life?

Hi!

You can dance with a cane or on crutches! Having him try to invent a dance style that's possible to execute with mobility aids sounds very cool :-)

He could also ride a horse! A lot of para-equestrians use crutches or wheelchairs outside of horse riding. If he can't reliably use his legs to communicate with the horse, he can use voice commands or saddle movements instead.

For the pain, it depends. There are some riders who are always in pain while riding, some that are in pain in specific areas (that can sometimes be accommodated - for example, someone with knee pain can decide to go without stirrups, some people tie their legs, etc.) and some are in less pain than when on the ground because their legs aren't weight-bearing. So it just kinda depends.

I'm not sure, but I'm assuming fatigue would impact him more than an able-bodied rider. I have poor trunk strength and use a cane to help me straighten my back - there wouldn't be anything able to help with that on the back of a horse. Also, horse riding is just tiring in general, so if he uses more energy to compensate while riding, he would be more tired afterward.

The last question is incredibly wide and kinda hard to answer due to that. If his pain is caused by standing, then he might always look for a place to sit, have a shower chair, take breaks to lie down, etc. If it's constant, then he might be unable to sleep (happens a lot) and have the side effects of that. Depending on how "advanced" your setting is medically, he could do physiotherapy and/or take some sort of painkillers.

If you have a more specific question re:last point, feel free to send another ask!

mod Sasza

Hi!

I use crutches for chronic joint and muscle pain and I dance. I don't always use my crutches while dancing since I modify to avoid pain and I find they get in the way, although it's certainly possible to dance while keeping the crutches on! Ways I modify:

I keep my dance schedule pretty light, two hours a week at most, to avoid overexerting myself. I never dance when I am significantly above my baseline pain. If something specific hurts more than usual but I feel mostly okay to dance, I try to adapt to be less "intense" in that area. That includes avoiding putting my full weight on hurting parts and making moves smaller or less energetic to avoid injury.

The exact adaptations that will help your character will greatly depend on the specifics of their injuries, but it's totally possible to dance with mobility aids and with chronic pain.

Mod Rock

[horsesarecreatures]

"The FEI has apparently rowed back on its own proposal to sanction national equestrian federations with a “prevalence” of doping. If the measure had gone forward it would most likely have penalised the sport’s wealthiest benefactors; Middle Eastern endurance racing still returns more positives than any other region or any other FEI discipline.

New sanctions were suggested last year following a significant spike in positives in Saudi Arabia.  But despite enquiries by HorseSport.com over the past seven weeks, the FEI has declined to confirm if new sanctions are in the draft EADCMP (anti-doping) rules for 2025, slated for debate at the FEI Sport Forum on April 29-30.

The FEI already stands accused of succumbing to “sportswashing” through allocating this week’s World Cup jumping and dressage finals to Saudi Arabia. Three leading equestrian news organisations, The Horse Magazine, Reiten St Georg and WorldofShowjumping.com  announced a boycott, largely citing Saudi Arabia’s attitude to human rights.

The FEI is, however, is challenged in finding hosts for their major events which is a topic of discussion at their Sports Forum next week. As of now, the FEI has not yet received an application to host next year’s European Jumping, Eventing, or Senior Para Championships. The announcement about Saudi Arabia hosting these Finals was announced at the end of 2019 (four and half years ahead of the event) and it’s not clear whether any bidding took place. Typically, the FEI offers the chance to bid on hosting the World Cup Finals three years in advance.

Simultaneously, HorseSport.com has pressed the FEI on the contradiction of allocating “big-ticket” championships to countries with known equine doping and cheating problems at a time when the FEI is focussed on public concern about sport horse welfare and the Social Licence to Operate (SLO).

Since 2019, FEI endurance racing has been heavily promoted at Al Ula in Saudi Arabia. It has staged the world’s richest annual race ever since the Al Wathba venue in UAE pulled the Presidents Cup from the FEI calendar in reaction to the stricter FEI endurance rules effective from 2020.

There have always been multiple doping positives from Al Ula, involving cocktails of up to seven different drugs, highlighting the ease with which routinely doped horses progress to top level endurance sport. In 2020, the FEI disciplined three senior officials for “failing in their duty” after a large number of field-of-play violations at Al Ula were not not acted upon.

Last November Al Ula was allocated the 2026 FEI World Endurance Championships, despite having recently returned the greatest number of positives (14 Saudi owned and trained horses out of the 33 sampled) at any single show or event in equestrian anti-doping history. One rider-trainer received a record seven-and-a-half-year ban. Sampling returns from the big 2024 Al Ula fixture are notably better, but could not have been predicted last November.

Not surprisingly, the FEI seems reluctant to answer the question actually asked regarding Saudi Arabia by any media organisation."

[thirdlotusprince3]

Atla Paralympics 2024

[houseofgeeks]

Paralympics Day 5 & 6

Yesterday had a lot of good, but also a bit of a low for me as a fan personally. Normally, I'm team everyone. But the US Wheelchair Rugby team is another story. And maybe I wouldn't be so upset if they hadn't lost so badly.. but watching them seemingly just fall apart in that gold medal match was rough. But Japan did look awesome! They've really become a dominant player in wheelchair rugby which is great for the sport.

I also sort of watched some Para Triathlon, by that I mean I turned it on at 2am my time and then fell asleep. So I listened to it while I slept. lol.

I watched Japan vs. USA in men's goalball as well. Japan also beat the US in this. Japan is really becoming our sporting rival.

Day 6

I watched the US/Italy sitting volleyball (women's) match. The winner would go on to the semi final. The second set was the best set with it being close all the way to 20. But the US turned it up and won the second set and then dominated the third set to clinch their semi-final match. I'm not surprised that the semi finals are USA, China, Canada and Brazil on the women's side. They really are the big 4 in women's sitting volleyball.

I haven't gotten to watch any of the men's pool play because NBC hates me obviously. But the semi finals are Bosnia & Herzegovina, Egypt, Iran and Germany. I expect Iran to win gold again. I can't wait to watch them play finally. (I will be going back once the Paralympic videos aren't geoblocked to watch them.)

I watched track and field this afternoon, specifically the men's T63 high jump. Ezra Frech of the US has been having this countdown on his instagram until he won Paralympic gold, focused on his high jump.. so I had to see if he succeeded which he did, setting a new Paralympic Record and just missing the World Record which was probably good because right as he was going for his last attempt the cameras all went down.

I forgot I watched some Para Equestrian as well. Horses, they trot.

I'm going to try and watch some of the wheelchair fencing tomorrow, as well as the sitting volleyball. I really want to see how the women's French team does against a team that's closer in skill to them.

We end day 6 with 72 countries on the medal table. Host France is now sitting in the top 5 with 11 gold medals which matches their gold tally from 2020 with 5 more days of competition to go. China still at the top with 53 gold (and 115 total medals).

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

MY TEAM-MATE IS MY HORSE 🐎

STUNNING 😍

What a venue for an individual Para equestrian competition! 👀

With four legs and a diet that can include a combination of carrots and peppermint treats - We welcome to the trusty steeds of Para athletes, a proud combination in the Para-dressage Grade I** competition at the iconic Château de Versailles 🇫🇷

Laurentia Tan 45 from Singapore 🇸🇬 competes in the Para equestrian grade I class, reserved for riders with the most severe impairments.

Due to cerebral palsy, it is challenging for Tan to use her legs to control a horse's movements. What makes riding even more difficult, however, is that she is not able to hear the music used during freestyle competitions. Tan developed cerebral palsy and profound deafness after birth.

The freestyle test is based on how well the riders and their horses can complete dressage figures choreographed to pre-selected music. Tan has found some creative ways to be successful in this event despite her hearing impairment, to the point of taking a silver medal in the individual freestyle at London 2012 and a bronze at Beijing 2008. She became Singapore’s first-ever Paralympic medallist when she picked up two bronze medals in Beijing 2008.

Putting science to good use, Laurentia wears a vibrotactile vest during freestyle competitions, which helps her to interpret sounds through vibrations.

** Grade I Athletes have severe impairments affecting all limbs and trunk. The Athlete usually requires the use of a wheelchair. They may be able to walk with an unsteady gait. Trunk and balance are severely impaired.

#Paris2024 #Paralympics #Paraequestrian #ParalympicTeamsatParis2024 #sgparalympics #teamsingapore #FEI

📹 @mobotsg

Images Although the animals aren't handed a precious medal, they do earn a ribbon for any victory. That beats a lump of sugar, right?

Posted 7th September 2024

[atotaltaitaitale]

.

Palais de Versailles for Para Equestrian - Dressage.

I didn’t initially intend to go all the way to Versailles for the Olympics (it takes a lot for me to go outside the périphérique 😉) but I couldn’t not go check out the Chateau de Versailles being the majestic backdrop for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian event and what a dream location it must be for many of the equestrians.

Many riders have indeed said that they have never been riding in such a beautiful arena as this before.

It’s not the most thrilling sport to watch, especially if you are like me and don’t quite get all the subtleties but I was surrounded by supporters who were willing to fill me in; plus the weather was gorgeous, just hot enough and at a gorgeous venue so cannot complain. A great day, just outside Paris that made me want to go back to visit the Palace again.

Para dressage is the only artistic sport at the Paralympic Games. The sport, sometimes referred to as horse ballet, is about demonstrating the relationship between animal and human through movement. Riders are judged for accuracy, quality and the artistic expression of their riding.

It is always amazing to see a complete arena being silent during the events.

[theycamefromspace]

Good Omens RP Search -

Pairings: Crowley/Aziraphale*

About Me: My name is Kelpie. I’m a 30+ non-profit worker on the West Coast (PST.) I am very busy with work and my extracurricular activities so I cannot promise a post a day - I am an equestrian so my horse takes up a majority of my life (needy bastard.) Loves OOC chatter and getting to know my partners! I don’t have many limits on both romantic and/or harm topics but please let me know your limits beforehand so I don’t overstep.

Looking For: Casual, multi-para/novella length post(s), Discord roleplay. Fine with either AU or canon (any timeframe). Please feel free to bring your plots and suggestions. While I don’t have any AU ideas, I love world-building with my writing partners. As for canon - I’d prefer post-season 2 but tbh I’m open to any time frame!

Contact: Feel free to shoot me a message here and I’ll hand out my discord if I feel we are a good match. If you see this ad you can safely assume I’m still looking for folks but I do try to limit how many roleplays I have going on and stick to one or two just because I am so busy.

* while I have a preference of writing Aziraphale, I’m not picky!

[el-cadejos]

No especifiqué, pero eran para Ártica. Y ya que andamos, para Kari: 16, 39, 47

16. What is your OC’s strongest childhood memory? Why and how as that impacted him/her?

As a child, she got to see her great-grandmother’s final horse show, specifically her final horse dressage exhibition. The elegance and mastery displayed by both rider and horse deeply bewitched her, serving as motivation to become a master rider herself, though in a different equestrian discipline, years later.

39. How does your OC handle anger?

She has a temper, lol, that’s usually expressed through groans and fist clenching. Karianne might raise her voice and aggressively poke or pinch the other person, but not enough to injure someone. To calm down, she’ll go horseriding.

47. How easily does your OC forgive?

Karianne is capricious by nature. She’ll get lightly offended by something but make a bigger deal for the shits and giggles. However, should it be something deeper and more hurtful, it might never be truly forgiven.

[thefreedomlake]

The healing effects of nature and relaxation techniques for the mind and body

2024/09/07 01:41

Equestrian Paralympics: A moving moment where grace and strength come together

The Paralympic Equestrian Event is one of the most graceful and powerful events among sports for people with disabilities. In this event, athletes with disabilities take on various challenges together with their horses, competing with each other on the basis of their skills and performance. Paralympic equestrian events are extremely fascinating and moving events, as they require high levels of skill and mental strength, even among sports for people with disabilities.

The Equestrian Paralympics, commonly known as "Para Equestrian," has special rules and standards for athletes with disabilities to participate. Competitions are mainly conducted in dressage, and athletes are required to focus on harmony with their horses and perform set tasks accurately and gracefully. Each athlete competes in individual competition categories according to their disability. This consideration allows athletes to compete on a fair basis.

One of the attractions of Paralympic equestrian events is the deep bond and trust between the athlete and the horse. Watching the athlete control the horse is like watching a completely integrated partnership, and it deeply moves the spectators. During the competition, the athlete gives instructions to the horse, and the horse follows those instructions to move. This cooperation and trust is a very beautiful and memorable moment for those watching the competition.

The Equestrian Paralympics is also an important event for raising awareness of sports for people with disabilities. Through the competitions, the efforts and talents of athletes with disabilities, as well as the level of skill and passion they have, can be widely publicized. Also, by watching the competitions, people can develop understanding and respect for people with disabilities.

Please subscribe to my channel https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pw7uIShy9uo?enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Flake.muragon.com&widgetid=1 Beautiful himalayan scene _ World Trekkerz  - Subscribe to my channel

Furthermore, Paralympic equestrian athletes face many challenges not only in competition but also in their daily lives. Their efforts and courage inspire and inspire many people. Their stories and successes are a ray of hope for other people with disabilities, inspiring them to approach life with a positive attitude.

The impact of the Equestrian Paralympics goes beyond the scope of mere sports, bringing about positive change throughout society. Through this sport, we can learn about the incredible potential of people with disabilities and celebrate their efforts. It will also be a step towards understanding the spirit of the Paralympics and building a society where all people support and respect each other.

The Equestrian Paralympics is not just a competition, it is an event with moving stories and powerful messages. The amazing skills displayed by athletes with disabilities and the hard work and passion behind them mean a lot to many people. We hope that through this competition, more people will become interested in and deepen their understanding of sports for people with disabilities.

The healing effects of nature and relaxation techniques for the mind and body

[clubedohipismo]

A FEI financiou um projeto liderado por Lars Roepstorff, DVM, PhD, professor de anatomia funcional equina na Universidade Sueca de Agricultura, em Uppsala. O objetivo era “criar padrões para a base para garantir que ela seja consistente e segura para os cavalos”, disse Åkerström. “Isso evoluiu ao longo dos anos e agora é um sistema estabelecido.”

Footing: The Foundation of Olympic Equestrian Performance – The Horse

[toughgirlchallenges]

Stephanie Quintrell: Riding Beyond Limits - A Journey of Courage and Adventure. Being the world’s first wheelchair-dependent person to ride horseback 130km across the Pyrenees from France to Spain.

Steph is a Mum to a her nearly 7 year old son, a soldiers wife, and Operations manager for Forces Wives Challenge (FWC). In July 2019 Steph and her families' world was turned upside down when she became suddenly very unwell, and was subsequently diagnosed with a neurological disorder. 

Going from an active, full time working Mum and a keen horse rider, to fully dependant on a wheelchair, with complex health issues and requiring 24/7 care to support with everyday tasks, was life changing. With sheer determination, an incredible support network and a passion for adventure, less than two years later Steph was back in the saddle and aiming for the next challenge in life. 

Steph found her new 'place' within the FWC community amongst other women seeming adventure.  

In June 2023 Steph tackled FWC’s ‘Ride to Freedom’ expedition and became the world’s first wheelchair dependant person to ride by horse back across the Pyrenees from France to Spain. Steph and her team battled extreme heat, a dangerous thunder and lightening storm, treacherous ground and long days in the saddle to complete the 130km route using the WW2 freedom trails. 

Steph has now also founded her own CIC (non-profit) called Equine Para-adventures, which will seek to offer disabled horse riders their own equine adventures out of the usual riding school set up. In February 2026 Equine Para-adventures will start its flagship adventure called ‘Ride to Independence’ when a team of 6 ladies, including Steph, will ride a historic route across the Andes from Argentina to Chile and Steph will aim to complete it and gain another ‘worlds first’. 

***

Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.

 By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Your contribution helps empower and inspire others. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast to be a part of this important movement. 

Thank you for your invaluable support!

***

Show notes

Who is Stephanie 

Living on an army base in the West Midlands

Working for Forces Wives Challenges 

20th June 2023 - first speaking with Stephanie on the TGP - Stephanie Quintrell - Forces Wives Challenge - Ride to Freedom across the Pyrenees mountains. 

The Ride To Freedom Challenge

Planning the adventure in late 2021

Focusing on the fitness for the challenge and not the mental/emotional side 

The challenges of getting on the plane and flying with a wheelchair 

Working with a provider in France 

The stress in the run up to the start and why it was a relief to start

Riding the horse in exactly the same was as anybody else does

Having exceptional core strength and balance 

The incredible horses and the amazing job they did 

Crossing a challenging bridge and why it was scary for multiple reasons

Managing emotions during stressful moments

Why adventure is calculated risk

Not feeling disabled while horseback riding

The lessons learned from the challenges

Gaining more independence back and feeling more confident

Being able to ask for and accept help

Deciding to set up Equine Para-adventures CIC

The plans for Feb 2026 in Argentina 

Needing to find financial support

How to connect with Steph online

Final words of advice to encourage more women to step outside their comfort zone

Life’s too short - do something a scary to push yourself and see what you can achieve

  Social Media

Equine Para-adventures CIC is a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering the disabled community through a range of equestrian activities aimed at fostering inclusivity and enriching lives.

Website: www.equine-para-adventures.org 

Instagram: @equine_para_adventures 

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The World of Equestrian Stockholm

Horses have long been used for transport, war and work. Today, horses are used for competition in dressage, show jumping and eventing and for therapy in specialized para-equestrian sport as well as non-competitive riding to improve human health and emotional development. Horseback riding has become a popular recreational activity, with public access to trails and private stables throughout the…

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Disability Services Ballina

Disability services Ballina help people with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities find a place to connect. These services include support workers, respite care and rehabilitation activities.

Students can access academic accommodations based on their documented needs. They can also seek assistance with completing Continuing Disability Reviews. This includes face to face informal hearings. To know more about Disability Services Lismore, visit the A Clean House Washing website or call 0419778863.

Swimming is an excellent low-impact exercise that benefits people with disabilities in a variety of ways. The buoyancy of water reduces stress on the body, and adapted pools can be designed to accommodate various physical impairments and handicaps.

Swimming can also help with mental health and self-confidence. Children with special needs often feel a sense of pride with each new skill they learn in the water. In addition, the social interaction with their coaches and other swimmers can help them develop strong bonds in their community.

Swimming is an accessible activity that can be enjoyed by people with disabilities of all ages and abilities. In fact, many people with disabilities enjoy swimming clubs as key community places where they can meet other like-minded people and form strong friendships. These groups can also provide essential support services for disabled people. For example, they can help them access housing and health care services. They may also provide respite services for carers.

Walking is a low-cost and effective physical activity that can improve health outcomes for adults with intellectual disability. It can also be used to support transition to community living for those with a severe disability, preventing them from being forced into long-term care. Regular walking can increase muscle strength and endurance, reduce weight and blood pressure, and improve mental health. It can also help improve social connections and enhance self-esteem.

The Walk Well trial involved three face-to-face meetings over a 12-week period between participants and carers where appropriate, as well as a trained walking advisor. Meetings included goal setting and motivational interviewing to support behaviour change. The walking advisor was trained in communicating with adults with intellectual disabilities and delivering physical activity consultations.

Find person-centered disability services that prioritize your unique needs. Accredited services in Northern NSW locations provide unique supports, advocacy, and community. Visit SJCS to learn more.

The physical, social and psychological benefits of horse riding make it an ideal therapeutic activity for people with disabilities. The movement of a horse stimulates core muscles and improves balance and coordination. It is an excellent exercise for children and adults with disabilities and can also help with the development of fine motor skills. It can be adapted to a variety of needs and is used for both specialized para-equestrian competitions as well as non-competitive therapy.

GallopNYC provides life-changing programs for NYC riders with developmental, emotional and social challenges using therapeutic horsemanship. Weekly riding sessions with a PATH Intl Certified Riding Instructor teach new skills, inspiring each rider to live life as fully, independently and productively as possible.

EPIC Assist’s community grants program has recently supported three volunteer-led organisations to purchase horse-riding equipment for their riders. Cartmill Centre Riding for Disabled in Burpengary has been able to purchase horse-riding helmets, while Peninsular Developmental Riding Centre Inc (Pender) and Byron Bay RDA have both been able to obtain sheepskins.

Getting outside provides a range of health benefits. Research shows it can lower blood pressure, reduce stress and improve eyesight, for example. The outdoors can also be a place of healing, especially for those with disabilities.

While outdoor recreation has many benefits for the disability community, the reality is that too often the great outdoors is out of reach. Inaccessible structures, lack of affordable and accurate information, outdated and discriminatory policies and more are all barriers to the outdoors for the disability community. To know more about Disability Services Lismore, visit the A Clean House Washing website or call 0419778863.

There are a number of outdoor recreation facilities and places in Ballina & Alstonville that are suitable for people with a disability including the Coastal Recreational Path along Compton Drive. This wheelchair accessible pathway has wide ramp access down to the sand or water, 2 disabled parking bays and seating. In addition there is a BBQ area and an ADA compliant playground featuring the Liberty Swing. This is one of the only swings of its kind in Australia that allows children (and adults) with disabilities to participate in playground activities.