Equestrian Life April 2018 Issue

dressage
Sheer
DETERMINATION!
Country & Stable of Olney are a family run equestrian business set in the heart of Olney,
Buckinghamshire. They pride themselves on excellent customer service as
well as having an impressive range of products for people and their
four-legged pets to enjoy the great outdoors.
Country & Stable pride themselves on
supporting the local community, they
regularly donate and provide product
support to local charities, clubs and events.
This month, we talk to Country & Stable’s
sponsored rider, Amanda Shirtcliffe.
Amanda is a Para dressage rider based in
Buckinghamshire. In 2012 Amanda was
diagnosed with a rare neurological movement
disorder. Having taken up Para dressage in
2013 and competed successfully at national
and international level, Amanda was selected
onto the British Equestrian Federation World
Class Program in 2016 and has her sights
firmly set on representing Team GB in the
Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
How long have you been living with
Dystonia and what does it entail.
My Dystonia wasn’t officially diagnosed
until 2012. Dystonia is a rare movement
disorder in which you have involuntary
muscle contractions that cause spasms,
twisting movements or abnormal postures.
Basically, the neurological mechanism that
makes muscles relax when they are not in
use does not function properly. Dystonia can
affect just one limb or the entire body, but in
my case it affects both of my legs, arms, torso
and neck. My dystonia hinders my balance
and affects my movement and limb function;
muscle spasms are often excruciatingly
painful and make everyday basic tasks a
challenge to accomplish. I can walk with
the use of leg callipers and crutches but I
am often confined to long periods of time in
a wheelchair.
How do you overcome the challenges you
face when riding with Dystonia?
My body pretty much decided for me that
I couldn’t continue to hare about the
countryside on horseback, and if I wanted to
carry on riding I’d have to find an alternative
way to do so. Due to my involuntary
muscle spasms and limited control of my
legs, I find that riding without stirrups is the
best way for my body to balance better when
it’s in the saddle. We also train the horses to
respond to my vocal commands, having the
horses ‘voice activated’ really helps!
Since taking up a para sport, what have
you discovered about yourself?
I’m not afraid to be myself, although for a
while my confidence took a battering and
accepting my body for what it is has taken
some getting used to. I still get frustrated
with the things I can’t do, the days I am bed
bound are the darkest, but over time I’ve
learnt to allow my body the rest it needs
in order to recover and carry on living as
full a life as possible. Having a disability is
something I still struggle to accept, I can be
a stubborn old mule at times and instead of
accepting defeat I’d rather break my neck
trying to prove a point! I’ve always been
independent and asking for help is something
even now I find hard to do. I’m naturally
competitive and have found that having a
disability makes me appreciate the function
and movement I have left, it’s made me more
determined to get my backside into gear and
not let my disability beat me.
What is your favourite product that
Country & Stable have provided for you
and your horses?
Country & Stable have been a phenomenal
support to me and my equestrian team,
providing me with financial backing and
product sponsorship to get me started in para
sport.
I feel so privileged that Country & Stable
have supplied me with some of the best
equestrian products on the market. I love all
of the Eurostar range but when the weather
is wet and windy, I really appreciate my warm
winter breeches!
For the horses it has to be Horseware
Rambo rugs. Horseware make an extensive
range of rugs to suit all shapes and sizes
of horses. I think the Rambo collection is
by far superior, they withstand all that the
British weather throws at them and come
with a 3yr guarantee, in short, they do what
they say on the tin!
Can you tell us a little about your horses?
I have five competition horses, (Princess
Fiona, Tottie, Magic Mike, Awesome Annie
and Remi) all of which are owned by other
people.
I am forever grateful to the owners for
lending me their four-legged friends, without
their support I would struggle to compete in
the sport.
Who is your favourite horse and why?
Princess Fiona is without a shadow of a doubt
my all time favourite, although I try to treat
them all equally! When Princess came to
me she hadn’t had any previous dressage
training and we have learned the ropes
together. Last year we were crowned National
Champions, that was the icing on the cake.
22 April 2018 Equestrian Life