Meet Alexa riding her beloved Baillie alongside friends Elspeth, Mandy and Malayka at our Wednesday evening session. Alexa has a functional neurological disorder (FND) which can create problems with how her brain receives and sends information to the rest of her body.
FND can include symptoms like arm and leg weakness and strong pain. In Alexa’s case she also experiences strong fatigue and lack of balance. When she started at Muirfield Riding Therapy she was exhausted after a short period but her caring team have worked at gradually increasing this time, before fatigue sets in. Alexa so enjoys her sessions on Baillie [our big bay 15.2hh cob] that it would be easy to overdo things and suffer the next day, so her fatigue and strength is closely monitored.
Alexa has also competed in the Countryside Challenge at the RDA National Championships at Hartpury, Gloucestershire, in July 2024. The Countryside Challenge is a course of obstacles which participant and pony navigate demonstrating their control of the pony and its paces. Alexa went on to place 4th!
Alexa says,
I could not have imagined when I first started that I would travel to Hartpury AND win a rosette!
Some of our participants are preparing for this year’s RDA Regional Qualifiers, held at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre, Broxburn, on 25th May, and we wish them lots of luck.
