The Atlanta Olympics were to be held the following year and there was a lot of worry about the effect the heat would have on the horses competing. I was not in contention for the Young Rider European Championships, but was extremely honoured to be asked by the Young Rider Selectors to take a horse to test ride in Georgia, USA. I was to go for six weeks to see the effect the heat would have on myself and the horse. I would take part in a Three Day Event at the end of the six weeks and I could not have been more excited as this would be the experience of a lifetime.
Lucy Dickens, Hugh Lochore, Mark Wilder, myself, horses, David Marlin and colleagues and vets from the Animal Health Trust all travelled to Germany to meet up with other teams of riders and grooms from Germany and Italy. From here we all flew to Atlanta where for four weeks we were based close to the Event site, then from there we drove on to Carl Boucart’s farm in Dalton where we took part in the Three Day Event. This was an invaluable experience for me and armed with new found knowledge, especially on how to cool a horse down, I resumed my competing once home with Henry Tudor, my Event life prospered.
Henry and I were placed 3rd in the Young Rider Trial at Brigstock in 1995 winning the Land Rover Bursary, and 7th in the Young Rider Championships at Bramham. I was invited to the Final Trial at Hartpury where Henry and I finished 3rd. However, it was at this time in my life that I began experiencing back pain. Determined to push through this, I continued with Eventing and was fortunate enough to be selected for the Young Riders Championships in Aschelswang, Germany. I was a Great Britain Team Member, and to my absolute delight we won Team Silver. The honour of representing my country is as special to me now as it was back then.
In 1996 Bold Member proved himself. In my first year riding as a Senior, we went to Pau CCI** and we came 4th. I was also nominated as the Best Lady Rider. In 1996 I entered Badminton Horse Trials with Henry Tudor but unfortunately and with great sadness, he was hit with another very bad colic attack a month before we were due to compete. Henry had twisted his gut and was rushed for surgery. He died 9 days later. I was, and still am, devasted at losing such a gentleman and friend in such a way.
Through all this time my back pain got continuously worse. I would experience terrible pain down my left leg which would last for days and then suddenly disappear. For five years I persevered with my Eventing and tolerated the pain but it got progressively worse. Each time the pain appeared it would stay for longer periods, sometimes up to a month at a time. It got so unbearable it became difficult to walk. The level of pain caused problems when I rode, and living with it became a nightmare.
Throughout the five years of pain I saw many doctors and Physiotherapists and with each visit I became more and more despondent as nobody seemed to know what was wrong with me. In 1999 I was referred to one of the country’s top physiotherapists in London who injected my left foot and back with pain killers and steroids. The pain would lessen for a while, but then it would come back much worse than ever before. Eventually he decided he could do no more for me and referred me to a top Neurosurgeon.
