The Right Tyme to Help!
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I am an equestrian (horse rider) who suffered a traumatic brain hemorrhage as a child and was left with left sided paralysis, much like you'd see from a stroke. Over many years I struggled to the point where I am now on the path to represent the USA at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Para dressage.
Dressage is a discipline of riding which is likened to ballet on horseback. We preform intricate tests in front of a judge (or multiple at higher levels
) and are marked out of 10 for each move and given an average at the end. Dressage demands such precision and mastery that any score above a 70% is considered brilliant. (Imagine if that was how school grades were viewed?! We'd all have a much easier time). The term Para dressage simply means parallel to the able bodied athetes and levels the competition field for the physically compromised.
I embarked on the mission to compete in Rio with my first dressage horse in 2013. A petite bay mare named Clever. Unfortunately, though this little star has the heart of a lion, she was not to be my dance partner for long as she was soon diagnosed with lameness issues in the front feet, and riding was painful for her. She is happily living a partial retirement outdoors now.
In the summer of 2014 I was kindly given a horse to ride temporarily as I had qualified for national championships. I achieved 3rd place in the country at my grade level after riding the great horse only a handful of times.
I then moved to Pennsylvania to train under a coach I had met the year before, but now again had no horse, and really very little hope or chance to continue on track for 2016. Instead, I got serious in the gym, and became a sponsored athlete at a premiere sports performance club in the area. I also took lessons on a schoolhorse just to maintain riding fitness.
As luck would have it, in December 2014 at the latest possible minute to acquire a dressage horse if I wished for a chance to get to Rio, I was generously donated a phenomenally talented and experienced uppper level equine by the name of Right Tyme. It seemed a fairytale, almost too good to be true. He is the perfect size, stunningly handsome, and sweet as can be. Not to mention, his natural talent and pedigree would place him WAY beyond my price range.
After the first few months training through the ups and downs of getting to know a new horse, and especially an ultra sensitive chestnut AND upper level schoolmaster who knows far more than me,(of which he likes to remind me) we entered my first show with him and the first for me in nearly a year, and scored a 71.9%. The judge was smitten, I was elated, we had earned the remaining score needed to qualify for Young Rider's Championships (NAJYRC) in Lexington! This is the last qualifier that will make me eligible for Nationals in November this year, which is mandatory to attend to be considered for the paralympic team.
Of course, fairytales are often too good to be true, and it would seem the wheel of fortune has turned again. This immaculate horse, my buddy and my partner, has been diagnosed with Neurologic deficits, making him unable to be ridden until he is in treatment. Neuro refers to a condition where the horse cannot feel his feet, and his spacial awareness is impaired. Ironically, my condition is similar, but in a 1500lb animal it is very dangerous. Any horse is a risk to ride, but a neurologic horse's chances of falling can spell death or permanant injury for itself and especially the rider.
Neuro used to be the kiss of death for a horse, but there is still hope! If the cause is detected early enough a horse can sometimes be cured and go back to performance! Several diseases can cause these defecits, and have medicine to manage them. It could also-possibly-be fixed with an intricate surgery, but we truly hope to not have to take that route. I believe in the talent and heart of this animal with my entire being. I simply KNOW beyond doubt that if I can get him help quickly to treat this, we will be back in that show ring soon. However, it will take thousands of dollars to first diagnose and then save him, which I am unable to cover alone. At best, his medicine would cost about $1,000 per month for life; at worst his surgery would cost around $15,000. First off we need to know the direct cause, which will cost around $5,000. Our dream may be over for 2016, but the life and wellbeing of this animal has become my top priority. I adamantly refuse to dismiss his life and give up on him when he has tried so hard for me thus far. He has so much to give, and so much more to teach me, and IF he only needs medicine, we still COULD possibly make it to NAJYRC in July! There is still a tiny sliver of hope.
PLEASE help me get the best care for this horse, help him live and help us get back on track to represent the USA. Donations of any amount are enormously appreciated. Thank you.
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Dressage is a discipline of riding which is likened to ballet on horseback. We preform intricate tests in front of a judge (or multiple at higher levels
) and are marked out of 10 for each move and given an average at the end. Dressage demands such precision and mastery that any score above a 70% is considered brilliant. (Imagine if that was how school grades were viewed?! We'd all have a much easier time). The term Para dressage simply means parallel to the able bodied athetes and levels the competition field for the physically compromised. I embarked on the mission to compete in Rio with my first dressage horse in 2013. A petite bay mare named Clever. Unfortunately, though this little star has the heart of a lion, she was not to be my dance partner for long as she was soon
diagnosed with lameness issues in the front feet, and riding was painful for her. She is happily living a partial retirement outdoors now. In the summer of 2014 I was kindly given a horse to ride temporarily as I had qualified for national championships. I achieved 3rd place in the country at my grade level after riding the great horse only a handful of times.
I then moved to Pennsylvania to train under a coach I had met the year before, but now again had no horse, and really very little hope or chance to continue
on track for 2016. Instead, I got serious in the gym, and became a sponsored athlete at a premiere sports performance club in the area. I also took lessons on a schoolhorse just to maintain riding fitness. As luck would have it, in December 2014 at the latest possible minute to acquire a dressage horse if I wished for a chance to get to Rio, I was generously donated a phenomenally talented and experienced uppper level equine by the name of Right Tyme. It seemed a fairytale, almost too good to be true. He is the perfect size, stunningly handsome, and sweet as can be. Not to mention, his natural talent and pedigree would place him WAY beyond my price range.
After the first few months training through the ups and downs of getting to know a new horse, and especially an ultra sensitive chestnut AND upper level schoolmaster who knows far more than me,(of which he likes to remind me) we entered my first show with him and the first for me in nearly a year, and scored a 71.9%. The judge was smitten, I was elated, we had earned
the remaining score needed to qualify for Young Rider's Championships (NAJYRC) in Lexington! This is the last qualifier that will make me eligible for Nationals in November this year, which is mandatory to attend to be considered for the paralympic team. Of course, fairytales are often too good to be true, and it would seem the wheel of fortune
has turned again. This immaculate horse, my buddy and my partner, has been diagnosed with Neurologic deficits, making him unable to be ridden until he is in treatment. Neuro refers to a condition where the horse cannot feel his feet, and his spacial awareness is impaired. Ironically, my condition is similar, but in a 1500lb animal it is very dangerous. Any horse is a risk to ride, but a neurologic horse's chances of falling can spell death or permanant injury for itself and especially the rider. Neuro used to be the kiss of death for a horse, but there is still hope! If the cause is detected early enough a horse can sometimes be cured and go back to performance! Several diseases can cause these defecits, and have medicine to manage them. It could also-possibly-be fixed with an intricate surgery, but we truly hope to not have to take that route. I believe in the talent and heart of this animal with my entire being. I simply KNOW beyond doubt that if I can get him help quickly to treat this, we will be back in that show ring soon. However, it will take thousands of dollars to first diagnose and then save him, which I am unable to cover alone. At best, his medicine would cost about $1,000 per month for life; at worst his surgery would cost around $15,000. First off we need to know the direct cause, which will cost around $5,000. Our dream may be over for 2016, but the life and wellbeing of this animal has become my top priority. I adamantly refuse to dismiss his life and give up on him when he has tried so hard for me thus far. He has so much to give, and so much more to teach me, and IF he only needs medicine, we still COULD possibly make it to NAJYRC in July! There is still a tiny sliver of hope.
PLEASE help me get the best care for this horse, help him live and help us get back on track to represent the USA. Donations of any amount are enormously appreciated. Thank you.
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Elle Faulkner
Organizer
Lititz, PA