Horses have always fascinated me. The incredible mustangs, stallions, and even ponies, and mules were no less than a wonder to me since I was small. I was always amazed to see how strong horses can be while fed on just grass and veggies. And how beautiful they look despite running around in mud and dust all day.
I was always keen to learn Horse Riding but I never got a chance to learn the skill before my motorcycle accident in 2019 when I lost my right leg below the knee. Perhaps God only wanted me to try this incredible sport with just one leg. And that is exactly what I did.
Being an amputee, it looked difficult to even think about horse riding. But thanks to my iron man leg (prosthetic leg), it seemed doable. I usually try to keep myself active in sports and with my iron man leg on, I never undermine my capabilities. Sometimes I push myself to the edge to prove to myself that I am as good as anyone else. Long story short, I found my niche in horse riding with a prosthetic leg.
I have to be very honest to also give much-deserved credit to my instructor and friend, Jakkie, an amazing person who I met by a candid coincidence. If it hadn’t been for Jakkie and her tireless efforts, I would not have reached this level of riding, at least not in a few weeks.
Overall, it was the will to prove to myself that I could still do it, being consistent with lessons every Sunday, and most importantly, listening to what my instructor said. I mean, if animals can obey their instructors, why can we?
It’s been over six Sundays and here I am at Golden Trot Riding School Pretoria, trying my best to trot and canter. I love spending my Sundays here at the school with the horses. Some people believe it’s therapeutic to spend time with horses and that horses can actually feel your emotions. Personally, I have experienced the same and I feel it’s not the rider who chooses the horse; it’s the other way around. A horse chooses its rider based on a connection where it will obey the rider’s instructions happily.
Horse riding has been an amazing experience for me. Soon I’ll start galloping. It’s just a matter of a few more Sundays before I pack my bags to move back to Kashmir with loads of good memories and learnings.