Susi's Menu
Chapelstone has been very successful thanks to you our customers, watching the news one day we came across this amazing person Susi Rogers-Hartley, who despite her bad luck and disability, was trying very hard to help herself. Leaving it a few weeks we managed to get in touch with the BBC who in turn gave our contact number to Susi. We expected her to tell us that she had been in undated with companies and people trying to help her, but to our astonishment it was not the case.
After discussions we decided we wanted to "put something back" so we are now sponsoring Susi 'as and when' our finances allow, even though we can only afford to sponsor Susi in a very modest way we know that a certain supermarkets saying “Every Little Helps” is true! With that in mind if anyone reading this would like to make a gift to Susi no matter how small she would be very grateful. So if you would like to help us help her please email us.
About Susi
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Susi started riding at the age of four. At 13 she helped at a local race yard and 18 ran a hunt yard in the Beaufort country. At 22 she qualified as a saddler and juggled yard duties with stitching repairs. In her spare time she evented, but her main passion was show jumping.
Eight years later she decided for something totally different and joined the Royal Navy. That decision would change her life forever. The training was tough but she enjoyed it, that was until an injury during the assault course would turn her life up-side-down. What was believed by the medical staff to be a bruised coccyx turned out to be a spinal injury which left her in constant pain and confined to a wheelchair. Eventually after a struggle she was medically discharged 3 years later and unfortunately there was no compensation and she had to fight for a War Pension. Housebound, alone, and unable at the time to afford to buy herself a proper wheelchair she became a recluse. In her words "My world collapsed, I had no job, no prospects and the pain was unbearable - I just wanted it all to end."
Her turning point was joining The BackUp Trust and taking part in one of their multi-activities course in Exmoor at The Calvert Trust. Suddenly she was developing proper wheelchair skills, making new friends and even abseiling!!!! Best to come - they got her horse riding! Weeks later she applied for an Assistance Dog from Canine Partners and within 6 months was partnered with Lex.
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Lex is an eight year old Labrador who helps with tasks which are difficult to do from a wheelchair. For instance, he helps with dressing and undressing, opens and empties the washing machine, gets the phone and notifies Susi when she's about to spasm - a carer on four legs. Between Lex and BackUp, they got Susi out of the house and doing things. She had a choice - the accident in the Royal Navy had broken her, but was she prepared to let it ruin the rest of her life? She could either stay at home, watch TV and veg or get out and start doing things that made her smile.
Susi says "BackUp made me realize I could still ride. I just needed to find a centre closer to home where I could continue. Unfortunately, although the RDA is an amazing organization for many, it didn't cater for me. I wanted more than just being led at walk. With riding schools, one look at my wheelchair and I was refused point blank. I needed to get my own horse."
William came into her life a few years later. A quirky 16.2hh thoroughbred who had lost his confidence jumping big fences - perfect as she wasn't planning on going much higher than 2 foot!
Between herself, Lex and new electric wheelchair kindly funded by sponsorship she got the stable duties down to a fine art. Although William is a thoroughbred, he is very agreeable to handle from the wheelchair. He is phenomenal to ride and over the past three years Susi has evented and hunted him. Out hacking, Lex never leaves Susi's side and she knows he would go and get help if things should go wrong. Between Lex and William, Susi has her own support team in the form of two exceptional animals.
18 months ago there was a setback. William suffered an injury and is now with regret, fully retired.
When one door closes another opens, Susi was offered another ride on a horse called Weston. In the 8 weeks she's been riding him, she has competed against able-bodied riders AND WON! Susi has now qualified for UK Riders Challenge 2009 and has progressed from jumping 2'6" to 1 metre! She is now busy preparing for the next BPSJA event held in November at Area 42 in Wiltshire.
With the recent formation of The British Para Show Jumping Association (www.bpsja.co.uk), it is hoped in time Para Show jumping will become an official paralympic sport. When that does happen, Susi's ultimate goal would be to compete in the paralympics.
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Pictured left with Susi is her best friend Susie (confusing or what!), without whom Susi would not have a horse to ride or be able to get to many events. She is very much the unsung hero and very rightly deserves to be mentioned. We would also like to thank her on behalf of Susi for her continued support and generosity. |
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