Just a horse away from a paralympic dream

Ruth MacCarthy, who works at Leamington solicitors’ Wright Hassall, fought back to be able to ride again after breaking her lower back and hips, crushing her pelvis and damaging nerves and soft tissue in an accident when she was 19.

Now one of Britain’s top paralympic dressage riders, she is ready to compete in next year’s games, but it is this time her horse Flustern - also known as Whisper - who has suffered the injury, after rupturing a ligament, putting her out of action for 12 months.

Ms MacCarthy said: “I decided to make use of this time and put her ‘in-foal’ with the hope of producing a future competition horse for me but in the meantime I am left without a horse to compete on.

“This is the first time I have been looking to loan a horse so it is a bit strange, but the clock is ticking and I would really need to get the horse by the end of April. It is a big adjustment for a horse to carry someone with a disability so they need time to get used to it.”

Ms MacCarthy is looking for a seven to 15-year-old dressage horse between 15.2 and 17.2hh in height with a proven track record at top level.

Anyone who can help or knows someone who can can visit her website to contact her.