Cornwall native Emily Skerrett, 33, is a talented disabled horse rider who has been selected to represent Great Britain in Para-dressage. Dressage is a highly skilled form of riding where horse and rider are judged on their accurate completion of a series of predetermined movements. Para-dressage is conducted under the same basic rules, but with riders divided into different competition grades based on their functional abilities.

Emily has been riding since the age of 4 and has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. She also has a total wrist-and-hand fusion, dysautonomia and movement disorder. Emily has a resulting variety of mobility difficulties, meaning she needs crutches to walk. Pre-competition activity can sap her strength when involved in day-to-day tasks, resulting in less energy to perform in the arena.

Despite these difficulties Emily has achieved many remarkable results in Para and regular dressage. She has managed to fight back from severe illness, when she was unable to ride and had to consider giving up equestrian sports altogether. Now with Emily’s recent selection to represent Great Britain, TGA has decided to sponsor her with a loaned Maximo mobility scooter so she can remain energized for forthcoming competitions and has the best chance of winning.

Her horses are Woody, a 13-year-old Bay and a 20-year-old grey named Molly, who were both new to Para-dressage. Together they have been the RDA National Champions for 2 years running and have been placed at a number of national para-competitions. Emily is now aiming to defend their RDA title this summer, as well as competing in several summer regionals. Emily has an ultimate goal of qualifying for Tokyo 2020 and her new mobility scooter is going to provide a huge advantage.

Emily explains: “My new Maximo mobility scooter is already making a massive difference as I use it to lead out the horses and access the training arena and paddock. Its 4 wheels and higher ground clearance mean it can cope with rougher terrain and my horses are not spooked by it driving around which is essential. As I can rest my legs and not battle with crutches I am less likely to have spasms and generally feel far less tired.”

“As my Maximo folds up quickly, we can transport it in the back of my Audi or in our horsebox. I will be able to tackle the vast distances around competition showgrounds, which is important as I hope to compete at more international events next season. If I get tired before a Dressage test I can be prone to giving my horse the wrong signals through my legs and hence my scores can be lower. Now I can focus all my energy into performing when it matters. I believe I have a better chance of being successful and possibly representing my country at the 2020 Paralympics. It is a great honour to ride for Great Britain and thanks to TGA and my Maximo mobility scooter I can give it my best shot.”

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