Driven to Succeed

Kailyn Briggs had to overcome physical challenges to pursue her passion for combined driving.

- BY PAIGE CERULLI

Fourteen-year-old Kailyn Briggs of Pennsylvania first started riding when she was just 4 years old.

Kailyn, who was in physical therapy at the time, had been experiencing muscle weakness. She started riding English in hopes that it would help her build her muscle strength, and riding eventually replaced her physical therapy sessions.

When Kailyn was 5, she was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or hEDS. The disorder causes joints to be very loose, so they can be stretched and easily dislocated. hEDS also causes many other symptoms, like joint pain and chronic fatigue.

But she loved riding.

"I enjoyed the connection between me and my horse," she says. But in addition to dealing with the challenges that are common with riding, like learning how to balance and how to keep her heels down, Kailyn faced some additional challenges because of hEDS, including coordination and weakness issues.

"I struggled most with having different abilities every time I rode," she explains. Her varying energy levels and muscle strength changed what she could do in the saddle from day to day. "I had to adjust how I did things," she says.

DISCOVERING DRIVING

When Kailyn was 12, she saw a flyer advertising a local carriage driving camp. The week-long camp was an introduction to carriage driving and combined driving, and Kailyn was excited to give it a try.