On the horse I'm free... my disability doesn't matter

BORN with cerebral palsy, Kildare girl Katie Reilly has had to battle a condition that affects her mobility and coordination.

- BY EAMON DOGGETT

But when the dressage rider is in sync with her horse, the feeling is one of utter freedom and control.

Katie, who is the world's No1 under-18 para-dressage rider, said: "On the ground, I have my limitations, and I have those ups and downs, whereas when I'm on a horse, none of that really matters.

"You get that sense of freedom. It's like, they are your legs, or they are your arms.

"They carry you through, even when you don't feel up to it. I might not be able to walk very far before I get fatigued, but I can go for mile-long hacks on my horse and still feel OK.

"It's a kind of trust. I trust them to take care of me, and they give me that freedom."

Whether watching jockeys or show jumpers, the special connection between a rider and their horse is evident.

But in dressage, as Katie says, this connection is even more intimate.

Together, they play a finely tuned song.