For over twenty years I worked within the equestrian industry, running my own riding school and coaching riders of all ages and abilities. Horses have always been at the centre of my life, not simply as a career, but as a way of connecting people, building confidence, and improving wellbeing.
However, my own life changed dramatically as my health deteriorated due to progressive disabilities and chronic illness. Conditions affecting my mobility, pain levels, fatigue, balance and neurological function meant that many people assumed my career, passion, and purpose were over. I was repeatedly advised to stop working with horses, sell my horses, and “accept my limitations.”
Instead of giving up, I adapted.
As my disabilities progressed, I experienced first-hand many of the barriers faced by disabled people in society. I encountered ableism, assumptions, exclusion, inaccessible environments, and the heartbreaking reality that many people stop believing in your abilities once you become visibly disabled or begin using mobility aids.
Losing independence was one of the hardest emotional challenges I have ever faced. There were times when I questioned my future entirely. Yet horses continued to provide me with purpose, motivation, and emotional stability. I realised that if horses and carriage driving could help me rebuild confidence and identity, they could help many others too.
This led to the creation of Carriage Driving Community CIC.
What started as a personal determination not to give up has grown into an inclusive community organisation that supports people with physical disabilities, chronic illness, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, social isolation, learning disabilities, and those who simply no longer feel they “fit” into traditional environments.
Our organisation is built on one simple belief: inclusion should not be an afterthought.
Carriage driving is uniquely accessible because it allows people to participate regardless of mobility, stamina, or physical strength. Through the use of accessible carriages, adapted approaches, and person-centred coaching, we have created opportunities for people who never believed horses could be part of their lives.
Many of the people who attend our sessions arrive anxious, isolated, lacking confidence, or believing they are incapable. Some are wheelchair users. Some have invisible illnesses. Some have experienced trauma or poor mental health. Others have been excluded elsewhere because they required “too much support.”
We actively challenge that mindset.
We do not focus on what people cannot do. We focus on what they can achieve with the right support, patience, dignity, and encouragement.
As someone who now uses a wheelchair myself, I believe my lived experience has become one of my greatest strengths as a leader and coach. Participants often tell me they feel understood, safe, and less judged because they see somebody adapting and continuing despite significant challenges. Representation matters. Visibility matters.
Alongside supporting participants, I have also continued competing in carriage driving, proving that disability does not mean ambition has to end. Our team recently qualified for the Indoor Driving Trials Championships at Arena UK, an achievement that demonstrated not only competitive success, but the power of inclusion within sport.
I am also incredibly proud that Carriage Driving Community CIC has grown into a genuine community. Volunteers, staff, supporters, families, and participants work together in an environment where kindness and encouragement matter more than status or ability.
We have developed wellbeing programmes, social prescribing activities, accessible carriage driving experiences, and partnerships aimed at reducing isolation and improving confidence. We work hard to ensure that people who are often overlooked feel welcomed and valued.
This journey has not been easy. There have been financial pressures, health setbacks, criticism, and moments where continuing felt overwhelming. Running a community organisation while managing disability is an ongoing challenge. However, every time somebody smiles for the first time in weeks, regains confidence, joins in despite fear, or says “I didn’t think I could do this,” it reminds me exactly why this work matters.
Inclusion is not simply about access ramps or policies. True inclusion is about creating environments where people feel respected, capable, and genuinely welcomed.
What I am most proud of is that we have built a place where people are not defined by diagnosis, disability, or limitations. Instead, they are recognised for their strengths, individuality, courage, and potential.
My disabilities changed my path, but they also gave me a deeper understanding of empathy, resilience, and the importance of creating opportunities for others. Through Carriage Driving Community CIC, I hope to continue proving that disability does not end ambition, contribution, leadership.
