A year ago this month marks the anniversary of Jan’s cross country fall at Pine Top Horse Trials. As we remember all too well, Jan’s fall left her with with several fractures, a concussion, and most seriously a stroke that impaired the language lobe of her brain, meaning she could comprehend and process information, but not verbalize it as well as before.
Jan’s road to recovery was a year in the making, after the fall and the consequential surgeries that followed came extensive physical and speech therapies. Jan resumed coaching soon after she returned to Surefire. By June, Jan was back in the saddle for the first time, a great step forward but one that also created a new set of challenges. As she said when she first started back, “My timing is great to the jump, the problem is I can’t count the striding quickly enough in my head, and counting is how I always kept my rhythm. Now [after the accident] I have to feel the rhythm.”
I’m very happy to report that today marks Jan’s first competition back, at Sporting Days Horse Trials in Aiken. According to the entry status, she’s riding three horses, Surefire’s Twice A Star in Novice, Why Not in Training, and a Beginner Novice horse as well.
Congratulations to Jan on her successful recovery. This weekend is just the start of her return to big things in the future.
Go Jan and Go Eventing.
