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Wellington High School senior Erica Brant is one determined young lady. Perhaps it’s the fact that Erica was born with Cerebral Palsy that makes her fght a little harder than others, or maybe Erica is just one of those people who believes anything is possible if you work hard and aren’t afraid to ask for help. Thanks to Erica’s belief that there are people out there willing to lend a hand, she now owns a horse, has set lofty goals and is rubbing shoulders with some big names in the equestrian community including Robert Dover, Georgina Bloomberg, Bethany Peslar, Laura Quin, the folks at Pure Thoughts Rescue and the list goes on.

“I sent out an email telling my story and asking for help,” Erica said. “I was expecting to fnd a couple local people who might be willing to help with a little here and there, but I got much more. It was really amazing to get an email from Robert Dover telling me that he put my letter on the front page of his blog. I got three emails that day from people telling me that they saw it and wanted to help. One of my sponsors is currently living in Germany and training with Anky Van Grunsven. I can’t believe people that far away have heard about me.”

Erica was born with Cerebral Palsy, which not only affected her ability to walk but her ability to play sports. She said she had a hard time fnding an activity to take part in when she was younger, until she started taking riding lessons at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. “On a daily basis, my balance is affected a bit, and sometimes I trip and fall, especially if there’s nothing around to grab onto and catch myself,” Erica said. “I used to use a walker for balance, but starting my junior year of high school I chose to go without it. I haven’t used it since. On a horse, the only major problem I have is staying loosened up. My leg muscles are always tight, especially in a Dressage saddle. It usually takes me anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to feel comfortable after I get on. After that I can pretty much ride normally, although I have a little less leg strength than the average rider.”

Erica decided last year that she wanted a horse or her own and that she wanted to pursue a career in Para-Dressage. Erica contacted Jennifer Swanson and Brad Gaver at Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue in Wellington and told them what she wanted. “I had more than a few confdence issues because the last two ponies I had been riding ran away with me, so I wanted something lazy. As soon as I said that, Brad suggested giving Polly’s Vision a try. She was gorgeous and at 15.2 hands she wasn’t intimidating but she wasn’t too small for me either. It wasn’t exactly love at frst sight as she did have energy, but I rode her at Pure Thoughts for several weeks and as we got used to each other it was a perfect ft.”

While some riders may have been fazed by the fact that Polly was a three-year-old Thoroughbred at the time, Erica proceeded with her usual belief that if she worked hard everything would turn out fne. “Polly was rescued from a kill auction. She was literally pulled off a slaughter truck just a few months after she turned three,” Erica said. “To

Only riders with permanent, measurable disabilities are eligible to compete in Para-Dressage, and Erica qualifes. “I have a long-term goal of qualifying for the Paralympic Games. My goal right now, however, is to get Polly and myself ready to start competing in Para-Dressage classes by the 2012 winter season. I have high expectations, but I’m not setting a time limit to reach them. I’ve always liked the concept of the Paralympics, and how the organization has done its best to level the playing feld. I love that the Paralympic Games are held at the same venue as the Olympics, because it really shows how disabled riders have just as much chance to compete as able bodied riders do.”

Erica said she once read that the kind of horse needed for a Para rider is a horse with common sense. “Polly is defnitely a horse like that. She has spooked before, but when she does she

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