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Friday, September 13 2013 / Published in Weekly Feature

One Breath At A Time

By Lindsay McCall

 

Donna and her current horse PG Ganda, a 19-year-old Danish Warmblood on loan to her from Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Florida.

Donna and her current horse PG Ganda, a 19-year-old Danish Warmblood on loan to her from Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Florida.

Donna Ponessa from New Windsor, New York catapulted onto the international para-equestrian scene in 2011. Her determination led to her earning a spot on the 2012 USA Paralympic Equestrian Team in London alongside Jonathan Wentz, Rebecca Hart and Dale Dedrick.

 

“There are not enough adjectives to describe what an amazing experience it was to represent the USA. There is no greater honor than being selected to represent your country at an Olympic event,” Donna said. “I still get goose bumps and my heart races when I think about it. When I entered the dressage arena, I remember seeing the banner with the white writing’ London 2012’. I took my hand briefly off the reins, patted my horse, Western Rose, and said to her, ‘Well, girl, we did it, we really did it.’”

 

Donna’s success did not come without obstacles. Her story as an equestrian living with a rare form of Multiple Sclerosis called Devic Disease, working full-time and competing at the FEI level is unique. Her unwavering competitive nature helped Donna to reach for her dreams. Donna continues to work toward the 2014 World Equestrian Games while juggling work, her fitness and riding. Sidelines caught up with the amazing para-equestrian to find out more about her life, and don’t miss her great answer to the question “Do you have a favorite horse show story?” ,

Donna and Western Rose competing in London – an experience that still gives her goose bumps and makes her heart race when she thinks about it.

Donna and Western Rose competing in London – an experience that still gives her goose bumps and makes her heart race when she thinks about it.

 

What is going on in your life right now?

I had some major health issues over the winter and spent almost three months in the hospital between ICU and then inpatient rehabilitation. I am still working to regain some of the function I lost during the illness – especially respiratory-wise and dealing with the total loss of vision in my left eye. As far as horses, my current mount is PG Ganda, a 19-year-old Danish Warmblood on loan to me from Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Florida. He was my back-up horse at the 2012 Selection Trials and the first alternate for the London Paralympic Games. I am also trying some younger horses as alternates; the big thing is that I need a horse with a phenomenal “10” walk and that can be difficult to find. I am now training with Carol Seaman who is based out of her facility, Outfoxed Farm, in Chester, New York.

 

How do you compete at a high-performance level with Devic Disease?

To do it effectively, it is a lifestyle commitment combined with a leap of faith. I am fortunate to have access to a talented support team, as it isn’t possible to do it in a vacuum. Because of the extent of my disability, I need to make sure the parts of my body that do work function at optimal capacity and are as strong as they can be. To accomplish this, my days begin around 4:45 a.m. and I am in the gym by 7 a.m. at least six days a week. Because I breathe primarily with accessory muscles and not my diaphragm, I am constantly trying to improve my cardiovascular fitness. After my gym workout, I head off to my job as a program coordinator for an independent living center. Once done with work, I head off to the stables to train with my horse.

 

Donna and her London Paralympic coach Wes Dunham in 2012. Donna was the top Grade Ia rider in 2012 for the USA.

Donna and her London Paralympic coach Wes Dunham in 2012. Donna was the top Grade Ia rider in 2012 for the USA.

How did you learn to ride without your ventilator?

It was around 2005 that I decided that I wasn’t going to live forever and wanted to return to riding. Because I don’t have use of my core muscles, and with the lightest of ventilators weighing about 20 pounds, I couldn’t maintain my balance out of the wheelchair without support. So if I wanted to ride, I’d have to learn to breathe without it. About a year into my training to breathe off the vent, I was speaking to a friend who was getting into free diving – deep sea diving with a snorkel and mask. He was telling me that the best free divers in the world train themselves to function in oxygen-depleted environments. That’s when I began incorporating anaerobic exercise into my training routine. By 2007, I was breathing well enough to be off the vent for about 20 minutes and that’s when I began riding.

 

What are your goals? 

To remain healthy, fit and strong enough to be considered a “high performance para-equestrian.” While it was a lifestyle commitment to get to the 2012 games, it was my proudest accomplishment to date. It would be the ultimate honor and privilege to again represent the USA at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy and I like to think that I’ll be healthy enough and have an ideal mount to eye the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil.

 

We heard you have a very entertaining horse show story. Will you share it with our Sidelines readers?

At the Para-Equestrian Nationals, because I didn’t have a groom, I’d get to the barn about 6 a.m. to feed my horses and start their morning routine. Arriving shortly after me was a person I swore could be Olympic dressage rider Debbie McDonald’s twin. She’d start grooming and caring for a few horses each morning while I was caring for mine. I didn’t think it could be Debbie because in my mind I didn’t think anyone of her caliber and accomplishment would ever be doing basic horse care. A few days later she was trying to hang privacy drapes and I mentioned that I thought zip ties would work. She agreed, said she didn’t have any and asked if I did. Because it was hard for me to get over the lip into the tack stall, I told her where they were and asked if she’d mind getting them herself. She said “no problem” and proceeded to go into the tack stall, got them and hung the drape. Afterward, another of the riders asked me how it felt to have Debbie McDonald right next to us and I told her I hadn’t seen Debbie yet but there was a person working next door who could be her twin. She laughed and said it was Debbie. When the “Debbie McDonald twin” came into the barn, my friend called out, “Debbie?” and the person answered. I was mortified that I didn’t recognize it was Debbie and we went over to her to tell her the story. She laughed so hard that she said she was going to burst. Later that day, she came over with a beautiful signed photo of Brentina that said, “To Donna – Best of luck from the groom next door – Love, Debbie McDonald.”

 

Through determination and hard work, Donna has learned to ride without her ventilator.

Through determination and hard work, Donna has learned to ride without her ventilator.

 

About the writer: Lindsay McCall is a lifelong hunter/jumper rider originally from Ohio. She is a talented photographer and makes it her career to advocate for the equestrian sport through photojournalism. Lindsay works with multiple equestrian organizations and is the Public Relations Manager for the United States Para-Equestrian Association. Lindsay and her family own many horses in multiple disciplines and she enjoys spending her free time with her husband, horses and Labrador Retrievers.

 

All photos by Lindsay McCall

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: 2012 London Paralympics, 2012 USA Paralympic Equestrian team, Brentina, Dale Dedrick, Debbie McDonald, Donna Ponessa, dressage, Grade Ia, Hope Hand, horse-magazine, Jonathan Wentz, Lindsay McCal, london, para-equestrian, Para-Equestrian Nationals, PG Granada, rebecca hart, sidelines-magazine, Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding center, western rose

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Jan Lukens has always felt blessed to be an artist Jan Lukens has always felt blessed to be an artist, turning his observations into works of art, but it hasn't always been easy. “My biggest challenge starting out was fitting in to the equestrian world as an artist, not a rider. Although I spent the better part of two decades exhibiting 15 weeks a year at national horse shows, there’s a massive 
difference between an artist who paints horses and someone who has been climbing into the saddle since they were 5 years old, surrounded by all aspects of the horse 
world.”

A prolific painter working mainly in oils, Jan’s original and commissioned works of art hang in the collections of the likes of individual gold medalist Joe Fargis and Rodrigo Pessoa, as well as many other Olympians and owners. One of the most influential 
moments in Jan’s career was in 2014, when Ralph Lauren acquired two of his equestrian paintings. “I was still recovering from the 2008 recession at that time. There  is a unique part of a painter’s reputation that is based on who has purchased or commissioned his art, and when I promoted that sale, my phone didn’t stop ringing for a 
year and a half.”
For more information visit janlukens.com

Read Jan’s full article at the link in our bio. And never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 

 #Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
Calling all trainers and professional riders! St Calling all trainers and professional riders! 

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Entrigue specializes in equestrian social media and rider management! We help equestrians handle the daily posting to Instagram and Facebook, handle boosting and engagement ads, and can help trainers and barns maximize their sponsorships, keep websites up to date, and PR! Your barn is a business too and as a rider or barn your digital hoof print counts!

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Yay for June! We have another great edition for yo Yay for June! We have another great edition for you all that we can't wait for you to read. Up first are Evan and Ashley Donadt a dynamic duo that has won the hearts of many! Stay tuned for many great stories like this by following us on Instagram and Facebook or subscribing to get your very own copy of Sidelines Magazine!

What happens when a horse-crazy equestrian girl meets a never-touched-a-horse-before guy? If you’re Ashley and Evan Donadt, it might just be the beginning of a happily-ever-after that includes a solid dressage program and extremely popular social media channels featuring good-natured humor and horses.

Ashley, a lifelong equestrian, began her horse experiences with the local 4-H club, progressed to lessons with the local dressage trainer when she was 10, then her own pony when she was 11. Conversely, Evan grew up in Massachusetts, without any horse experience to speak of. The odds of them meeting were fairly low, until fate landed them both in Southern California.

Evan knew from the start that spending time with Ashley meant spending time at the barn. In fact, Ashley told him straightaway, “The horses come first always; you’re going to be second!” Evan wasn’t deterred, and instead found the loophole: spending all his own free time with her at the barn.

Read Ashley and Evan's full article in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! You can also click the link in our bio. Don't forget to subscribe to get your very own copy delivered right to your door! Thank you Evan and Ashley for allowing us to share your story!
📸Portraits by Jeni Jo Brunner

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As we head into June we wrap up our May women entr As we head into June we wrap up our May women entrepreneur, edition. We were so lucky to be able to feature so many amazing women within the Horse industry. We have one more to share with you, and if you missed any of the women entrepreneur stories head to our website for all of our past issues! Enjoy! 

Hurry Up and Wait” is a familiar saying at hunter-jumper competitions. Unlike other disciplines, where 
riders are assigned specific ride times, hunter-jumper riders typically must check in with the starter at 
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her computer science background to use in the show industry and created RingSide Pro to allow riders 
to be “ringside” wherever they are.
Throughout high school, Emma competed at horses shows on her horse Son Of A Sailor, aka Ernie, 
oftentimes trailering Ernie into the show for the day with her mom. “That was stressful because we 
didn’t know how the show was running until we got there. Even once we were on the show grounds, we 
struggled to find information. It’s a hike to the rings and the speakers in the barns tend to be 
unreliable,” Emma said. “I would think to myself, There’s got to be a better way.”

For more information, visit www.ringsidepro.com

Read Emma’s full story at sidelinesmagazine.com, and never miss an edition of Sidelines magazine by subscribing. 

@ringsideproinsta @emmafass 
📸Photos by Kirsten Konopnicki, kkonophoto #Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
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