Testing times

Coping with a chronic illness while balancing the various elements of training and competing can add a further complicating factor.

Andrea Oakes looks at how riders can overcome health conditions to get more from their dressage.

Many riders are accustomed to managing chronic equine conditions, keeping their horses competition fit by carefully monitoring their medication, workload and recovery periods, but what about their own long-term health issues? Dressage is a demanding sport, both in the preparation and the arena.

For Sian Nash, a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel condition that can cause painful sores and inflammation in the gut, didn’t mean an end to her dressage.

“Anyone who knows me knows I can be pretty stubborn, so I was never going to let Crohn’s define me and control everything I do,” says Sian, who had been in and out of hospital in her late teens before the problem was properly identified. “I’ve learnt a lot about the condition and altered much of my routine, behaviour, diet and lifestyle. These changes have helped enormously to keep it under control.”

Ironically, it was the sport she loved that worsened symptoms and left Sian deliberating whether to cut back her competition schedule.

“With a previous horse I put a lot of pressure on myself, when training at home and especially when competing,” she explains. “This exacerbated my Crohn’s to the point where I didn’t feel I could eat anything on the day before, even if I was due to compete in the late afternoon or evening. When that horse was sadly put to sleep due to injury, I had a few months off before I started looking for something in the new year. My symptoms improved and I realised how much the stress was affecting my disease.

“I decided that with my next horse I would focus on fun and enjoyment,” she adds. “This has really helped me control my symptoms. I still get the odd bad day, but it’s nothing like it was previously.”

On a practical level, Sian times her training sessions for when she feels at her best.

“I tend to ride in the morning, as that’s when I’m most comfortable,” she says. “One symptom is chronic fatigue, so I struggle to find the energy after work in the week. I would never keep my horse at a yard that didn’t have decent WC facilities, nor attend a show without them, due to the anxiety it would bring. I’ve also learned which ‘trigger foods’ aggravate my Crohn’s, so I avoid these and go on a low-residue diet if I start getting symptoms.”

Sian’s latest success with her Hanoverian gelding Woodcroft Dream Boy was a fifth in the Inter I Bronze at the Petplan Championships in April.

“My aim when I bought him as a five year old was to get my tailcoat and ride at Prix St Georges,” she says. “To be placed at the Inter I championships was more than I ever dreamed of. My Crohn’s will inevitably flare up at some point, but I believe that the changes I’ve made to my life have helped massively and I’m looking forwards to what we can achieve together this year.”

Careful Planning

UK-based rider and coach Ben Franklin (pictured right) was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 14.

“Every day is a work day just to manage my medical condition, to enable me to do the job I love and be as successful as I can,” he says. “Having a low blood sugar level moments before entering the dressage arena really does not help with concentration or performance, so I have to carefully plan logistics around my diabetes when it comes to competition days.”

The continual finger-prick testing required to monitor his blood glucose levels caused excessive sensitivity in Ben’s fingertips, with the risk of infection from working at the yard in a non-sterile environment. A new blood glucose sensor is helping, however, as is working with a sports nutritionist to try to reduce his daily insulin intake.

“Some simple adaptations to cut down carbohydrates at certain mealtimes have helped to reduce the need for such frequent injections,” he says. “I’m fortunate to travel internationally with my work, but I struggle with excessive fatigue and fluctuating blood glucose levels in relation to changes in time zone and weather, particularly heat. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with regular meals can be problematic, as can staying well hydrated throughout the day. This is particularly important in warmer climates such as Dubai, where I work on a frequent basis.

“I endure a lot of muscle pain and fatigue that does not always seem to be linked with the intensity of exercise undertaken, which can be frustrating. Regular sports massages and acupuncture, among other therapies, are beneficial, and I also have one-to-one Pilates sessions help with core stability and overall suppleness.”

Ben had considered giving up competing and even changing career to find a routine that would enable easier management of his diabetes, but he realised that his love for the sport outweighed the many challenges.

“My riding and competition goals were put on hold due to a niggling neck and back injury throughout 2022, but with the amazing support of the therapists and medical team around me, I’m feeling better than ever,” he says. “I’m once again riding multiple horses on a daily basis, pain-free, and I have an exciting string to campaign regionally and nationally.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” he adds. “I’ll be working twice as hard to continue to improve both my health and myself as a professional.”

WHAT WORKS FOR ME:

• Setting realistic goals “I try not put extreme pressure on myself and instead identify what I want to achieve personally – whether that’s getting a qualifying score or improving a specific movement,” says Sian. “This helps me focus and not worry about what everyone else is thinking or doing. Planning ahead can also reduce anxiety, which may be caused by the unknown.”

• Prioritising health “My advice to other riders facing a similar problem would be to set aside time to look after yourself,” says Ben. “Ideally, build a support team that will work together to the same end goal.”

• Enjoying your horse “He helped me through everything, both physically and mentally,” says Swedish grand prix rider Sanna Nilsson of her former international horse Lennox who passed away, aged 22, in 2021. Sanna suffers from several chronic diseases, including aggressive endometriosis.