A Charters Towers horsewoman who suffered a major brain injury 16 months ago, is back in the saddle after a horror fall.
Taelor Toomey, 25, was rushed to hospital with a bleed on her brain after she was thrown from a green horse at a property near Springsure on November 17 2015.
Months of physiotherapy and speech therapy paid off, as Taelor vowed to be back on her horse within a year of her accident.
A little prolonged, Taelor got back in the saddle in February.
She spontaneously saddled up Naughty Morty who had been in retirement for eight years. After one walk around the round yard she trotted off and then into a canter.
Friends explained it as though “she had never been off his back!”
“I was nervous about riding again,” Taelor said.
“I was not scared of the horse, but I was scared that my body would have forgotten it, but thankfully it didn’t.”
Getting back to her roots, Taelor jumped on her dressage saddle and started to learn the basics again.
“I have always had very good basics. I must say after my first few rides my legs were so sore but it is a good sore because I know I am building my strength back up,” she said.
“My right arm is still a little bit stiff but it is getting better with the assistance of our family friend Sally Kirkwood, who is coaching my riding.”
Today Taelor’s recovery is ongoing as she suffers from short term memory loss and fatigue.
“I need to have an afternoon nap everyday, but I am getting better,” she said.
“I try to keep busy sewing and look after the animals, but I cannot wait to compete again and it could be sooner than we think.
“I have not put a time frame on it but I definitely want to go back to competing at challenges and campdraft competitions.
“No brain injury is too mild too ignore or too severe to lose hope, but all brain injuries should be taken seriously.”
With the assistance of her local community and extended campdraft community, Taelor’s recovery has been quicker than anticipated with a combined $102,000 raised through a Facebook and YOU Caring fundraising pages.