Rider Story
Riding toward strength, one step at a time.
Emery was born 11 weeks prematurely on January 22, 2010, and spent three months in the NICU. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 18 months, she began therapeutic riding at age two.
For nearly a decade, she received regular Botox injections and annual serial casting to manage muscle tightness. In 2021, at age 11, Emery underwent an intensive 11-hour surgery to rotate her right femur and loosen five muscles.
She spent three months recovering at Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital, where the procedure helped her shift from walking on her toes to a more stable, flat-footed gait and corrected her inwardly rotated foot.
Emery’s main drive for the surgery was her dream of becoming a stronger para-equestrian.
