LUBBE Ann Cathrin

Classification
GRADE III (FEI, 19 Aug 2021)

Type of Impairment
Impaired range of motion (hest.no, 03 Jun 2016)

Impairment Details
She was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at age 11. She has an artificial knee and limited movement in her joints. "I had surgery [on her knee] with good results, and I have also had an operation on my right shoulder. When I was 29, I had my third knee operation, where I simply got a new artificial knee. So far, the knee is fortunately the only body part that has been replaced. But I never talk about the arthritis and think about it as little as possible. When journalists ask about it, I would answer honestly. But otherwise I do not want to give this disease attention and thus give it any nourishment." (familiejournal.dk, 07 Jan 2021; hest.no, 03 Jun 2016)

General
EARLY DAYS
Her doctors did not want her to take up horse riding because of her arthritis. "I did the opposite. At one point, I even sent the chief doctor a picture of myself in the middle of a jump on the horse. And today [speaking in 2021], I am thankful that I did not take their advice too seriously. That would have meant that my body would be more stiff than it already is, and my health a whole lot worse. When I was 18 or 19 years old, I got a [horse] that was a little crazy and occasionally threw me off. When you have arthritis, that kind of thing is of course extra dangerous. There has been a health development in the way I view those things, and by being active and keeping my body going, I actually did the right thing." (familiejournal.dk, 07 Jan 2021)