HART Rebecca

Classification
GRADE III (FEI, 19 Aug 2021)

Type of Impairment
Impaired muscle power (horsesinthesouth.com, 27 Sep 2014)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (horsesinthesouth.com, 27 Sep 2014)

Impairment Details
She has hereditary spastic paraplegia [HSP], a progressive impairment that causes muscle wasting and paralysis from the middle of the back down. (horsesinthesouth.com, 27 Sep 2014; pennsylvaniaequestrian.com, 04 Mar 2014)

General
FURTHER EDUCATION
She has studied at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, United States of America. (teamusa.org, 14 Jun 2012)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She works with the Spastic Paraplegia [HSP] Foundation to help raise awareness about hereditary spastic paraplegia [HSP] and help children dealing with HSP. "I try and get people to realise that HSP is only one small part of who they are. It can hit people in different ways, but for me it hits mainly from the mid-back down. You do not have to let your disability or condition, whatever it is, define or control who you are or what you do in this life." She has also worked as a supervisor at Starbucks in Wellington, FL, United States of America. (teamusa.org, 01 Jan 2021; chronofhorse.com, 24 May 2021; blog.wellingtonthemagazine.com, 28 Feb 2020)

ADAPTING
She feels her active lifestyle helps her to adapt to the progressive nature of her impairment. "The functionality of my body will continue to deteriorate. I feel it most in my balance, coordination and leg strength. But through being active and maintaining my fitness by riding and working in the gym, I have been able to compensate and adapt, to a point, as the HSP progresses. Unfortunately, there isn't anything that you can take to keep it from progressing. I use a cane if I am standing at an event or party. It allows me to balance and be able to focus on the people I am with rather than having to focus on not falling down." (blog.wellingtonthemagazine.com, 28 Feb 2020)