It was only ever going to be a life of horses and competitions for Milton Keynes para-equestrian star Gulliver, who has been singled out by charity SportsAid as an athlete with the potential to reach the very top. The 28-year-old from Milton Keynes grew up around horses but after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis aged 17, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to continue. Through her hard work and determination, she has found a way to continue to keep doing what she loves.
“I’d always ridden from when I was pretty much a baby,” Gulliver said. “I left school at 16 to do an apprenticeship with horses, but that was when I got my diagnosis. “It was a bit of a blow and I’ve had to be very resilient along the way.
The horses really kept me going at that point. “The Paralympics 2028 are on my mind,” Gulliver added. “Whenever they come round, you benchmark it and try to work backwards, thinking what competitions you can get to achieve that goal.
“I’ve always wanted to be dreaming of major championships and hopefully winning medals for GB one day.” When Gulliver competes in dressage, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. “A lot goes into that five minute in the arena,” she added.
“It can all look lovely and beautiful, but it’s a real team effort - the physio, the vet, the dentistry, the equipment. “What people don’t understand is that with equestrian, there are two athletes to look after. We have the horse as an athlete and the rider as.
