大象传媒

Jessie Smith has always been horse-mad and, despite having what is considered to be one of the most painful conditions in the world, the Australian horse rider has gone onto achieve things she didn鈥檛 think would be possible.

In 2013, at the age of 14, Smith was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is a rare, incurable neuroinflammatory autoimmune disease that often results in persistent 鈥渉orrendous鈥� pain.

鈥淭he life I had dreamt of had gone,鈥� Smith recalls, but, after a period of wondering how and why she would want to 鈥渟urvive鈥�, it was her horse Storm and her love for horse-riding which she says 鈥渟aved鈥� her.

Please note that this contains discussions about mental health. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

Image: Jessie Smith riding Charlie at the Melbourne Royal competition in October 2023. (Photo by Angie Rickard Photography)

Show less