Saturday February 21, 2004

Michelle Gibson And Lex Barker Win High Score Third Level At WEF

Olympic Goals on Hold

Gibson, the Team Bronze Medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics aboard Peron, had been working towards the 2004 Athens Olympics with her stallion World of Dreams. ‘Indy’ is now in training in Germany with Rudolph Zeilinger, Gibson’s coach at the1996 Games. Gibson last competed World of Dreams in Germany in autumn 2003. “He is there because of my back,” explained Gibson. “I’ve had to make a few choices about my riding because I’m very limited as to which horses as well as the number of horses I can ride in a day, and so I have chosen to leave him there and to sell him.”

Gibson underwent back surgery 18 months ago for a ruptured disc. “It’s chronic pain. It’ll never be the way it was before. My back will never be healed so I have to manage my lifestyle a little differently, and that is, I ride one or two horses a day, no more young horses, no more problem horses, I have to be very careful. ‘Indy’ – World of Dreams – he’s such a big powerful mover, it’s hard on my back.”

Gibson has now ruled out Athens. “I would rather be able to walk tomorrow and know that I can walk in five years and not live on painkillers than go to the Olympics. I ride the horses that I can ride and I do pilates and yoga. I go to the gym and I do everything I can to be comfortable.”