It has been reported that a horseman that was forced to have one of his legs amputated from the knee down has been granted a licence to participate in horse races.
An article by The Telegraph explains that 32-year-old war veteran Guy Disney has received a licence from the British Horseracing Authority to ride in amateur races and ‘point-to-points’ (steeplechase) events.
Disney, the son of a veterinarian that practices within the racing industry, was forced to have the distal portion of right leg amputated in 2009 after an armoured vehicle that he was travelling inside in Afghanistan was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade.
The BHA had previously denied Disney’s application to resume riding in 2010 (he had prior racing experience before the amputation). The authority’s concern was threefold. It was afraid that Disney would get his artificial leg stuck in an iron and face the potential of being dragged. The BHA also had concerns regarding Disney’s ability to get his artificial leg back into an iron if it had slipped out. Finally, the racing authority had concerns whether or not Disney had the ability to feel where his foot was, generally known as ‘proprioception’ in the medical world.
The report states that with the help of both a former racehorse owner and a former jockey, Disney was able to rectify the roadblocks he faced and convince the BHA that he was fit to ride.
The Telegraph has reported that Disney has set modest goals for his return. He is looking to ride in a few steeplechase events in 2015, and, if all goes well, Disney will consider riding in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown in March.
(With files from The Telegraph)