About this Short Film
Riding Free (Rebecca Chapman, United Kingdom, 2020) is a short film that explores themes of achievement, inclusion and connection. It draws attention to people living with cerebral palsy, intellectual and physical disability, and considers how group activities, competition and horses can shape confidence and community. Told with care, the film highlights everyday successes without reducing participants to labels. Shown in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, Riding Free sits comfortably alongside other works that celebrate capability and shared experience. It is a quietly uplifting piece that invites viewers to rethink assumptions about disability and belonging.
Film Details
Country:
United Kingdom
Category:
International Documentaries
Genre:
Personal Story
Festival Year:
2020
Filmmaker:
Rebecca Chapman
Film Transcript
When she was quite little she was quite slow with walking and probably talking and things like that, and she was referred to a specialist who called her a 'clumsy baby' to start with. Then we realised she wasn't progressing as quickly as possible. She's now diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy, which affects her in quite a number of ways, particularly with balance. She would fall over and her left and right side don't work very well together.
The joy's been, now she can pretty well do everything; she can do it on a par with able-bodied people. It's great. She can get on the horse, and she may not walk over the ground very well, but she sits very well in a horse. She can show the horses off, she can go into able-bodied comps now and hold her own, and yeah, so she has a lot of respect from a lot of people.
[Music]
Obviously, initially when we started it's very much about building up a rapport, you know, trust, because Carl's having to believe that what I'm telling him to do with the horses is within the horse's ability as well. At the end they're not bikes, nothing's incredibly dedicated to it, so it's very much your focus on that. I think probably riding is easier for us than a lot of other tasks in the day and it actually gives her a heck of a lot of pleasure. The horses are incredible with Catherine as well. She has a real sort of… they seem to be very much gentle around her. They'll be rude to me and then they'll step around—don't they?—they seem to have a respect. And the dedication and the time, and Jan, who's there constantly supporting and looking for the— and a sister, and you know, it's all the support around her really that helps. It's very much a team effort.
[Music]
I do a lot of work with the riding of the disabled and we found many, many times that the horse seems to understand the people. The judges' comments have become more and more about the partnership of herself and Fly; they just have an understanding between them. The main challenge for Catherine, I think, is her being accepted by everybody. Because she's worked hard on the riding, she's overcome quite a lot of these difficulties. We really didn't feel she'd even ride a circle for ages, and then suddenly the shape comes and it all progressed from that. So she has overcome a lot of challenges to actually ride at the level she does.
Good little feel on your outside. Catherine just gets frustrated sometimes when she wants something to work and it doesn't, you know, and that's a bit frustrating. I think Catherine's riding has just got better and better. You used to be a lot more crooked than you are now, but now the hands are really good and obviously we've got aids to help with that.
Fairly near the beginning, when she was riding for the Irish team, we went to Hartpury in Gloucestershire for the World Disabled Championship and she was ninth in her class in the world. There were probably about twenty-five in her class or something like that. The year after that she won at Hartpury at one of the internationals. She went to Beijing on a pre-Olympic, Paralympic camp. They only selected one rider, so Catherine was basically left out. We turned back from para and came back into everybody's riding and realised that she could actually compete really well up to elementary level. Everybody was staggered, I think, how well she did and how well she could do now.
[Music]
Filmmaker
Rebecca Chapman is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Rebecca Chapman.
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13 comments
This is a fabulous film Lovely to see. Well done Ka and Team Wheelock.
Brave Ka You are an inspiration your work pushes other people to work beyond the obstacles thank you for sharing your experiences in this fantastic film.
If you're fortunate enough to compete alongside Kathryn as I was on two occasions at able bodied level you realise what incredibly special people both Kathryn her mum are .... the very best of luck
What a lovely and moving film. How beautiful Katherine and the horses look together.
Great to see you as an advocate for horses helping us overcome our challenges. Well done Ka as always
Truly inspirational and so well informed
Great short film. So lovely to see Kathryn's happy and cheerful expression when on her horse. Good luck Rebecca
Kathryn is a fantastic horse woman. When you consider Kathryn's medical condition and how she copes on a day to day basis is a inspiration for any person i.e. can do attitude.
What a great film Good luck
Ka is an inspiration to everyone what she has over come is amazing and she continues to achieve the unimaginable....well done Ka I hold you in the highest regard
So excited and feeling quite emotional - so hope the film does well - good luck guys Ka xx
Kathryn is a worthy winner
Hope you win Great short film