“Don’t get in between a horse and a wheelbarrow!” is what 65-year-old Helen Wallace exclaimed when asked how she broke her leg.
That was in August of 2016 and it left Helen with a left leg tibial-plato fracture and a sprained right ankle.
“I was in a wheelchair for five and a half weeks and then in crutches for another five weeks.” When her cast was taken off, her leg felt weak and it was hard to walk, especially when working with her horses.
“I did some research and I knew that I would need to get my strength back in order to feel confident on the muddy and uneven terrain with my horses.”
Helen lives in Old Ottawa South and commutes to Kanata regularly to work with her horses. She passed our Kanata location and was intrigued about our 8 sessions for $96 dollar promotion.
“I had a membership to Curves years ago, but I didn’t know enough to really make it worth it. I knew if I worked with a personal trainer I would have proper form and accountability. I decided to sign up at the Wellington Village location because it was on my way to Kanata but also close enough to home.”
“By my fifth session, I could really feel a difference and I knew I wanted to continue doing two sessions a week.”
Helen trains with Vania and Jules twice a week in the mornings around 9:30 before she heads to the farm. Since she’s started training, she’s felt a big difference in how she feels.
“I’m stronger than I was before I broke my leg. There’s a creek in my horse’s field and when he’s on the other side it’s tricky to walk across but now I can cross without trepidation.”
Not only has her work in the gym helped her with her horses, but also but it’s also helped her enjoy her other passion as well.
“I went to the Sable Island just off Nova Scotia and I did a lot of walking–I could feel it in my glutes.”
In terms of next goals, with her improved fitness her doctor says she may be able to dispense with taking blood pressure medication which she has taken for the last 2-3 years.
