Sunday, June 10, 2012

Brave Stuntwoman

The veteran horseriding stuntwoman who towers over the rest - despite being born with no legs

  • Barbara Adside born with spina bifida and no lower legs
  • She has been an established horse rider for 20 years and hopes to compete at Paralympics

Brave stuntwoman Barbara Adside shows she can handle a horse with the best of them - as she rides the black thoroughbred animal despite being born with no legs.

Barbara, 35, was born with damage to her spine through spina bifida and has no lower legs, but is still walking tall thanks to a career as a respected stuntwoman for film and TV.

The performer is able to ride her horse Pegasus by mounting him using her powerful upper body strength.
Faithful steed: Barbara prepares to mount her horse Pegasus, who she manages to ride thanks to her admirable upper body strength
Faithful steed: Barbara prepares to mount her horse Pegasus, who she manages to ride thanks to her admirable upper body strength
Leading the way: Barbara, who removes her prosthetic legs before she rides Pegasus, has nearly two decades of horse riding experience
Leading the way: Barbara, who removes her prosthetic legs before she rides Pegasus, has nearly two decades of horse riding experience
Stuntwoman Barbara gallops along on her black thoroughbred horse Pegasus, as she trains for the London Paralympics
Stuntwoman Barbara gallops along on her black thoroughbred horse Pegasus, as she trains for the London Paralympics
Barbara, from Lancaster, California, is able to ride Pegasus at a full canter, can brace herself on his back with only the stumps of her legs, and can even walk her steed in circles with a rope - just like traditional U.S. cowboys.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2155278/The-veteran-horseriding-stuntwoman-towers-rest--despite-born-legs.html#ixzz1xQWwVGOb

Stuntwoman Barbara, who removes her prosthetic legs before hitching herself onto her horse, is hoping her admirable abilities will even land her a place at the London Olympics.
She has been training six hours a day to take part in the selection trials of 23 riders for the US Para-equestrian riders in Gladstone, New Jersey.
Riding tall: Barbara looks confident on her horse, as she trains for her Para-equestrian trials
Riding tall: Barbara looks confident on her horse, as she trains for her Para-equestrian trials
Riding tall: Barbara looks confident on her horse, as she trains for her Para-equestrian trials
Barbara has become a respected stuntwoman despite being born with spina bifida which left her without lower legs at birth
Barbara has become a respected stuntwoman despite being born with spina bifida which left her without lower legs at birth
Daredevil: Brave Barbara currently trains for six hours a day as part of her mission to perform at the London Paralympics
Daredevil: Brave Barbara currently trains for six hours a day as part of her mission to perform at the London Paralympics
Daredevil: Brave Barbara trains six hours a day as part of her mission to perform at the London Paralympics
Barbara said: 'In my competitions I have won mostly first place awards and that's what has got me where I am today
'I want to get on the team and win gold for the United States.
'It's been a long time since our equestrian team has won anything - so that's my big goal.
'But most of the people that are on there, I'd say 99percent of them, have been doing this for 17 or 20 years. I have been doing this maybe six months.
Barbara can canter, steer and ride her horse just like any other normal rider thanks to her years of dedication
Barbara can canter, steer and ride her horse just like any other normal rider thanks to her years of dedication
Barbara, an accomplished stuntwoman, has also appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Murder She Wrote
Barbara, an accomplished stuntwoman, has also appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Murder She Wrote
Dedicated: The stuntwoman, seen here fixing her prosthetic limbs, has ambitions to win Paralympic gold for the U.S. this summer
Dedicated: The stuntwoman, seen here fixing her prosthetic limbs, has ambitions to win Paralympic gold for the U.S. this summer
'A lot of people have contacted me, people who have lost their arms or legs and said - If you can do it, I can do it.'
Barbara does everything from prepping, saddling and feeding her horse to pushing it to the limit.
Even though she was born with a disability, Barbara has not let this hold her back.
She has appeared in films and hit US television shows - from a creature in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Murder She Wrote.

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