The Comeback Kids

Three stories of trial and triumph from the SCAD Equestrian team

By Cady Voyer

Photo Credit Kate Morrison

Everyone loves a good comeback story; the kind where the hero was once knocked down, but is able to rise again with the help of friends and hard work. Every sport comes with a chance for injury and since horseback riding is a particularly high-risk activity, getting hurt is common. Current SCAD equestrian team riders Tatum Tatreau, Olivia Patsavas, and Tess Mrozcka are all comeback kids, and have three parts to their stories: the fall, the recovery, and the lesson.

The Fall

Tatum, a fourth-year Equestrian Studies major and equestrian team member, sustained a severe ligament injury that took well over a year and half to overcome. She was riding an inexperienced five-year-old that launched her out of the saddle. She landed flat on her feet with her left ankle turned in. “I heard all this cracking and popping and I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t even walk out of the ring,” said Tatum. Olivia, a fourth-year Fashion major, was riding a former SCAD horse named Red at the time of her injury. The horse had a reputation for being challenging, and threw her off the day before she was supposed to ride in her first Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition. After the fall, Olivia did not know anything was seriously wrong. She got back on a different horse and finished the practice. Later, she went to go get ice for her hand, but ended up going to the hospital because it was broken in half.

Tess, a third-year Graphic Design major, was riding her own horse at a show. She’d chosen to ride despite having sprained her ankle earlier that day on a different horse. After clearing her rounds, her horse bucked and Tess landed on a jump, sustaining a serious concussion.

The Recovery

Tatum had to get an x-ray to prove that her ankle was not broken, but an MRI showed that she ruptured her anterior talofibular ligament. “It connects the tibia to the fibula,” Tatum explained.

“Our first plan of action was physical therapy to see if we could get enough scar tissue to build up to hold it together.” Tatum rode through the pain for a year and a half, and decided to have surgery when the physical therapy didn’t work. She started her second round of physical therapy after being non-weight bearing for six weeks. Once she was cleared to walk on her foot, she hopped on a SCAD horse named Austin and rode for weeks without stirrups. Tatum started jumping a month after she was allowed to ride with stirrups again.

Being at an art school and breaking her dominant hand was extremely difficult for Olivia. A quarter is only three months, and Olivia’s right hand needed five months to recover. Olivia said, “When I got my cast off I had no muscle in my fingers and wrist. I wasn’t able to touch my thumb to the tips of my fingers.” She had to go through extensive physical therapy and practice before being able to fully make use of her hand. She also had to regain her confidence in the saddle. “Whenever the horse I was riding acted up I got really tense and nervous, which definitely made my horse nervous and uncomfortable and I would fall again. It took me a while to be confident in my riding.”

Tess had to go through both a mental and physical recovery as well. She was only out of riding for a month, but said it felt like eight. Once she could finally get back into the saddle, she was afraid of jumping fences higher than three feet. Tess explained, “I started really holding back on distances because if I left long my horse would start bucking and it scared me. I would pull out of a course if it was going poorly or if I just got overwhelmed.” Tess had a mixed range of emotions wondering if she would ever be able to trust her horse and get back to her normal self again. “I wouldn’t have gotten my confidence back if it wasn’t for my mom or my trainer at the time who really helped me by pushing my limits of comfort while also providing a shoulder to lean on,” said Tess.

“It’s important to deal with injuries when they first arise and not ignore what your body is trying to tell you. We are athletes whether or not people think of us in that light, and we have to treat our bodies as such.”

Like anyone who is denied something they love, Tatum had a hard time not being able to ride. Tatum was depressed and frustrated while on crutches, however, there was a silver lining to the whole experience. Tatum said, “In the long run, it gave me an opportunity to experience the team in a different way. I had to learn how to be a team player without being able to ride and it was good for me to gain that perspective.” Tatum went on to explain that although she had a bad fall and injury, she reminded herself that every great rider had suffered similarly. She said:

“As riders it’s always really frustrating and annoying to be sidelined. But since we demand so much from every single body part when we ride it’s important to deal with injuries when they first arise and not ignore what your body is trying to tell you. We are athletes whether or not people think of us in that light, and we have to treat our bodies as such.”

Olivia didn’t fear being unable to ride, but the process of getting back into the saddle was still an inconvenience. “It was really frustrating because you don’t realize how dominant your one hand is until it’s wrapped up in a cast for almost half a year. Especially being in art school!” Said Olivia. “It was my first broken bone though so I definitely lost a lot of self confidence once I got back in the saddle. I’ve learned to just focus on my breathing and relaxing while riding, it not only keeps me calm and collected but keeps my horse calm and focused on what I am asking of them.” Just as Tatum mentioned, Olivia continued to explain that physical fitness is important. “If you have and maintain strong legs and a strong core, your gripping abilities on a wild, bucking horse will be much better.” She said that all riders should exercise and take care of themselves. “Take care of your body so that you’re able to stay on, and if you do hit the ground, which is inevitable, you’re less likely to break. And always wear a helmet. I’ve had plenty of falls where a helmet absolutely saved my life.” Tess learned to trust herself, her horse, and others to help get her back to normal. “I think it’s important to learn from mistakes but then push them out of your memory so they don’t hold you back.” Now she can read her horse like a book and has not pulled off any jump or course. “I ride with more confidence, which is always key going into the ring. I just try to feel if my horse is up to par before going in the show ring and I keep myself mentally and physically in the best condition I can.” Tess stresses that it is important to know what you are fully capable of, and to never give up during any sort of recovery. “Never give up and throw the past injury or situation out the window because it will just hold you back, and make sure to turn to friends and your trainers.”

As with any sport, horseback riding comes with a certain level of risk, and all three of these riders know that. What makes a great athlete though, is the ability to push through the mishaps, falls and failures. Because getting back up and proving to yourself that an injury won’t hold you back means that you’ll only become wiser and stronger.

Below: Olivia competing at a home show. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.