My name is Alicia Griffiths and I’m Grade 4 blind Para Rider, mother of small a tribe, wife and general sports enthusiast.

I started losing my sight at the age of 19 and by 20 was registered as SSI,(severely sight impaired/legally blind.

My world was thrown on its head.   I had to leave university come back home (Bristol) and live with my parents again.

In my year in hospital the one thing that remains a constant was my love of horses and that is what got me through.   I’d be taken on Home leave from hospital directly to the yard and I knew I would ride again!

Fast forward quite a few years and I’m a living independently and riding along with raising my small children, which led me onto my next challenge!

When I first lost my sight I struggled with my balance and also motion sickness as I can’t see well enough to focus on a central point- your often left with the feeling of motion sickness. For me it’s like being on a boat.   This was making me increasingly sad as I didn’t know how I was going to get over it.

My mum and I visit badminton horse trials every year and this one year, RDA were charity of the year.   A chance meeting with some exceptional people led me to overcoming my sea sickness and my first para horse!   Evensong (Evie) and I went from wobbling and struggling, RDA nationals, talent spotting winner, to my first international in Germany!

After the sad loss of both my para ponies it took me a while to find another one, then I found the gorgeous ‘Risky’. Not your average para pony, 16.3 chestnut thoroughbred bred mare.   Last year I was also blessed by being offered the ride on a beautiful Trekehna mare 17.3 called Indy. 

Although I’m relatively fit, I walk everywhere with my lovely guide dog Mini.   I felt I needed to get fitter, and that I needed to do something else, in order to keep up with the horses fitness.   This can be a tall order as I sadly have other health issues that make exercise difficult.   I’ve always loved exercise but generally struggle with gyms, my lack of sight makes it difficult to navigate and I find it quite isolating.   I’d heard of guide running and back before my sight loss, I use to like running.   So I posted on visual impairment forum and found the group VI Runners Bristol.   A running club specifically for the visually impaired.   I contacted them and Colin offered to guide me!

Each guide has attended a guiding specific running course set up by UK Athletics and are all DBS checked.   Without the aid of these volunteers we would not be able to run!

In July last year I embarked on my first run since losing my sight and I loved it!

I was also surprisingly not bad at it and banged out a 3.5mile run! I was hooked! I now try and run at least once a week and I’m hoping to participate in some running events!

This leads me on to my next challenge when Colin first met me as we were running he asked if I was just running for fun or did I aspire to anything i.e. a 5K 10k half marathon. So during my amble round Blaise Castle I stupidly blurted out, I’d like do a Tough Mudder!   His response- ‘ok then’.

I then told a few friends who thought this was a great idea! Dave being one of them, Dave is a Tough Mudder legend and has done 4 now and one was marathon distance!   I now have a mini team! So I’m now committed to doing a Tough Mudder and on Saturday 5th May, when most regular horsey folk are ambling round the cross country course with a picnic and a prosecco.   I will be doing Tough Mudder in aid of a charity very close to my heart.   I will be running and scrambling to raise funds for RDA National Center in Warwickshire.   Without the RDA my journey as a para rider would never have got off the ground.    I wouldn’t have been classified, I wouldn’t have been found my gorgeous first para horse Evie and I certainly wouldn’t have been competing internationally.   I am very grateful. I also appreciate all the wonderful work they have done not just for myself but for my lovely para friends I’ve met along the way, and I now want to pay it forward.