‘The doctors said I’d never ride again’
After breaking his neck and a hip op, Nick Skelton explains how he returned to become our oldest gold medallist since 1908 never expected to win gold particularly because my body has had at Rio 2016, but I knew in a lot of abuse over the years. Riding the back of my mind that Big takes its toll and I’ve been especially Star – my 13-year-old show unlucky. You don’t normally get a jumping horse – was capable lot of injuries as a show jumper, but of leading us to victory. If I I’ve had two knee operations and a didn’t mess it up, he wouldn’t either. shoulder operation in recent times,
The results speak for themselves. and a hip replacement six years ago Everything went smoothly and now, from general wear and tear. In 2000, at the age of 58, I am the oldest British just before the Sydney Olympics, I Olympic gold medallist since 1908. broke my neck.
I sat on my first horse when I was It happened when I was riding just 18 months old. My mum rode for and fell vertically, landing on my pleasure and my father was in the head. I had to wear a brace for four veterinary corps, so they were always months and a hard collar for another around horses and encouraged me three. I was like one of those wobbly to ride from an early age. They even toys, falling all over the time. It was bought me a pony called Oxo, who tough, but I knew that thing would stayed alive long enough for my come off eventually. sons, Dan – now a National Hunt When it did, the doctors were able Trainer – and Harry – a National to look more closely at my injuries Hunt jockey – to ride him. and they found that a ligament that
As a child, I had pony tuition, but it goes between my spinal cord and was only when I started working with brain had been severed. They said any the trainer Ted Edgar, aged 14, that I impact or knock would be the end of started competing extensively. Since it for me. I shouldn’t ever drive a car then I’ve competed all over the world, again, let alone get back on a horse. and Rio was my seventh Olympics. I was devastated. I was only 42 and Winning the gold was amazing, I wasn’t ready to retire, but now I was being told that I was finished. It was a hard time and I didn’t ride for two years. I was quite low, and while I did a bit of weekly physio to get my neck to bend, really I sat about doing nothing, getting on the nerves of my then-partner Bettina and my sons. It was difficult for them because they’d seen me riding all the time, it was my job. Still, Dan was convinced I’d get on a horse again and he was right.
In 2002, I went to see a surgeon in Germany who came recommended and he told me I was healing well. The ligament was growing and he said one day I’d be able to ride again. I couldn’t have been more thrilled; the only difficulty was that I had to give it time
Ito heal and wait for the right moment.
That time came just a few months later. I got on Arko III, a horse I’d ridden a few years earlier. Some friends and relatives didn’t want me to ride again – they were concerned about my health and another fall. But I wasn’t nervous. I thought, you can’t worry about that. If you want to do something you’ve got to go and do it. Don’t look back. Keep going forwards. It worked. The movement in my neck came back over time – though it probably took 10 years for it to be 100 per cent. I still don’t move like a normal person and if I hit my head, it gives it a jolt. But I’ve been lucky. I managed to recover from that accident and my hip replacement, too. I’d needed it because I was having trouble walking. Unlike my neck, that healed after a few months, but as soon as I was healthy again I had an operation on my shoulder. It meant I was out for about seven months in total, which is hard. But my hip replacement is ceramic and has a 45-year life span, so hopefully it’ll do me out. I don’t really think about it now – I only notice when I have to get onto the horse with steps instead of jumping on like I used to.
After all of this, it has made getting the gold in Rio all the more special. The public support has been incredible. I’ve had letters, emails and messages from so many people – even those who don’t know much about riding. Older people have said how inspiring I am. My gold makes them want to get up and do something. They admire what I’ve done and I’m so grateful for the support.
The equestrian team has even been nicknamed “Dad’s Army” by our fans. It’s probably quite accurate. John Whitaker is 61, while his brother Michael is 56, so we’re normally the oldest at every event. But we’ve been the backbone of the British riding team for the last 30 years. We grew up as young riders together and we’re lucky we’re as talented as each other. We’ve never got into an argument.
John will never give up. He won’t retire until the day he can’t get on a horse. But I think the time for me to bow out is getting nearer. I want to keep going for my horse’s sake – he’s still got a few years left in him. It would be selfish for me to retire him, so I’ll continue competing internationally for a while. I’m certainly not going to give anyone else the pleasure of riding Big Star. Ever. He’s a very special horse.