Emma's delighted to be back in the saddle after stroke

And Emma Bidie, who is 55, is marking the occasion by fundraising for the stroke unit at Borders General Hospital, which she says helped her immensely as she recovered from her illness.

Emma told the Southern that the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) also made a big difference in her recovery.

She said: “Before my stroke, I was riding competitively a lot, and suddenly I wasn’t able to do that.

"A friend put me on to the RDA, and six weeks after the stroke I was sitting on a horse again.

"It’s what has kept me going these past two years … my love of horses and riding.”

Emma is planning to compete at the Ian Stark Equestrian Centre’s Hunter Trial on Sunday, March 20, but it won’t come easy.

She said: “This is my biggest challenge so far as I don’t yet have the stamina to continue for a whole cross country course in one go.

"Of course, the more I have been riding to build up my stamina, my horse Zerodegree, known as Zero, is getting fitter and fitter and as an ex-racehorse he is streets ahead of me.

“That in itself an issue as I try control his speed and fitness whilst coping with my own lack of breath."

Emma is focused on reaching her target fundraising amount of £1,000, and she’s already three-quarters of the way there.

She said: “I am determined to try and help the wonderful nursing staff who looked after me and got me mobile after life’s unexpected turn of events two years ago.

"It’s not been an easy journey to get to where I am now, but I’ve always had this thought in the back of my mind. If I can raise money to buy a stroke bed for the stroke unit at the Borders General Hospital, help just one person on a recovery, I’ve done a job. I just want to give something back.”

Emma has further plans in her fundraising adventure, and hopes to climb Goat Fell on Arran later in the year.

Emma’s fundraising page is on www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/emma-bidie