At just three years old, Muthoni Kimani sat atop a horse for the first time. She had visited her friend’s mother’s riding school and felt an immediate spark. It only took the one time for her to know she wanted to pursue horse riding. At the age of seven, she began officially competing as a showjumper. She took to being around the horses and participating in the competitions like a natural. Her events were dressage, which tests a rider’s ability to control a horse through different paces, and eventing which is a type of equestrian triathlon.
Overcoming the Impossible
Though enjoyable enough at the beginning, Muthoni’s journey was marked by several gruelling challenges. At 8 years old, she was riding a pony and a car struck her from behind. She was rushed to hospital and her horse had to undergo major surgery. It took her months to metabolise the trauma, but she recovered and returned to the sport she loved.
At the age of 15, Muthoni was dealt another blow. She fell off her horse. This time, it was while training for dressage. The horse bucked her off and she became unconscious for a few minutes. She was even feared to be dead. When younger, Muthoni was able to bounce back from an arguably more traumatic event, but as a teenager, the fall began to impress upon her that horse riding was as much a mental sport as it was a physical one. Aside from suffering from headaches and backaches for around three months, the event had created a shift in Muthoni, and she questioned herself often. But the same spirit and passion for horse riding she began developing from a tender age carried her through these difficult times and she quite literally got back into the saddle. Though she had experienced the challenges of being a showjumper, she persevered and gained tools from mentors that helped her maintain her focus and grapple with fear.
Getting Back on the Horse
The temporary knock to her self-belief was no match for her tenacity and Muthoni picked up her rigorous training schedule which saw her wake-up at 6 am, train at the gym and practice her show jumping until around 6 pm. She places a lot of importance on building a strong relationship with her horses and they served a therapeutic purpose for her after her accidents. From them, she learns patience and kindness. These values are a part of her arsenal as she navigates a sport that is unused to a young, African woman.
Alongside physical challenges, there were also financial ones. Horse riding is a pricey sport. Between buying horses, maintaining them and paying exorbitant fees to enter competitions, her family had to make sacrifices such as selling property to support her dreams. It was not for nothing and Muthoni became the first African woman to join the prestigious Cavalleria Toscana Academy in Italy to continue her horse-riding training. She also won the FEI (Fédéra tion Équestre Internationale)Against All Odds Award at a Cape Town gala in 2022 which is given to an individual who pursued horse riding despite a physical handicap or challenging personal circumstances. Muthoni’s experiences bouncing back from the unimaginable made her a prime candidate for this honour and she received the highest number of votes from the public and judges. Winning the award added yet another first under her belt. She became the first Kenyan and youngest African woman to receive an FEI award.
As a continuing ambassador of horse riding, Muthoni hopes to inspire others to take on the sport and believe that dreams can be achieved even amidst trials. At just the age of 19, she hopes to compete in the Olympics and continue to represent Kenya in show jumping on the world stage.
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