My name is Mietta Innes-Irons. I am an Australian Grade V Para Dressage rider, and the journey that brought me here has been anything but ordinary.

Over the past eight years, my life has been anything but straightforward.

Spinal Cord Injury 1

In 2017 I had a horse fall on me and fold me in half, resulting in a spinal injury from L3–S1 and spinal cord torsion. My doctors were sceptical about the odds of me ever being able to walk again, but with intense rehabilitation and a lot of determination, I did. I regained approximately 95% of the function in my legs, but I was left in constant, intense, unremitting pain.

Over the next three years I underwent more than 35 procedures in an attempt to manage that pain — from injections and infusions to radiofrequency ablation to burn problematic nerves. Despite everything, there was no significant or long-term relief.

In January 2021 I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted, and it changed my life. For the first time since my injury, I was pain free. I returned to studying full time (Masters in Osteopathic Medicine), riding several horses a day, working part time, running over 100km a week while training for the Melbourne Marathon and in the gym 4-6 day a week.

I had my life back.

Spinal Cord Injury 2

In late June 2021, only six months after the spinal cord stimulator was implanted, I was at a property and opened a small gate. Unbeknownst to me, the gate was shorting off a high-voltage electric fence. With the wet conditions creating the perfect environment for electrical conduction, I grabbed the gate and 4,500 volts of electricity travelled along the wires of my spinal cord stimulator and burnt my spinal cord at T8/T9.

My neurosurgeon told me that my spinal cord would continue to burn internally for up to 18 months and that there was nothing they could do to stop it. All we could do was wait and see how much damage would ultimately occur.

On top of this, the electrocution severely damaged my nervous system, resulting in Post Electrocution Syndrome and widespread neurological pain and dysfunction throughout my body.

For the second time in only a few years, I was told that it was unlikely I would walk again.

Another Challenge - Number 3

Around November 2023 my condition stabilised. I retained some function in my legs, but I was now reliant on either a wheelchair or crutches to get around. I also experienced weakness and significant neurological sensations in both of my arms and hands.

In April 2024 I began developing new symptoms that didn’t fit with spinal cord or electrical injuries. My joints became extremely painful and swollen, my vision was affected, and I experienced severe flare-ups that left me bedridden and completely incapacitated for days or even weeks at a time.

After extensive testing I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which developed as a result of the trauma from the electrocution.

My Riding

Despite all of the loss, the grief, the struggle and the uncertainty, one thing was never uncertain: my determination to return to the saddle.

Para dressage gave me a pathway not only back to riding, but back to high-performance sport. It allowed me to transform adversity into purpose and continue pursuing the sport that I love at an elite level.

Today I am campaigning with my incredible horse Helmut, a beautiful black and immensely talented Westphalian gelding. Helmut is a powerful and expressive horse with enormous potential, and together we are working to develop the strength, precision and partnership required to compete at the highest level of international para dressage.

In December 2025 I was selected for the Australian Para Equestrian High Performance Squad on the Green Squad, categorising me as a “Podium Potential” athlete under the Australian Institute of Sport. I am now working incredibly hard towards selection for future Australian World Equestrian Games and Paralympic teams.

High-performance equestrian sport is unique in that it requires not only the dedication of the athlete, but also the ongoing care, training, travel and management of the horse. The costs involved in campaigning internationally are significant, and this is where your support becomes so important.

Where Your Donation Goes

Funds raised go towards supporting the costs of competitions and training, including travel, coaching, and the physical maintenance of both Helmut and myself, along with the many expenses associated with competing at an elite level sport.

These funds will allow me to focus on training and performance without the constant pressure of financial barriers.

My goal is to continue developing as a para dressage athlete, represent Australia on the international stage, and demonstrate what is possible through resilience, determination, and the extraordinary partnership between horse and rider.

Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a meaningful role in helping make this journey possible. Your support places you alongside Helmut and me on this journey — and makes our success possible.

Thank you for being part of the team behind this dream.