| Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning three medals [two gold and one silver] at the 2014 World Equestrian Games [WEG] in Normandy, France, and winning gold at the 2018 WEG in Tryon, NC, United States of America. (Facebook profile, 15 Aug 2018; paralympic.org, 20 Sep 2018) |
| Most influential person in career |
Her parents. (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 23 May 2016) |
| Hero / Idol |
Dutch dressage rider Edward Gal. (knhs.nl, 30 Jul 2014) |
| Injuries |
In October 2016 she was involved in a car accident. She suffered a concussion and was unable to train for three weeks. (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 23 Nov 2016) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto |
"For me, sports are my existence, my life. When I'm on a horse, I feel like a happy person. With my sport I want to achieve the maximum possible. I am physically limited, but I want to be the best at what I am given. I know I need to set long-term goals to keep improving with energy and with pleasure." (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021) |
| Awards and honours |
In 2014 she was named the Paralympic Athlete of the Year of the Friesland province in the Netherlands. (middelpuntmedia.nl, 11 Mar 2015)
In 2014 she was presented with the Zilveren Sportpenning [Silver Sports Badge] in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. (omroepleo.nl, 30 Oct 2014)
In October 2014 she was presented with the Gouden Speld [Golden Pin] by the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation [KNHS]. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Sep 2020)
In 2014 she was named the Rabo Talent of the Year. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Sep 2020; chio.nl, 31 Jan 2015) |
| Ambitions |
To win a gold medal at the Paralympics. Outside of sport, she plans to pursue a career in media and communications. (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021) |
| Impairment |
She and her twin brother Brend were born 10 weeks prematurely while her parents were on holiday in Luxembourg. At age three she was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021; Facebook page, 17 Aug 2018; paralympic.org, 15 Feb 2016) |
| Other information |
CONDITIONS
When she was three weeks old, she was diagnosed with emphysema, a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. She had surgery after the diagnosis and part of her lung was removed, which left her with asthma. In 2012 she was diagnosed with Parry-Romberg syndrome, a rare disorder that affects the skin and soft tissue on one side of the face. She also has scoliosis [curvature of the spine] and a rare kidney disease. "As a young girl I had several operations for, among other things, my spasticity and kidney abnormality. Physical therapy is very important to me. My physiotherapist keeps my muscles flexible. In addition, I do a lot of exercises at home, to be able to function as well as possible. As if all this was not enough, in March 2012 a very rare syndrome was diagnosed in me, Parry-Romberg syndrome. The fat in the right half of my face disappears. How this syndrome develops is unknown. It is very annoying to live in this uncertainty. But when I'm on the horse, I feel just like everyone else. Then I can really show who I am." (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021)
AMBASSADOR
She serves as an ambassador of the Foppe fund, a Dutch organisation that assists impaired young people in sport. She has also served as an official Team Netherlands ambassador for the Royal Dutch Equestrian Sports Federation [KNHS], including at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She carried out a similar role for the Frisian Para Sport Hero project. (rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021; Instagram profile, 19 Jul 2021; LinkedIn profile, 01 Sep 2020)
FURTHER EDUCATION
She has studied communication with NCOI Training in the Netherlands. (Facebook profile, 19 Jul 2021; rixtvanderhorst.nl, 19 Jul 2021) |
| General highlights |
She was selected for the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Paralympics. |
FEI Database
Rixtvanderhorst.nl 
www.facebook.com/RixtvanderHorst.Uniek 
RixtvanderHorst 
RixtHorst 
