Natasha Louise Baker (born 30 December 1989) is a British

para-equestrian Para-equestrian is an equestrian sport governed by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), and includes two competitive events: One is para-equestrian dressage, which is conducted under the same basic rules as conventional dress ...

who won 2 gold medals at the

2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Gam ...

, 3 at the

2016 Summer Paralympics ) , nations = 159 , athletes = 4,342 , opening = 7 September , closing = 18 September , opened_by = President Michel Temer , cauldron = Clodoaldo Silva , events = 528 in 22 sports , stadium = Maracanã , sum ...

, and 1 more in the

2020 Summer Paralympics The , branded as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, was an international multi-sport parasports event held from 24 August to 5 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. They were the 16th Summer Paralympic Games as organized by the International Paralym ...

Personal life

Baker was born on 30 December 1989 in

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. ...

, London, England. At the age of 14 months she contracted

transverse myelitis Transverse myelitis (TM) is a rare neurological condition wherein the spinal cord is inflamed. The adjective ''transverse'' implies that the spinal inflammation (myelitis) extends horizontally throughout the cross section of the spinal cord; the ...

, an inflammation in her spine that affected her nerve endings. She was left with weakness and no feeling in her legs.

Equestrianism

Natasha Baker began riding horses as physiotherapists said it would help to strengthen her muscles. She started riding competitively at the age of nine at her local

Riding for the Disabled Association The Riding for the Disabled Association, also known as the RDA is a United Kingdom based charity founded in 1969 focused on providing therapeutic horse-riding, equestrian vaulting and carriage driving lessons to people with developmental and phys ...

in Buckinghamshire. Whilst watching the

2000 Summer Paralympics The 2000 Summer Paralympic Games or the XI Summer Paralympics were held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, between 18 and 29 October. The Sydney Paralympics was last time that the Summer Paralympics which were organized by two different ...

, at the age of ten, she decided she wanted to compete in the Paralympics. As she lacks strength in her legs she trains her horses to respond to her voice and to movements she can make in the saddle. She competes in the grade III Paralympic classification. In 2011, she made her first appearance at a senior championships, competing at the European Championships held in

Moorsele Wevelgem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Gullegem, Moorsele and Wevelgem proper. On January 1, 2006, Wevelgem had a total population of 31,020. The total area is 38.76 ...

, Belgium, where she won gold medals in both the individual and freestyle grade II events. She was selected as part of the

dressage Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined b ...

squad for

Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

held in London, United Kingdom. In the individual championship test grade II event Baker, riding Cabral, an 11-year-old gelding, scored 76.857% to set a new Paralympic record for the grade II classification and win the gold medal ahead of German defending champion Britta Napel who won silver with a score of 76.000%. She won her second gold medal of the Games in the individual freestyle test grade II. She set a new Paralympic record of 82.800% as she beat second placed Napel by over 5%. Baker was appointed

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) in the

2013 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2013 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hon ...

for services to equestrianism and

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the 2022 New Years Honours, also for services to equestrianism.

Television Commentating

Baker commentated on Para Dressage at the European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg alongside Rupert Bell. She then went on to commentate on Western European League World Cup Dressage later that year and continue to do so either as colour commentator or solo. She was also part of the commentary team at the World Equestrian Games 2018 and the European Championships 2019 for Para Dressage and the World Cup Dressage Finals in 2018 & 2019.Horse and Hound
/ref>

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Natasha 1989 births Living people English female equestrians British dressage riders Paralympic equestrians for Great Britain Paralympic gold medalists for Great Britain Paralympic silver medalists for Great Britain Equestrians at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Equestrians at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Equestrians at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Sportspeople from Hammersmith Officers of the Order of the British Empire Paralympic medalists in equestrian Television presenters with disabilities

Personal life

Equestrianism

Television Commentating

See also

References

External links