Ambitious Natasha setting her sights on success in Rio

But nothing seems to stand in the way of brave Yorkshire prospect Natasha Adkinson.

Adkinson, 19, is one of the country’s brightest young para-dressage stars who has her sights set firmly on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

That is despite suffering from VACTERL association which causes the teenager’s joints to dislocate on a daily basis.

Remarkably, equine enthusiast Adkinson refused to let her disability interfere with her passion for riding horses – and to a very high level.

The Yorkshire star was recently re-selected for the 2013-2015 World Class Development Programme para-equestrian dressage team run by the British Equestrian Federation.

All roads for those riders lead to Rio with courageous Adkinson out to fly the flag not just for Yorkshire, but also for her disability.

“My determination gets me through and it’s weird because until I did para I didn’t even class myself as disabled,” Adkinson told the Yorkshire Post.

“I have always done stuff my own way.

“I can’t use my hands properly but I have found my way. But now I have got specially adapted reins and it really does help.

“Para-dressage has helped me with coming across my difficulty and actually being proud of it. I wouldn’t actually be where I am without it.

“Yes, I might not like this with my body, I might not like that, but if it wasn’t there it wouldn’t be me would it? It’s determination.”

Adkinson fell in love with horses at a young age when she was based in Inverness, where she was born.

Based in the Highlands because of her father Steve’s role in the RAF, Adkinson attended a boarding school, but Yorkshire is now the young star’s home with Adkinson and her mum Yvonne having moved to the White Rose county to be near their family following the equestrian ace’s parents’ divorce.

That move has enabled the young Scot’s para-dressage career to blossom with Adkinson admitting staying competitive while based in Inverness was quite a difficult task.

“It was difficult in Scotland but I do really miss it there,” said Adkinson.

“I had a lot of happiness and beaches and I lived right up north which was really good and I loved it. But just with the competing it was really becoming a struggle.

“Even now I’m still looking for sponsorship and I’m actually quite near all the venues. In Scotland it was ridiculous.

“Also, it wasn’t possible to just take your horse down to England to a para-trainer for weekly lessons. You just couldn’t afford it and you don’t want your horse travelling 10 hours every week!”

Adkinson now has five horses headed by 12-year-old Undercover Seven – also known as the BFG. It’s easy to see why.

“We call him the BFG because he is rather big,” said Adkinson. “He’s 17 hands!

“He’s my main horse and he’s really the one who is probably going to go to the Europeans and the Worlds and maybe even the Olympics.”

And why not the Olympics? Adkinson clearly in no mood to let anything get in her way with the teenager admitting representing Team GB in Rio would be the ultimate dream.

“I’m speechless about that because I never thought it would ever be possible,” said Adkinson.

“Now I’m on the pathway where I’m in the team preparing for it.

“At the end of the day I want to make everyone proud of me especially Britain by of course bringing back that gold medal. I will not stop until I do that!”

You would not bet against it.