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Aussie taking it step by step

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Cancer survivor says she's happy to save the dressage miracles for later

Hayley Beresford never defined herself as sick, but instead as someone who had to slow down and work her previously hectic life around radiation treatment for breast cancer. In 2004, at 25, Beresford discovered the illness, but kept news of the treatment to within family and close friends. All the while she continued to ride horses.

'It wasn't such a secret, we just didn't broadcast it,' Beresford said. 'When you go through something like that and especially because I was trying to keep riding, I didn't want anyone treating me any different.'

Beresford said she rode horses nearly every day, only missing a handful of days during the ordeal that saw her undergo treatment for the removal of two lumps. On the days her body was not up for riding three or four horses, she took out just her favourite horse, riding him around the farm to give herself a bit of quiet during a difficult time.

'It was therapeutic,' Beresford said. 'At the same time it was my career. Every horse I was riding at that time won a championship.'

What changed was Beresford's approach to dressage. She moved from the athlete determined to make it to the Olympics, to the athlete with the same determination, but better balanced.

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