Horse lover Janine Smith plans to ride 200km across the Jordanian desert to raise funds for a horse rescue centre, writes Rebecca Smith.

Janine, 39, who lives in Brockhampton Road, Lambourn, rides at stables in Sparsholt, near Wantage.

She said: "Horses are my passion even though I broke my pelvis in a bad fall and had to have my gall bladder removed.

"I wanted to make up for my injuries and at the same time do something for a charity that I am interested in."

Her daughters Siobhan, 14, Chloe, 11, and Leah, ten, have followed in mum's footsteps and love horses and riding. But divorcee Janine, who is a professional endurance rider and has ridden in 100-mile races in Britain, said the Jordan ride would be very different.

Janine will join a group which will follow in the footsteps of First World War hero Lawrence of Arabia during the six-day trek from Wadirum to Petra, before making for the shores of the Dead Sea. A back-up team of helpers and vets will follow the riders.

She said: "We will use local horses that are accustomed to the heat and terrain.

"We will be in the saddle for eight hours a day but will cover about only 30km in that time, so we won't be going so fast. "We will stop and rest frequently to give the horses food and water.

"I hope I won't get saddle-sore - but you get used to that after a while."

She added: "Endurance riding is a wonderful way to see the countryside. People never see what I see unless they are on horseback."

Janine hopes to raise more than £2,000 for the British Horse Society rescue centres.

If you would like to help, call her on 01488 73812.

Story date: Tuesday 29 February

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