A horse rider who was told she would never ride again following a car accident has bounced back through a combination of physiotherapy and pilates.

Carole Coleman, of Rochester Close, Braintree, has not only got back in the saddle despite the accident about 15 years ago, but she is now a pilates instructor.

Pilates is exercises designed to give you a “longer, leaner, more supple and stronger body”.

The 35-year-old said: “They said I would never ride again and I would have trouble if I wanted to have a family later on in life, I would have problems.

“It was really dire news for a 20-year-old, not what I wanted to hear - being written off - and it was quite scary but luckily I had a really good physiotherapist and through lots of physiotherapy and pilates it took me a year and then I could get back on a horse.”

Mrs Coleman, a mother-of-two, added she had had no problems with either of her pregnancies.

She said: “So it just shows you, that’s just one success story with pilates. I think it’s amazing.”

The accident happened when Mrs Coleman was living in Hertfordshire. She had been driving to see her horses when another car collided with her on the icy road.

She suffered a damaged lower back and neck, which was a major set-back when it came to horse riding.

At the time Mrs Coleman competed regularly - her riding instructor had “grand designs” for her, she said - but now she is too busy.

“I’m an active person by nature and that [the accident] really slowed my life down. Everything was a nightmare but I’ve bounced back.”

Mrs Coleman started with physiotherapy twice a week, which went down to once a week, and fairly soon into the physiotherapy started pilates as well.

She had been practising body control pilates for about ten years when it was suggested she become an instructor.

She runs classes at Halstead Physiotherapy Clinic and the town hall in Great Bardfield, and is hoping to hold some in Braintree.

Becoming a pilates instructor was a complete career change, she said, as she had been working in finance.

“I thought you had to come from a dance or sport background but I did have to do a lot of training.

“It was well-worth doing. It’s so rewarding seeing the improvement in everyone. It’s just an amazing job really.”

Mrs Coleman, who is married to husband Charlie, 40, a financial trader, said pilates had a lot to offer everyone, whether you had a back problem or not.

“Most of the time, especially if you are in a desk-bound job, after a long day with the best will in the world your posture goes out of the window.”

Mrs Coleman, who continued with pilates throughout her pregnancies, said there was a lot to take in, but you got out what you put in.

Physiotherapist Rebecca Lane owns Halstead Physiotherapy Clinic in Market Hill, Halstead, and Braintree and Bocking Physiotherapy Clinic in Coggeshall Road, Braintree, as well as a clinic in Haverhill.

The 33-year-old, from Pebmarsh, said pilates was about preventing the reoccurrence of a problem, adding that a lot of physiotherapy exercises were based on pilates principles.

“It [pilates] helps the core muscles support the spine,” she said.

The mother-of-two said she would recommend pilates to anyone who is pain free.

She added: “I would really recommend it for someone who has had a problem and would like to avoid coming back for treatment.”