Jodie O’Connell Ponkos isn’t the kind of person to let a thing like losing a hand hold her back. In fact, one of the biggest challenges she’s faced has been finding a prosthetic which could handle her active lifestyle!

Working with horses is physically demanding work. From pushing wheelbarrows, mucking out stalls and using various tools to the rigours of riding, there are any number of daily activities which could potentially damage a prosthetic. Indeed, Jodie had become so sick of breaking hands that she gave up wearing them altogether – for two-and-a-half decades!

That was until she attended the MEC conference in Canada, where she was introduced to the TASKA Hand. Since then, she hasn’t looked back, embracing the TASKA Hand’s advanced functionality and reveling in its incredible durability.

“Because the TASKA Hand is so durable, I have a much greater sense of security”, she says. “I worry less, and am much more confident trying new things, without the fear of damaging my hand.”

“The versatility is amazing too. I can do so much more now – from work in the barn to hiking, camping and (of course!) riding! I can move wheelbarrows, use a leaf blower, and even do all those tricky little tasks you never think about, like opening a bag of chips.”

The other major benefit of the TASKA Hand for Jodie, who spends a lot of time teaching people with disabilities to ride, is the appearance. “I work with people who face challenges around cognitive function, and a prosthetic hand has the potential to produce either a very positive, or a very negative response from them”, she says.

“But they love it! They call it the ‘Robot Hand’, and are constantly asking me questions about how it works. I’m always being told it looks ‘cool’, and even had one person say ‘how do I get one of those?’!”

An added bonus has been the waterproof nature of the TASKA Hand, an attribute which was hugely beneficial during the global COVID-19 outbreak. “Being able to wash my hands during the pandemic made such a difference”, says Jodie, who continues to attack life at a full gallop!