17yo Aussie rider, killed on course

[HedgeWitch]

This truly is a tragic accident and my deepest sympathy to her family, friends and all who knew such a beautiful energetic young girl.

I have to say though that I am so proud to be part of the Aussie Equestrian Community we are all posting pictures on FB of our favourite photos with the hash tag rideforolivia and all the photos are going to be combined to make a mosaic photo of Olivia and her horse as a tribute to an amazing horsewoman and her wonderful mount.

As for her age she was a young woman who was doing what she loved and she wouldn’t be doing this level without having the experience behind her, and being part of the Inglis clan she would have had access to the best of everything right down to an amazing mount may he RIP.

We are bred tough here in Australia and when kids get it into their heads that this is what they want to do there is no stopping them, my eight year old nephew is already chomping at the bit to get out there and do eventing he is already going around a small course at his local pony club (Harden) and when he goes out and rides with his sisters there is no stopping him going over the fences in the cross country from ditches to banks to water jumps he wants to do them all. His thinking is that if his sisters can do it why can’t he, once they have the bug there is no going back and he has a safe mount so I say why not if that is what they love.

He is even more courageous now that he is cantering and as soon as you turn you back he is off and racing :eek: When he actually gets to 12 and can enter competitions I am sure he will already be jumping at least 3 foot and will be looking at having to enter the 45cm course with distain LOL.

Hedgy

[talkofthetown]

Hedge, that is such a cool idea. I’ve seen that hashtag floating around and wondered what it was for. Are they looking for Aussies only, or are they in need of photos from anywhere in the Eventing world?

[LadyB]

A special mosaic print is being put together for the Inglis family - whose daughter was tragically lost on the weekend in an eventing accident in Australia - but we need your help!!! Please post your favourite photo of you and your beloved horse and add #rideforolivia when you post it where it will then be incorporated into the mosaic which will make up the one overall photo of Olivia riding. Please pass this on so we can get 100s of photos together!!! A global tribute to this young lady.

This is what the hashtag is for.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

To see all the pictures posted under #rideforOlivia is impressive.

Doesn’t make her loss less painful or less tragic…but hopefully her family and friends feel the horseworld morning with them and celebrating her love for the horses.

[somanyhorses]

#rideforolivia has now engaged over 1.6 million people around the world, an amazing show of support that is of great comfort to all of us affected by this tragedy. Everyone is welcome to participate, however the lady who initiated the concept has advised via FB that she does need to collate photos for the mosaic by this evening Aus time (ie about 8 hours from when I post this).

I was competing at Scone, one of over 500 riders there for our NSW State Championships. I did not know Olivia personally, however hers is one of those many happy smiling young faces that I know from competing on our rather small and tight knit eventing circuit. We are all reeling, utterly devastated, and struggling to come to grips with this. I think this story on An Eventful Life sums it all up. https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/eventing-news/tribute-olivia-inglis

There are a lot of photos easily found on social media of Olivia riding, and it is very easy to see how skilled and competent she was, and that Coriolanus was a talented jumper with a good front end. She had produced the horse herself (an OTTB) and had also ridden another horse up to 1* that she produced, and was show jumping another at a fairly high level. Olivia’s mother also rode up to 2* level before the kids came along.

While we are in a state of shock and grief, it is not the right time to look at why this happened and how/if it could have been prevented, and how to prevent this happening to another rider and their horse, however all of these things must be looked at and all factors considered, including age of rider, though I genuinely do not believe that was factor in this tragedy.

My heart goes out to Olivia’s family and friends and also to the good people of Scone Horse Trials, volunteers who had to face the impossible. I will never forget their faces at 11am on Sunday when they called all of us to a briefing and advised us that Olivia has succumbed to her injuries. The darkest of days. #rideforolivia is a beautiful tribute that offers something to smile about at the hardest of times.

[Manahmanah]

[QUOTE=JER;8562687]
It’s time to bring back the EXO.[/QUOTE]

It is really premature to start hawking safety gear before an inquest is completed.

Do we really have to do this every time? It’s a theme here and it’s super, super old.

Nobody has any ideas as to what caused her death. It could be a number of things that wouldn’t be protected with an EXO. It’s also a form of victim blaming, where “Jane’s death could have been prevented if only she had done X Y or Z.”

These things are doing no favors to our sport. Without knowing what actually caused her death, tto suggest some equipment could prevent it is not only insulting the connections of this girl but could give a false sense of security to others who are riding. “Oh, she wasn’t wearing an exo/air vest/lucky red socks/etc, so this could NEVER happen to me!”

Let’s try to stop this. It’s not productive and does nothing to increase actual safety.

[cleo570]

As a lifelong equestrian, a physician, and a parent, this news has really has hit me hard. I am not competing currently and this particular tragedy makes me even less motivated to compete. It even erodes a little at my desire to ride altogether, much to my dismay…not out of fear for my safety, but because of the sadness. We all know that this is a dangerous sport, but for whatever reason, the death of a child has really shaken me. My prayers are with her family.

[JER]

[QUOTE=Manahmanah;8566103]
It is really premature to start hawking safety gear before an inquest is completed. [/QUOTE]

I’m not hawking anything. The EXO is no longer for sale. However, it remains the only body protector ever produced that can protect against severe blunt force trauma or massive crush injuries.

@Manahmanah;8566103

Do we really have to do this every time? It’s a theme here and it’s super, super old.

Yeah, safety is a long-running theme on the eventing forum. As it should be. But I promise you, the day that this sport is safe and horses and riders aren’t getting killed on course, I’ll drop the safety talk. But not until then.

@Manahmanah;8566103

Nobody has any ideas as to what caused her death. It could be a number of things that wouldn’t be protected with an EXO. It’s also a form of victim blaming, where “Jane’s death could have been prevented if only she had done X Y or Z.”

Olivia Inglis was, according to all accounts, crushed by her horse when it fell on top of her. It has been reported that on scene, she could not be revived. This would mean that she was in a state of cardiac arrest almost immediately. Odds are that this was due to crush injuries and blunt force trauma to the upper torso, which is the area protected by the EXO’s cage. Yes, it could have been something else, but that seems unlikely given the scenario.

This is most certainly not a form of victim-blaming. For all I know, she’d never heard of the one piece of protective gear that could help you survive this accident. This isn’t her fault; it’s more the fault of a sport and sport orgs that didn’t embrace a really good safety device, yet became enamored a few years later with the dubious, unproven, and fail-dangerous air jacket.

@Manahmanah;8566103

These things are doing no favors to our sport.

What’s actually doing no favors to our sport is riders and horses getting killed while participating in it.

[Thylacine]

yes because god forbid a sports governing body attempt to make a risky sport slightly safer…

lets just ignore human/equine deaths because, like, “they were doing what they loved”, so it’s ok.

No. it’s not ok.

sincere condolences to her family.

[Beam_Me_Up]

[QUOTE=WB Mom;8564916]
I am wondering why there is not an age limit set for riders. [/QUOTE]

Just FYI there is:
14–CCI*
16–CCI**
18–CCI***

[WW_Queen]

[QUOTE=JER;8566150]
The EXO is no longer for sale.[/QUOTE]

It isn’t? Woof Wear seems to manufacture it…

https://www.equestriancollections.com/rider-riding-gear/safety-vests/woofwear-exo-body-protector

https://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/E/WWEBP.htm

Anything that keeps future riders and young people safe seems appropriate to discuss after a fatality. Without discussing the details particular to her accident, we can remember her and also talk about/share information about safety.

Maybe the EXO/current safety trends for riders needs a new thread. Love all the #rideforOlivia pictures flooding my Facebook feed.

[JP60]

[QUOTE=somanyhorses;8565952]
…
While we are in a state of shock and grief, it is not the right time to look at why this happened and how/if it could have been prevented, and how to prevent this happening to another rider and their horse, however all of these things must be looked at and all factors considered, including age of rider, though I genuinely do not believe that was factor in this tragedy.

My heart goes out to Olivia’s family and friends and also to the good people of Scone Horse Trials, volunteers who had to face the impossible. I will never forget their faces at 11am on Sunday when they called all of us to a briefing and advised us that Olivia has succumbed to her injuries. The darkest of days. #rideforolivia is a beautiful tribute that offers something to smile about at the hardest of times.[/QUOTE]

When?

A simple question really, when is it a good time? One week, two? Perhaps when the memories of the accident have faded so no accurate accounting can be told.

I understand the pain of death in a family. I know grief, yet I can also understand the need, in a moment like this, for dispassionate people to do a job of helping to understand how, why, what of this tragic moment. That is the first step in safety.

Note, I’m not here trying to arm chair the moment, what the injuries were. I am here to ask, when?

We get upset when people ask for information without giving a consideration that they may ask for selfish reasons, they are going out on course and wonder could it happen to me? Is there something I can change to ensure I have a safe ride?

Yes, the sport has dangers, yes accidents happen, and yes, it is tragic when a young girl dies, like the young man last year who received way less international focus for just as tragic a death. We can cry over their graves, give warm sympathies to loved ones, but at the same time say, can this be fixed. The only way that happens is when we do the ugly job of investigation.

So please, when will be the good time?

[JER]

[QUOTE=WW_Queen;8566348]
It isn’t? Woof Wear seems to manufacture it… [/QUOTE]

This is what happened: EXO faces an uncertain future

[RAyers]

While we are in a state of shock and grief, it is not the right time to look at why this happened and how/if it could have been prevented, and how to prevent this happening to another rider and their horse, however all of these things must be looked at and all factors considered, including age of rider, though I genuinely do not believe that was factor in this tragedy.

Meanwhile in disasters where tens, hundreds and even thousands die, we start the investigations immediately.

This is not meant to dismiss and minimize grief. The reality is that accident investigation is always best immediately after.

[WW_Queen]

[QUOTE=JER;8566423]
This is what happened: EXO faces an uncertain future[/QUOTE]

Yeah I saw that was in 2008, so when I saw the online retailers I thought somebody else had made a go of it as per this:

“The designers are cutting their “six-figure” losses and donating the patent for the body protector to the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).”

I have been contemplating a big saddle purchase but now I think I will move around some of those funds and replace my CO vest (from 1998). I was never sold on an airvest. Now considering the Exo maybe it’s worth hunting around to find one.

[I think John Nunn should try to buy the patent, and we get a Kickstarter fund going.]

[JER]

[QUOTE=WW_Queen;8566804]

[I think John Nunn should try to buy the patent…][/QUOTE]

An interesting idea, but there’d have to be sufficient interest.

No one needs to buy the patent. You can license it from the RDA – that money would go to a deserving organization.

The EXO is surprisingly comfortable to wear, too. But riders came up with all kinds of excuses not to wear it, then jumped on air jacket bandwagon. That says something about eventers’ collective attitudes toward real safety, and what it says isn’t positive.

[vineyridge]

I just read on H&H that she died in a rotational fall and the horse has been put down due to its injuries.

[WW_Queen]

[QUOTE=JER;8566834]
An interesting idea, but there’d have to be sufficient interest.

No one needs to buy the patent. You can license it from the RDA – that money would go to a deserving organization.

The EXO is surprisingly comfortable to wear, too. But riders came up with all kinds of excuses not to wear it, then jumped on air jacket bandwagon. That says something about eventers’ collective attitudes toward real safety, and what it says isn’t positive.[/QUOTE]

I read some of the commentary from 2010 on the EXO versus the inflatables. Sounds like marketing and lack of representation was part of the flop. There seemed to be a lot of competition of new products around that time, with a lot of misinformation about statistics versus anecdotal stories (obviously BNT influence swayed the balance).

There seems to have been a quite a bit of UL marriages in the last few years… with some new equestrian families being formed, I wonder if parenthood would make them reconsider the safety issue if a better option were available.

(I know that’s MY driving factor now in weighing safety versus fashion!)

[HLMom]

I’m confused by the #rideforolivia campaign. I thought originally it was for people to share memories/picture of Olivia? Now everyone is posting pictures of themselves riding their own horses in various disciplines.

I guess the message is, “I’m thinking of Olivia and her love of horses.” It is odd, though. If someone died in a car accident, would we post pictures of ourselves driving our cars? Or if someone died in a ski accident, pictures of us skiing?

I have no doubt of the sincerity and kindness of people posting the pictures. Just saying, it is an interesting tribute. Welcome to the facebook age, I guess. (Yes, I’m old).

[Divine_Comedy]

[QUOTE=HLMom;8567041]
I’m confused by the #rideforolivia campaign. I thought originally it was for people to share memories/picture of Olivia? Now everyone is posting pictures of themselves riding their own horses in various disciplines.

I guess the message is, “I’m thinking of Olivia and her love of horses.” It is odd, though. If someone died in a car accident, would we post pictures of ourselves driving our cars? Or if someone died in a ski accident, pictures of us skiing?

I have no doubt of the sincerity and kindness of people posting the pictures. Just saying, it is an interesting tribute. Welcome to the facebook age, I guess. (Yes, I’m old).[/QUOTE]

No, it was originally to collect photos of anyone riding that would be used to create a collage of Olivia riding. Like one big mosaic of Olivia with the individual ‘tiles’ being tiny photos of others riding.

Of course, they’ve now gotten far more photos than they ever bargained for, so I doubt all will be included but it’s still a very nice sentiment.