Forgive me for posting this way, but as I have talked to a number of folks about a variety of things I have found that MANY people knew about my accident and were horrified but didn’t know it was me or what the outcome was.
So as a means of assuring the H/J world at large who cared, I wanted to post to explain.
As far as what actually happened to me, this is the rundown.
I came to the ring to see how long before I needed to be on. I was mercifully dressed and wearing my helmet. The class was on the 5 yr old jumpers. I saw some friends by the in gate and was talking to them as I stood outside the in gate in the general chute area. The horse in the ring dropped it’s rider over on the far side of the ring. She took the bridle off as she fell. It became entangled in the horse’s hind legs. He ran loose with tail up and he galloped around towards the in gate at high speed. He never slowed down. Instead he jumped out at speed and hit me in the air. For those familiar with the in gate at Devon, he actually jumped at an angle and cleared the pvc fenceline perpendicular to the ring gate before falling on landing. I’m told that I was trying to wave him off and that I realized far too late that I was trapped. I (reportedly) tried to lean to the right to avoid the blow and he hit my left side and I fell onto my right side. I am unsure what cut my brow but it made a flap pf loose skin and a lot of blood. My husband, God love him, went to my side on the ground and instinctively held my neck still while everyone waited for 911 to be called and the ambulances to come.
I have no memories after parking my rig until I was in the ER. I had had the CT and been stitched while I was unable to recall things. So a while.
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By all accounts I am fine. I am not yet cleared to ride again but it’s only been 15 days. The injuries sustained were a lacerated brow (15 stitches), a concussion, and a minor rotator cuff injury. I spent 1 full day in the hospital and then was released.
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While there was a lot of blood, I am told, I want to assure everyone that head wounds really do bleed a ton and that in fact my stitches are out, scabs and bruising are gone and beyond a new scar neatly against my eye brow line, I look as normal as I can. You can see my most recent pic here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156701798767759&set=p.10156701798767759&type=3&theater
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Since I have had many concussions (@10) in my life I am doing extended Physical therapy and Occupational therapy through Bryn Mawr rehab. (The same place that helped Lee Lee Dutton and Silva Martin, and many others) I am VERY fortunate to have these amazing facilities close by and blessed that my employer based insurance helps to cover a lot of the costs. I am loving the challenges that each provides and my therapists are fabulous. Moreover science and medicine have come a long way since my last concussion (2010) and realistically it’s possible that some of these methods are helping to heal some older issues left over from when they didn’t really offer rehab for minor concussions.
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I have a regular neurologist since I want to take care of my poor brain so I have had a visit with him and a follow up MRI of my brain. I didn’t hold still enough for the CT at the hospital so the images are largely useless and fuzzy. Since we have a past MRI of my brain from 2016 he and I decided it was much better to be safe and re-image than sorry. I did that yesterday, I haven’t heard results yet.
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Bear with me but I am alive because I was fortunate enough to have been wearing my helmet, and for the fact that my helmet is a Trauma Void with MIPS technology. I am now forever going to recommend that EVERY rider invest in a helmet that has this. My neurologist knew of this technology and mentioned that since the advent of MIPS equipped helmets in cycling, motor sports, snow sports and riding there have been dramatic differences in both recovery times and severity of brain trauma. (In a good way)
There are two fabulous videos produced by the MIPS developers that explain very well why MIPS is important and how it works. I would encourage everyone to watch these. They’re not that long, and they aren’t equine specific.
At the moment the following brands have helmets with MIPS technology:
Trauma Void - EQ3 and Lynx models
Charles Owen - Theirs are the “MyPs” models (Skull cap and two other designs)
Armis Polo Helmets.
I have sent messages to the Facebook business pages for as many other brands as I could think of asking if they intended to have a MIPS helmet in the future, I have heard back from Samshield (no. Not worth it to them) and Tipperary (yes, model is forthcoming in Feb 2020). I’m still working on getting more answers.
So that’s the whole story.
Hopefully I will get to show again this year, but if not there’s always next year 
Em
One minute you’re minding your own business and next thing you know, you’re in the ER.