I had an older lesson horse trip in deep footing once when she got on the forehand. And my own mare when young once went slow motion to her knees at a walk in the arena because she was trying to look over her shoulder at the in gate. I sat there laughing, she stayed down about 15 seconds going wtf just happened and got up. Never done it again. So yes, footing and balance.
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Courtney King Dye was the dressage rider who’s horse tripped and fell on her while she wasn’t wearing a helmet. She was in a coma and is the reason we have had such a large helmet movement in recent years as well as the reason for the yearly helmet discounts.
I don’t see why people assume something nefarious must have happened. Maybe because it makes them feel better. The horse tripped. That was it.
Also, despite claims of blood soaked footing being raked over the rest of the classes in that ring were halted and it sounds like the show officials had no idea she had passed as she was pronounced at the hospital.
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Thanks!
I was there. A lot of barns left and a lot scratched. It was windy and the mood was completely quiet devastation. Yes, Jumper 1 was closed out of respect for the family, but I did not enjoy having to go into the hunter ring. I wish they had canceled the day and just refunded partial entries. The staff looked miserable. The pros looked sad and were trying to put on a brave face, but they were devastated. Robin is well known locally. Hannah had a ton of connections to other pros and kids. No one was having fun. It was awful.
Money isn’t the factor here. Allowing people to process should have been the focal point.
The horse show itself was so accommodating. Their kindness and generosity throughout the 2 weeks really was quite refreshing and I think everyone felt really bad. It’s unchartered territory but I wish that it was just closed and completed.
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I had a horse trip in a riding lesson last year while doing an upward transition into the canter. I had just dropped my stirrups before this. The horse fell on his face, but somehow righted himself before I flipped over his head. I don’t know how I stayed on and I also don’t know how the horse came away completely unscathed. He had sand from the arena footing on the noseband and browband of his bridle and a couple scuffs, but nothing serious for either one of us. We got very, very lucky.
Reading of Hannah’s accident has left me absolutely devastated. I am so very sorry for her family’s loss, as well as all of her connections. She truly sounded like a spectacular human and darn good rider and horsewoman.
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Why did you have to go in the hunter ring?
You could have scratched, couldn’t you?
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They worked on her for 30 mins on the ground at the show. She was officially pronounced at the hospital as typical SOP but she never came back. This was a massive head trauma fatality. No helmet, air vest, or safety item would save her. It was just a freak accident and we should stop speculating and just honor her memory for the sake of her friends and family.
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Yep. I could have. I struggled with it and just went with it, but it was heavy and sad, and I do wish that they had canceled, and in hindsight, I do wish I had scratched… but thanks for pointing that out. Way to make me feel worse.
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I remember Jersey Fresh, where there was a rider fatality. Eventing has gone both ways with these, I believe, but usually things continue.
I can understand wanting to be respectful of the loved ones of the rider, and also that sometimes riders might just not want to ride after something like this going on, yet might feel pressured to do so because if they don’t, others who go on will benefit. I would never judge an individual rider one way or the other. I don’t know how I feel re: decisions of horse show management, in all honesty.
Just for perspective, during major running events like marathons, fatalities sometimes occur. Although occasionally there is pushback that an event shouldn’t have been held for extreme weather, races aren’t stopped.
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Sorry, that was not my intention. I was confused by the phrasing of your previous comment, which made it sound like you had no choice.
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It happens. We were coming across the ring and peanut tripped in his hind end doing a flying change. Carhartt Arctic parka and vest with a trauma void helmet, and me rolling between the rails of the arena fence for the win.
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The family requesting something certainly sheds it in a different light entirely. None of the posts I saw (and there were many) suggested this was a request of the public writ large by the family. If it was, that’s different.
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The rest of your description sounds like they did just that.
Lots of people left and scratched. So if you did not want to participate further you left. People who process things best by keeping themselves busy doing something probably liked having the distraction of continuing to show.
Really, this just proves further that there was not a good answer. Period. Cancelling would have made some people upset. Not cancelling made others upset. This is a losing situation on all fronts.
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Exactly. As it was, everyone had the option to do what was best for them.
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My horse tripped (but thankfully only went to get knees) while trotting when she clipped heels. I heard the distinctive “click” and the next second I was on the ground. She was paying attention and engaged with the exercise.
Unless there was a large rock or tree branch lying in the track, any review by the USEF won’t explain a trip and I would be surprised if one actually happened.
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Any time a horse falls in a USEF competition, the judge has to fill out a form with details of the incident and the conditions of the ring. That form is turned over to the show steward. That has been the case for several years.
So the USEF does take an interest.
I should say this applies to hunter/jumper/equitation classes. I don’t know the USEF rules for all the other divisions.
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It is in the general rules, so it applies to all disciplines.
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Thanks.
Wow that’s so interesting and great you have the video or pics to see what happened! Glad you didn’t get hurt!
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Rotational falls happen. Many years ago I was cantering away from a grid, and after a few strides my horses canter step didn’t rise again, it just kept going down. I bailed over his shoulder and landed and rolled away. I don’t know exactly how he went over, but he was a filthy mess when he got up. We were just cantering away from a jump. Horses. Close calls are dismissed when they end positively. I so feel for the loss of this young life, and her family and friends.
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