Top eventer biffs: "just a flesh wound!"

[halla]

I learned to ride at a couple of backyard type barns in the 1990s as helmets were starting to become an “always” thing but sometimes hard hats still counted as a helmet, but I got some surprisingly good instructions. One of the first things I learned was an emergency dismount and to tuck and roll when you fall, and I think it saved me from plenty of injuries over the years since.

I still managed to get a concussion there and and after 3 hours of vomiting in the ER bathroom was cleared as fine by the ER doctor. I do wonder if that had anything to do with some vision problems I’ve had since I was a kid.

Not getting hurt and mostly riding ponies did make me more likely to just come off when things went wrong. Polo cured that since a group behind you is really motivating to not find yourself on the ground.

I almost hesitate to write this comment for fear off jinxing myself, I don’t think I would bounce as well as I used to.

[Xctrygirl]

Worth adding this that just came out.

Groundbreaking concussion and return to riding guidelines released

You can see the protocol itself here:

BEF_concussion_guidance.pdf

Em

[Spudsmyguy]

Not eventing but I knew this one woman who had a habit of buying totally unsuitable horses related to her ability. A huge group was on a horse camping trip and as we were all waiting for the group to come together to leave, her horse rears up and falls over. She’s laying on the ground and the horse stepped on her getting up. She’s unconscious at this point and someone in the group rode to the top of the hill for cell service. Called the EMTs and she was carted off to the hospital. Spent a week there and still suffers side effects like her mind goes blank when she’s talking and this was about 20 years ago.

[CharlotteGirl]

I agree. A few years ago, I thought the bruised and battered selfies from the hospital beds were really over the top. Glad we don’t see that anymore.

[CharlotteGirl]

Having fallen from a pony 50 years ago and lost consciousness for 5 minutes, her description of her fall says to me, she lost consciousness. It is classic. I’ve seen it for myself in others. Even if she didn’t bang her head on the ground, her brain very likely banged against her skull with the force of her fall which resulted in broken bones.

Having said that, I hope you are right and that she did not suffer a head injury.