Gloucestershire eventer Abi Dean is recovering at home after a stumble across country at Nunney International Horse Trials resulted in a fractured skull.  The horse was uninjured.

Abi produced 10year old Nemo up to Novice level and was preparing for her first Intermediate run.   “I was actually planning to run Nemo at his first Intermediate at Nunney, but we had a change of plan”

 

“I paid £1 for him when I rescued him, he was pretty thin and malnourished”   After landing on his feet with Abi, an accident during his rescue resulted in a serious injury to his foot.   “He’s actually the only horse to have survived this severity of injury and return to work”.   Nemo’s accident led him to fame and he was featured in the equestrian press.   “We didn’t expect him to recover” but Nemo went from strength to strength and the pair progressed through the levels at British Eventing.

Abi recalls the fall, “the ground was great, he was running well, we felt really confident”   A seemingly small stumble in front of a fence resulted in catastrophe.   “I felt him lose balance in front of the fence, but he jumped and I thought we would recover, he managed to get one front leg out to land but he must have caught his other leg”   Abi was thrown off after Nemo staggered to his knees.   “As he tried to regain his balance he caught me in the face and knocked me out”

“I can’t fault the response of the Event officials and fence judges, Paramedics, Ambulance, Air Ambulance and the absolute unrivalled response from the Eventing community in the lorry park.”  Abi had her mum travelling with her that day, and had three horses competing, “my mum is 70yrs old and everyone in the lorry park helped her to untack, wash off and load the horses while I was airlifted to hospital.”

Abi sustained a fracture to her skull that runs from ear to ear.   “If I hadn’t of had my Kep Italia helmet on I don’t think I would here today”   The fracture actually allowed Abi’s brain to swell and negate the need for any surgery at this point.   “The hospital is monitoring me as an outpatient and once the swelling reduces will decide if I need any further intervention”   Abi has a 3yr old boy at home and was needed to help look after him, “My partner actually has a broken arm at the moment, so we needed both of us to take care of him.”

Nemo was not injured and all the other horses have all been turned out so that Abi can concentrate on her recovery.