‘I thought I’d broken my neck’: British showjumper hospitalised after heavy fall
By Penny Richardson
British international showjumper Louise Simpson (née Pavitt) will be out of the saddle for a while after a fall at the All England Jumping Championships at Hickstead on Friday, 2 September.
The newly-married showjumper was riding husband David’s mare Fiona Van Het Lemmenshof in the 1.40m speed class in the international arena. They were up on the clock until a misunderstanding at the final fence left Louise on the ground after a heavy fall.
The mare stayed on her feet and the doctor was quickly on the scene. Louise was sent immediately to the local hospital, where a fracture to her clavicle (collarbone) was discovered.
“It’s right at the end, where my collarbone attaches to my shoulder,” explained the mother of two young boys. “The doctors have said I can start to try using my arm again in a fortnight. When they were prodding the bone, it didn’t hurt at all, but they said the main damage is to ligaments.
“In a strange way, I’m quite relieved. When I went headfirst into the ground, I heard a noise and I thought to start with that I’d broken my neck.”
Louise’s next focus will be to regain full fitness in time to compete at the Horse of the Year Show at the start of next month.
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Continued below…
Louise Pavitt wins Royal Windsor Horse Show grand prix
Meet HOYS 2012 newcomers champion Nicole Pavitt
Lousie Pavitt wins H&H Foxhunter Masters at Scope Festival
Joss Williams (Culmore Prospect) took the £500 first prize in the 1.40m class, while Alex Gill (Billy Samaritan) and birthday boy Jake Saywell (Fantastico C) captured today’s young horse titles.
Read the full report on all the action from Hickstead in Horse & Hound next week. (8 September)
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