Event rider needs emergency facial surgery after horse bite

Italian event rider Susanna Bordone is to undergo emergency facial reconstructive surgery after a freak accident at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Germany last weekend (14-19 June).

Susanna was putting an extra rug on her CIC*** ride Amacuzzi during late-night stables on the Saturday evening when he snapped at her, badly biting her face. She was due to have her first operation at the end of this week.

Susanna, 29, is Italian national champion and was a team bronze medallist at the 2007 European Championships. She also rides at the top level in pure dressage, competing in both disciplines at last year’s World Equestrian Games.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (23 June, 2011)

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.