British five-star event rider Bubby Upton suffered serious spinal injuries in a fall in August 2023, an accident which could have left her unable to ride or even walk, and she had her third back surgery as a result last autumn.
Still only 27 years old, she has made an incredible comeback to the top-level of eventing – but few people see what goes into keeping her body functioning to allow her continued success.
During Defender Bramham Horse Trials last week, where Bubby Upton won the CCI4*-L for the second year in a row, she talked about having a third back surgery in November last year.
“The rod in my back had snapped in half in July,” she said, adding this didn’t make the second half of the season easy. “But it was almost a relief finding that out, because we couldn’t get on top of the pain and the symptoms that I was struggling with for a long time and that explained them.
“I’m so grateful to my incredible surgeon Dr Ivan Timofeev, who’s done all three surgeries. We didn’t actually want to do this surgery, but we weren’t left with a choice, because that was two consecutive years where the rod had snapped in half, despite having shortened it for the second year, because of just the sheer force that goes through it, I guess, with what we do as event riders.
“I basically don’t have the structures any more to hold up my spinal column – without the metal, I was never meant to be able to function. So we’re now relying on full muscle strength. So it’s pilates and the gym to focus in on those muscles that will hopefully allow me to do this for longer.”
Bubby’s surgery at the end of 2024 – her comeback season – set her well back and necessitated a long recovery period. This time, the surgery was quickly a positive for her.
“I have genuinely felt like a new person since my last surgery,” she said. “I feel nearly back to the Bubby that I was pre-accident. I’m now riding nine, 10, 11 horses a day, pain-free, and it’s the first time in two-and-a-half years that I’m on no painkillers, so it’s amazing.”
Bubby Upton on her recovery: the mental game
Unsurprisingly, talking about her accident and comeback is emotional for Bubby.
“It’s been a hell of a journey,” she said. “The horses are what got me through it. There was a long period where riding was out the picture, we were focusing on walking again and getting basic life back, but I guess probably subconsciously I never lost hope and faith in getting back on a horse again and that gave me more strength than I can ever do justice to in words.
“I never thought I’d be back competing at the top of the sport and I’d accepted that, but riding again was enough for me at that point. And then I guess when I got back on the goalposts just kept moving and before I knew it, I was starting the season at Poplar Park, and then I was back at Badminton eight months after the accident.
“It was just truly the most humbling experience of my life. It put everything into perspective, or a totally different perspective. How I see things now is totally different. I always thought I was pretty tough and strong, but you realise what you’re capable of in those moments when you’ve got to fight that extra bit.”
Bubby Upton at home with her double Bramham winner Its Cooley Time. Credit: Elli Birch/Boots and Hooves
The fact the injury happened in a freak accident away from a competition has helped Bubby mentally with getting back to eventing.
“If it had been competing, it probably would have been a totally different challenge to overcome, but I was able to separate it from the sport in terms of the competing,” she said.
“I’m nowhere near as brave on young ones as I used to be anymore. I used to get on any horse and think that I was pretty invincible, which I proved I am not, so I’m much more careful on quirky youngsters now, but apart from that, it hasn’t affected me at all.
“It’s just demonstrated to me that inner strength that I have and reaffirmed – not that I needed it reaffirmed – the love that I have for what I do.”
Bubby also talked about how her horses helped her when she was first home after her accident.
“When I came to see them in my electric scooter, they were just so gentle with me. They kind of balanced their heads on me and I just felt like they knew and they were just that crutch that I needed at that time,” she said.
“Just seeing them gave me that strength to fight and be back for them. Horses are just there for you whenever you need them and they’re not judgmental and are loyal as hell.”
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