‘I thought she was dead’: a year on, the survivor mare who nearly died leaving the National Championships returns to win an emotional title
A year after a horsebox accident on the M6 left her fighting for her life, River Rise Onassis was back at the National Championships – and on top of the leaderboard with Sadie Smith
Sadie Smith and River Rise Onassis (Glamourdale x Amsterdam) have completed a remarkable comeback, winning the KBIS young horse test for seven-year-olds on 81.17% at the 2026 National Dressage Championships – almost exactly a year on from a horsebox accident that very nearly claimed the mare’s life, on the journey home from these very championships.
Sue Garrard, “Sassy’s” owner, was driving her home from these championships last September when her horsebox was hit from behind on the M6 in atrocious weather – driving rain, squally gusts, standing water.
The impact sent the lorry fishtailing before it toppled over, skidding across all three lanes of the motorway. Sue escaped through the passenger window largely unhurt, but Sassy was left trapped inside, surrounded by sharp metal and broken fibreglass, panicking each time a passing car went past. “I thought she was dead,” Sue said at the time.
As no vet reached the scene for three hours, Sue spent that time dangling into the horse area, held by a firefighter, trying to keep the mare calm until she could finally be sedated and cut free.
Sadie remembers the agonising wait for news that night: “I got a call saying there’d been an accident, but nobody knew what had happened. I didn't find out until about 10 o'clock that night that they were okay – I didn’t really know the full extent until the next day. It was really awful, it took a long time for the vets to get there.”
A year on, River Rise Onassis was back at Somerford Park – and on top of the leaderboard.
Sadie added the mare’s remarkable temperament played no small part in the outcome that night: “I think the horse’s temperament saved her – she just stood there and didn’t rush around while Sue was with her.
“If she’d been throwing herself around with no vet there for that long, she’d have really damaged herself. She did herself good just by standing still.”
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The road back to competition was a cautious one. “It was amazing that she survived,” Sadie said, “but she came away with quite deep cuts around her fetlock joints, and it took a long time to heal because it kept opening up every time she walked – it was proud flesh, it was horrible. It was quite emotional, to be honest, because it was so traumatising.”
River Rise Onassis had only been back in full work since around January or February this year, and today’s win was just her third competitive outing since the accident. “She’s hardly done any shows – I did one to qualify, at Hartpury, and this is only our third outing since. But she’s been great – he just gets on with it.
“She’s been fine with travelling again too – it’s like nothing had happened to her. She's so good, and she trusts us, and it just means the world to us.”
Now that River Rise Onassis is back in full swing, Sadie is optimistic about her future – and already rates her potential alongside her grand prix mare, Swanmore Dantina (Dia).
“Technically, she moves better than Dia – her natural ability is better, her canter and her hind leg are so strong, she’s just amazing to sit on,” Sadie said.
“But she’s a different type of horse – taller, longer, more angular, whereas Dia’s a lot shorter. She’s taking longer to strengthen, so I’m taking my time with her – I’ll train her over the winter and hopefully bring her out internationally at small tour level next year.”
Sue watched the test from the side, visibly moved. “She had tears in her eyes when I came out,” Sadie said. “I can’t imagine what it's been like for her.”
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).