Injured eventer Polly Williamson returns to teaching after fall

Eventer Polly Williamson — who suffered a severe head injury in a fall last December — has written to H&H to thank the equestrian community for supporting her during the past year.

The former young rider European champion also cracked three vertebrae in the fall from a horse at her yard in Malmesbury, Wilts.

She spent a month in hospital — part of it in an induced coma — and four months in a rehabilitation unit.

In a letter published in this week’s H&H, Polly said the “incredible support” she had received, led by her “extraordinary family”, had meant a great deal.

Polly is now teaching pupils at clinics organised by a friend.

“I do about four or five lessons in a day,” she told H&H. “It doesn’t sound that much for a professional trainer but, bearing in mind where I was six months ago, it is progress and something I will build up.”

Polly cannot remember the accident and her first memories are of being moved to the rehab unit in January.

“I remember realising I was in a wheelchair and thinking, ‘I’ve got to get out of this thing!’

“I believe my natural determination, which I think every rider has, helped hugely,” she added.

Polly’s horses were sold earlier this year.

She is not riding and it is not, she says, one of her priorities. She plans to complete a driver awareness course next month to enable her to drive again and to build up her physical strength by increasing the amount of running she does.

“I seem to have complete concentration levels, but physically, it is like bringing a horse back from injury — little by little,” she said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (25 October 2012)

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