Young event rider battling for life after breaking neck in fall
TEENAGE eventer Rosie Chinery is in a coma after being thrown from the horse she was riding and breaking her neck.
The 18-year-old from Great Yeldham, Essex, is being treated at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge after being injured while training in Newmarket on Wednesday (11 March).
The England under-21s squad member was riding work before a point-to-point on Sunday when she was thrown from the saddle.
Her grandmother — who posts on the H&H forum using the name Rosiefan – said that her horse had “literally died underneath her” and confirmed that she had broken her neck.
Her grandfather Aubrey Chinery, 73, said she had “hit the ground at 50 or 60mph”.
He told the Evening Standard on Friday: “The doctors said it is not a serious break in her neck but they will not know how badly affected she is until she comes round. She has not gained consciousness yet.”
On Friday the hospital confirmed that her condition remained “critical”. Her parents, Karen and Paul, remain at her bedside. Her 15-year-old brother, William, was with her when the accident happened.
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Her grandmother wrote on our forum on Friday: “The fracture is stable and she is wearing a soft collar. She’s propped up because of the muck in her lungs and danger of pneumonia but she is having antibiotics.
“The best news is that the spinal cord is undamaged so she will walk again and that they can see a reaction on the monitor when they speak to her. We won’t know how extensive or lasting any brain damage is until she comes round properly.”
Liza Randall, a spokeswoman for British Eventing, said: “Rosie is a very talented rider. We are very shocked to hear what has happened, it’s absolutely terrible, we wish her a very speedy recovery.”
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