Harry Meade is planning to return to eventing this month, making a comeback from the head injury he sustained in a fall last autumn.
Harry broke his right arm and incurred a head injury when he fell at fence three on the cross-country at Thoresby in October 2020. He was dragged as his foot was caught in the stirrup.
An update on Harry’s website says: “It’s great to see Harry finally back on a horse and feeling good. He twice started riding and twice had to back off, but is now on a consistent path and coping well. It’s been a fairly grim and humbling few months for Harry – unfortunately with a head injury a simple determination to push through is futile – but he’s now the other side of the main difficulties he was faced with.
“Whilst he’s largely recovered and to the outside looks and sounds himself, he’s still limited by his mental stamina. The neural fatigue he has been experiencing is incomparable to any sort of normal tiredness – the brain starts to shut down with very little warning and the only remedy is to go straight to sleep. However, we are thankful that the thinking part of his brain has been unaffected.
“We’re aware that this is a still an ongoing process and improvements will continue over the course of the rest of the year. The great thing is that thanks to the hard work and patience of those involved in his rehab he is back doing what he does best.”
Harry will start his season at the first elite pathway training event at Aston-le-Walls (16-17 March), where he has Cavalier Crystal, Superstition, Red Kite and Tenareze entered in the open intermediate class with five-star dressage test.
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The statement says Harry’s horses are in “great shape” and adds: “We’re very grateful to our superb team here at Church Farm, our supportive owners and the brilliant professionals who’ve been working with Harry throughout his rehab, and it’s lovely to see all their support paying off.”
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