International event rider suffers pelvis injury
Former UK-based Kiwi eventer Joe Meyer is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after “an involuntary dismount while mounting a young horse” last Tuesday (15 April).
He has been diagnosed with a separated pelvis, with some cartilage and ligament damage.
“Could have been worse, but feeling like I’ve been hit by a train this am!” the 2008 Olympic rider tweeted the day of the accident.
Joe, who is now based in Florida, has been campaigning the exciting stallion, South Paw, and his veteran partner Sanskrit (pictured above), this spring.
He is still “too sore” to travel to this week’s Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, even as a spectator — an event at which he often competes.
He is covered by PRO Event Riders insurance plan.
Separated pelvis is often known as “saddle horn” injury in the US — where it is most commonly seen in rodeo riders landing badly on the saddle after being thrown out of it.
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In a study in the US, 90% of riders with the injury were back riding within a year, although there are many associated complications. Extensive physiotherapy is required, and sometimes surgery.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.