‘My dad was my guardian angel’: rider’s lucky escape after bridle breaks and horse ‘takes off like Seabiscuit’

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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.

‘My dad was my guardian angel’: rider’s lucky escape after bridle breaks and horse ‘takes off like Seabiscuit’

The Olympic showjumper explained to H&H what happened to cause this terrifying incident, and it all stemmed from the stallion having a playful kick as Lauren put her leg on when she got in the ring.

“So I gave him a little tweak on my inside rein and as I did so, the front of the hackamore broke – the leather snapped clean off the metal,” she explained. “So I was left holding the reins, but then he panicked and took off like Seabiscuit!

“Obviously people didn’t want to alarm the horse, so they kept quiet, but more and more people got in the arena to try to help – probably about 15-20 people – but the horse kept going and kept jumping the wing of the fence.

“Some people actually told me to jump off the horse, but I’d have been in the hospital if I’d tried that.”

It took until “the 11th or 12th lap”, but fortunately for Lauren, a pair of quick-thinking Olympic champions came to her rescue.

“Throughout it all, I stayed really calm, I don’t know why. I was never scared at all. But I lost my dad [Olympic showjumper Champ Hough] last Monday and I’m pretty sure he was my guardian angel that day, because it could have gone so much worse.”

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