Louise spent 10 days in hospital, and then had to wear a body brace at home while she recovered. On 8 August she returned to hospital for follow-up X-rays and was given the all-clear to return to the saddle.
“I couldn’t ride that day because we didn’t get back from the hospital until quite late, but the next day I rode our little old pony Rolo, who we have on loan for my niece. We had a walk and trot round the school,” Louise told H&H.
“Next I rode my friend Georgie Morgan’s dressage pony, Barlcay, and had my first canter. The joy of being quite small is that I can ride ponies.”
Louise, who has been undergoing rehab at Oaksey House, then started riding her 15-year-old gelding and top ride Native Spirit.
“I know him so well, and he looks after me. I had a jump on him at home, and then we went to Rectory Farm for some British Showjumping. I was bit slow in the first class and came sixth, then I put my foot down and came second in the 1.20m,” said Louise.
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“I thought, ‘I’ve survived that, so now I’m ready to do an event’ and I went to Wellington.”
Louise and Native Spirit were 10th in the CCI3*-S, finishing on their 32.5 dressage.
“He was a bit excited in the dressage and we had a couple of mistakes, but he was amazing in the cross-country and we were inside the time,” said Louise.
“It’s good to be back. People said when I went back to the hospital they might tell me that I couldn’t ride, so the worst-case scenarios were bad but I tried to stay positive and get as fit as I could, and it was fine.”
Louise and Native Spirit will next be going to Cornbury (11-15 September), then aiming for Blenheim (19-22 September).
“I’ve got a serious amount of fitness and suppleness still to get back, so that’s what I’ll be working on now,” she said.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
