Rider and show judge cuts knee to the bone on lorry ‘pop-out’
Rider Michaela Bowling is on the sidelines after damaging her knee at the North of England Show at Osbaldeston, Lancs, last week (Thursday 16 April).
“I had finished my classes and was riding back to the lorry on Hoghton Huntsman after finishing second in the ridden sport horse class. As I went between two horseboxes someone came out of the lorry door of one of them,” the 26-year-old told H&H.
The movement surprised the horse.
“My horse sidestepped away and I caught my knee on the side of the ‘pop-out’ section of the lorry next door,” she added. “I tried to swing my leg away but I wasn’t quick enough, and I rolled off.”
Paramedics attended to her, and she was then taken by ambulance to Blackburn hospital. Michaela had surgery on the open wound on her knee, which was exposed to the bone, and has also torn her patella tendon.
She was in hospital for two days, and was released on Saturday (18 April). She is now recovering at home in Accrington, Lancashire.
The injury means Michaela will miss ride-judging at the Northern Ireland Festival this weekend (24-26 April) at Cavan.
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“The stitches come out in another 10 days, and I hope to be back on a horse in four to six weeks’ time,” said Michaela, whose brother Jack, 17, will take over her rides in her absence.
“It’s been very painful, but I am lucky that it was not a lot worse.”
Michaela, who also showjumps and has ridden in point-to-points, holds the British side saddle high-jump record — she jumped 1m90 in July 2013 at Aintree riding Laughing Larry. She had only been riding side-saddle a few months before setting the record with the horse, who is blind in one eye.
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A St Andrews’ graduate, Catherine joined Horse & Hound in 2002 and stayed for 11 years in a variety of roles until she went freelance in June 2013. She rejoined the team part-time in November 2016 as hunting editor. She pretty much lives on the hunting field or at the racecourse, but also loves eventing, as a journalist, press officer and competitor. She was H&H’s sole accredited journalist at the London Olympic Games and has reported from major race meetings and eventing, showjumping and dressage championships and shows round the world, and has hunted all over Britain and Ireland.