‘This year has been a challenge!’ Update from rider injured in Blenheim fall

Eventer Louise Harwood broke her femur and damaged her arm, shoulder and pelvis in her fall at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials last weekend.

The five-star rider and Blues Cloud fell on the cross-country course of the CCI4*-S eight- and nine-year-old class and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in a stable condition. Blues Cloud was uninjured in the fall.

Louise said yesterday (25 September) that she had undergone one surgery and was due to have another operation.

“Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials didn’t quite finish as desired!” she said. “A little trip down the road to John Radcliffe Hospital following [the] fall with Cloudy.”

Louise, adding that she had “perplexed” the doctors as to which of her injuries were new and which old. On 15 June, she sustained fractures to her skull, vertebrae, ribs and shoulder blade in a fall from a muck trailer. She had returned to competition a month before Blenheim, and had since finished in the top 10 at Wellington and Cornbury.

“So far it has been determined that I have bust my left femur, which was operated on Monday with a nail insertion,” she said yesterday. “I have definitely acquired a nasty new smash-up to my humerus and shoulder joint, which is going to be mended by op in the next few days.

“The pelvis is a bit damaged too and it has yet to be decided the best course of action. There are quite a few ribs broken, but just have to avoid coughing and laughing (which is fairly easy) at this stage.”

Louise thanked all those who had visited her: Lucy Jackson, Claire Rumney, her husband Greg Harwood and mother Jackie.

“Thanks for all of your get well messages, they are much appreciated,” she said. “Thanks to all my owners, supporters and sponsors. This year has been a challenge!”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in: