Injured horse rider airlifted to hospital

A RIDER was airlifted to hospital after being thrown from her horse during a private ride on Sunday. The party of four who had been riding horses from Greenacres Equestrian Centre in Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, were just returning to the yard at about l

A RIDER was airlifted to hospital after being thrown from her horse during a private ride on Sunday.

The party of four who had been riding horses from Greenacres Equestrian Centre in Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, were just returning to the yard at about lunchtime when the accident happened in a field opposite.

They were walking down by the side of a hedge when a motorbike came along the road and the driver, unaware there were horse riders nearby, revved his engine noisily.

The horses were frightened and started rushing towards the stables and one of the riders was thrown off. She is now recovering in Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

The accident happened close to the entrance to Greenacres and by the time the horse had come back and been caught, the emergency services had been alerted.

A fast-response paramedic vehicle was sent to the scene from Harpenden and was joined by an emergency ambulance from Luton.

Paramedic Bob Borthwick who was first on the scene said: "Due to the possible injuries the woman had sustained and the location of the incident, the best way of transporting her to hospital was by air."

She was stabilised at the scene and then taken to Addenbrookes by helicopter.

Mr Borthwick praised the staff at Greenacres for their help and assistance at the scene.

Diana Cornish, a partner at Greenacres, said the victim had ridden there many times previously and was a competent rider who was in a party being led by an experienced rider.

She said the motorcyclist was not to blame because he could not have known there were horses in the vicinity. "It was one of those things, a combination of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and a motorbike which was noisy going along the road.

She also praised her staff for putting their procedures into action so quickly and getting the ambulance out straightaway, adding: "Everything sprang into place properly. I am sorry it happened but I am very proud of that."

Diana said on Monday that the rider was fully conscious and sitting up although she understood she had suffered a broken collarbone.

She added: "We have been here a long time and never had an accident.