# Brian Lear accident at Hickstead



## Seahorse (2 August 2011)

His lorry ramp fell on him as he was bringing it down and he has broken his back.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/308951.html

Really hope he makes a full recovery, he is such a nice man and used to be my trainer years ago when I show jumped.


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## cavalo branco (2 August 2011)

Oh, I'm so sorry to read this - my thoughts and best wishes go to him for a full recovery. I've done many showjumping clinics with him in the past, a really lovely trainer who was my favourite with Ardingly riding club.


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## GREYSMEADOW (2 August 2011)

This is a terrible accident and do hope Brian makes a full recovery.  Lets hope the op went well - everything is crossed.


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## onceuponatime (2 August 2011)

We wish Brian a full and speedy recovery.  He is such a lovely quiet man and this is such a terrible thing to have happended.  If anyone knows of his progress please keep us all informed.


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## henpecked (2 August 2011)

Very sad news, hope he is going to be ok in time, thoughts are with his family


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## quirky (2 August 2011)

Sounds pretty nasty.
Hope he makes a good recovery.


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## scally (2 August 2011)

Totally agree, fantastic instructor, lovely person and a great producer of horses, hope he makes a speedy recover.


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## millhouse (2 August 2011)

Hope he makes a quick and full recovery.  Fingers crossed!


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## GREYSMEADOW (2 August 2011)

There was a report on todays Evening Argus website about the accident too.


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## kirstyl (2 August 2011)

Goodness, how awful. Hoping he makes a full recovery


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## onceuponatime (3 August 2011)

I was looking online to see if there was an update on Brian when I came across this on another forum:

"Brian has a big(HGV) lorry with a hydraulic ramp, he had one horse jumping in the Queens cup and the other was on the lorry, when he came back to the lorry his ramp had been put up,now, this would have taken a couple of men as it had been put up manually.We can only assume that this was done to allow access for another lorry. Brian was obviously concerned as it was a hot day and he had a mare shut in on the lorry.
As the ramp had been put up manually rather using the hydraulic , pressure had built up and caused a sort of vacuum so when Brian released the ramp in the pressure caused the ramp to drop straight down on top of him.
I hope that the people who tampered with his ramp realise what there actions have done, why oh why would you not put a ramp back down, especially as there was a horse on board."


I too hope the people who caused this tragic accident are now aware of the dreadful damage and misery they have caused not only to Brian but his family also!  

I cannot believe (as the person above has said) that they could shut a lorry up in the heat that we had on Saturday  knowing there was a horse onboard and just drive off  - unless of course they realised how the ramp would fall  and did not want to risk injury to themselves (sorry if this offends) - if this is the case - what shame on them - a note would have sufficed or why not put out a call for the owner of the lorry to return to it and PUT THE RAMP UP to allow access.  They must have realised they were not dealing with the normal sprung ramp!  Bloody idiots does not even give voice to what I would like to call them!  Such a dreadful and such an unecessary accident that could have been avoided had someone used a little bit of thought and had a little patience!  Also as his horse was in an international class I assume he was parked in the international lorry park - not a stones throw away from the arena and a two minute walk!  I was also under the impression that anyone in this lorry park had to leave their number with security.  If this was the case there are security men on the bridge one minutes walk away!  I am absolutely disgusted by the actions of these thoughtless individuals as I am sure many of you are.

I cannot re-iterate enough how I, along with so many wish Brian a full recovery!

If anyone has any news please post ...


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## gingerninja11 (3 August 2011)

What an awful accident to be caused by simple impatience. 
Everything crossed for him, and thoughts with his family.


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## Rambo (3 August 2011)

I doubt his lorry was parked in the international lorry parking. The Queens Cup is a national class and Brians horse wasn't competing in the CSIO5* show.

I do share your frustration and on one level feel furious that one persons ill considered actions can cause so much heartache to so many others...but another part of me suspects that they had no idea what the consequences of their actions might be...they may not even have been aware that there was another horse on board. Brians lorry is large, and also tall....not easy to see into especially if the gates were up.

A tragic accident and i'm sure everyone is wishing Brian, Jan and Peter all the best.


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## onceuponatime (3 August 2011)

Rambo  - I stand corrected!!!!  National class!


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## Rum Tum (3 August 2011)

I don't see its any excuse that they couldn't see into the lorry to check if another horse was there.  It was a hot day and if a lorry ramp is down, you leave it down.  In fact, its not up to anyone to close anyone else's ramp, but if it is absolutely necessary, then leave it as you found it.  This is the not the first time I have heard of this happening with a hydraulic ramp.  Someone I know had it happen to her at a sponsored ride.  Again an electric ramp was forcibly closed in her absence and when she returned and released it, it fell on her. Fortunately for her, she and her horse managed to jump out of the way, though she suffered concussion and her horse had cuts and bruises.  This was a few years ago and she realised at the time how lucky she was.  This has just confirmed that.

As has been said on here previously, Brian is the most lovely, kind man and so enthusiastic about his horses and show jumping.  All best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.


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## mon (3 August 2011)

Don't understand lorry ramps but seem badly designed if this can happen, but if someone interfered bet it was done naively,  hope he recovers well,get well soon


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## Merlotmonster (5 August 2011)

I know Brian well as I occasionally judge at Felbridge. He is the loveliest person and I hope he makes a full recovery. I was gutted to hear of his injuries. Best wishes to all his family.x


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## Seahorse (5 August 2011)

bloody hell, I didn't know hydraulic ramps do that if they are put up manually  it must have been ever so difficult to lift up.
that must have come down at a hell of a force then


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## redheadkelj (6 August 2011)

onceuponatime said:



			I was looking online to see if there was an update on Brian when I came across this on another forum:

"Brian has a big(HGV) lorry with a hydraulic ramp, he had one horse jumping in the Queens cup and the other was on the lorry, when he came back to the lorry his ramp had been put up,now, this would have taken a couple of men as it had been put up manually.We can only assume that this was done to allow access for another lorry. Brian was obviously concerned as it was a hot day and he had a mare shut in on the lorry.
As the ramp had been put up manually rather using the hydraulic , pressure had built up and caused a sort of vacuum so when Brian released the ramp in the pressure caused the ramp to drop straight down on top of him.
I hope that the people who tampered with his ramp realise what there actions have done, why oh why would you not put a ramp back down, especially as there was a horse on board."


I too hope the people who caused this tragic accident are now aware of the dreadful damage and misery they have caused not only to Brian but his family also!  

I cannot believe (as the person above has said) that they could shut a lorry up in the heat that we had on Saturday  knowing there was a horse onboard and just drive off  - unless of course they realised how the ramp would fall  and did not want to risk injury to themselves (sorry if this offends) - if this is the case - what shame on them - a note would have sufficed or why not put out a call for the owner of the lorry to return to it and PUT THE RAMP UP to allow access.  They must have realised they were not dealing with the normal sprung ramp!  Bloody idiots does not even give voice to what I would like to call them!  Such a dreadful and such an unecessary accident that could have been avoided had someone used a little bit of thought and had a little patience!  Also as his horse was in an international class I assume he was parked in the international lorry park - not a stones throw away from the arena and a two minute walk!  I was also under the impression that anyone in this lorry park had to leave their number with security.  If this was the case there are security men on the bridge one minutes walk away!  I am absolutely disgusted by the actions of these thoughtless individuals as I am sure many of you are.

I cannot re-iterate enough how I, along with so many wish Brian a full recovery!

If anyone has any news please post ...
		
Click to expand...


They were near the entrance of the lorry park for the National classes parking - luckly near the road so as the ambulance had easy access. But it still doesn't make sense why you wouldn't call the number on the lorry pass to ask someone to put the ramp up. Even if it wasn't him, it would have been someone with him (a groom perhaps) so they would know how to put the ramp up properly! Very sad state of affairs!


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## Merlotmonster (7 August 2011)

Cards for Brian can be sent to Spinal Injuries Ward, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP


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## GREYSMEADOW (7 August 2011)

I really cannot comprehend the mentality of the people who tampered with Brians ramp.  Perhaps it was someone (well more than 2) who didnt have any knowledge of how a horse-box ramp works, and they simply ignored the button(s) on the control box to raise the ramp up/down, but did it manually instead and left it in such a dangerous position.

Someone out in that lorry park must have seen who moved the ramp (and forced it shut); and to not have the brains to look into the lorry to see if there were any horses inside is lacking in brain cells  luckily there was not a welfare case etc.

I have only been to the lorry park once (some years ago) so I do not know what the set up is now, but if the Lears horsebox was near to the entrance (as someone has said) was there any CCTV in operation there? Where was the security company?  This year the security company on the other entrances (southern end) appeared to be a different organisation from last year, but I could be wrong.  Do the horse boxes/trailers get told where to park exactly in the stable field  if they are, then is there sufficient room, and why was there insufficient access for any horseboxes to exit in/out of the stable field?  Are all vehicle reg. no.s recorded when they enter and exit the site?

I hope Brian makes a full recovery and my thoughts to Brians family too.

I actually think that a fund should be set up to help Brian, but I do not have a clue how to start one - any suggestions?  Perhaps Hickstead could take this forward as they could spread the word much quicker.

The culprits of this thoughtless act should be banned from Hickstead permanently. 

Get Well Soon Brian.


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## Rambo (8 August 2011)

An unnofficial fund has already been started. Cheques payable to B.Lear and sent to Ian Bareham at Golden Cross EC. Initially to help with cost of fuel for Jan to get to Stanmore, Middlesex everyday.


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## lillie07 (8 August 2011)

There was also a collection going at Pyecombe yesterday. My thoughts are with Brian and his family, an awful accident which from the sounds of it could have been so easily avoided. Hope he makes a full recovery.


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## Dizzydusty (9 August 2011)

I didn't witness the actual accident but was there when the ambulance service were tending to him.  He was parked directly across the road from me and I only found out later what had happened.

Where he had been told to park would have been blocking someone in, but during the day at the lorry park space was very short for parking so I saw this happen several times (was there Thursday to Sunday).  I had been told by an official later on, that someone had manually put up his ramp, causing the hydraulic chambers to empty, which is why the ramp came down the way it did as there was no air in the chambers.  I too am of the opinion that it must have taken a bit of effort on someones part to manually put this ramp up, I know how heavy my ramp is with springs, so can only imagine that this would have been a dead weight (but never having a hydraulic ramp I can only assume).  I will also admit though, that I didn't realise that manually pushing up a ramp like this would affect the hydraulic chambers and leave the ramp at risk of falling like it did.

I really do hope that he makes a full and speedy recovery.


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## JessPickle (15 August 2011)

It is an awful accident, I can't believe it has been caused by someone pushing up the ramp manually, I have to say I was never aware of this, however I don't have a box and never have done so haven't risked anyone by not having this knowledge.

Greysmeadow and anyone else interested there is a fundraiser at a local pub soon pm me for details.


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## Pebble101 (17 August 2011)

JessPickle said:



			It is an awful accident, I can't believe it has been caused by someone pushing up the ramp manually, I have to say I was never aware of this, however I don't have a box and never have done so haven't risked anyone by not having this knowledge.


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What a dreadful dreadful accident - thoughts are with him and his family.

I'm another who didn't realise that pushing a hydraulic ramp up manually would do this so why are some posts condemning the people who did it, maybe they weren't to know what could have happened.  I have had people put my trailer ramp up before when parking was tight so they could get out without damaging it.

What a poor design for that to happen - should people with hydraulic ramps post warnings on them?  And if they come back to find their ramp has been put back up maybe they should assume it has been done manually and take relevant precautions.


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## GREYSMEADOW (25 August 2011)

For those of you who don't know - there is a facebook page titled: Brian Lear Fundraiser


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