# Melanie Reid Article



## _April_ (24 April 2010)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/melanie_reid/article7106702.ece

Apologies if this is a duplicate, I searched HHO but it doesn't seem to have been picked up anywhere else and I thought it should be.   
Also CR is less scary than the news section sorry!

A friend sent this to me today and I just wanted to share it on here.  
Melanie was in a bad XC accident at Strathearn on the same day we were schooling there and we've since found out she's in the local RC.

It's a very emotional article and what I find most upsetting is that she seems to suggest it's her own fault.

It's definitely not and I'm positive age has nothing to do with it, it's just a terrible accident that could happen to anyone


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## Fiona (24 April 2010)

OH pointed it out in today's paper, but I haven't read it yet (its a full page).

Will come back tomorrow when I've read it.

Fiona


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## zefragile (24 April 2010)

There's some awful comments on that article


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## deeky24 (24 April 2010)

Took the words right out of my mouth, some of those comments are dreadful.


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## punk (24 April 2010)

I was with friends at the Fife Point-to point today, and someone showed the article to me.  It made me so sad for Melanie, and her family and friends - and really brought home the dangers to me.

I have three daughters who have all been brought up with ponies and have gone on to  event up to 3-day.   We have been so lucky!  We have had the odd broken bone (ie off the 12.2 fresh pony) and one hospitalisation (falling in the collecting ring at Scone) but no real disasters. I am sure there have been many 'near misses' that could have been catastophic - but weren't. 

I think we all know that we are participating in a dangerous sport, but it really hits home when you hear about someone who is injured in this way, in training rather than in  competition.

My heartfelt sympathies go out to Melanie and her family - and I wish her a speedy and full recovery.  If character and determination have anything to do with it, I am sure she will be back in the saddle very soon.


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## FigJam (25 April 2010)

Gosh, that is indeed a heartbreaking article to read.  I don't think I could be as strong as her.   Makes me feel quite big-headed for thinking I can go out and do it, really brings home the risk side of our sport.   Best hope my Mum doesn't read it, she prefers being blissfully ignorant of the risks or I don't think could cope with my doing it or watch it.


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## kerilli (25 April 2010)

very moving article. thanks for the heads-up, I hadn't heard about this until yesterday. Very very unlucky. 
Tuck 'n' roll peeps, please. Practise it, seriously. Go out in an empty stable and practise it. Give it 10 mins fairly frequently. Don't concentrate all your training on your horse. Descriptions and vids of how/what to do are in an article in my EWW/XC Corner area, written by NeilM from on here (martial arts guru, and rider) and by me. Also, lots of vids on youtube to copy, about simple breakfalls to practise. Practise practise practise and then IF you ever need it it WILL happen, your brain/body will do it right, without conscious thought.
I'm going to do a big card and send it Melanie, any HHOers who want their names on it  (board or real names, I don't mind) please let me know (on here, by pm, or on another thread i'll start).
there but for luck, our good horses, and whatever else you believe in, lie any of us...


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## alwaysbroke (25 April 2010)

This has reduced me to tears, as an ex ITU nurse who used to look after people like Melanie, as a Mum who stabilized her oldest daughters head and neck for half an hour after she landed on her head full force while sj, waiting for an ambulance, then was the 'lead' to get her onto a spinal board (daughter had pins and needles in all limbs, but was actually fine thank god), after watching Olis fall yesterday (how lucky was he?) and a  rider. My thoughts are with Melanie, heart felt wishes for her future what ever it my hold.


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## Gamebird (25 April 2010)

Jeez. Just read this whilst listening to the Radio 4 programme interviewing the parents of the kids killed at Dunblane. A rather powerful combination 

As K said though, there but for the grace of God......


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## weevil (25 April 2010)

I read this yesterday, and was also saddened at some of the comments. I hope she makes a good recovery


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## kit279 (25 April 2010)

That is really sad and such bad luck, could happen to any of us.  Hope she recovers well, a wonderful brave article.


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## Django Pony (25 April 2010)

Wow, what a powerful article. Has really made me stop and think.
Best wishes to Melanie and her family. I wish her the speediest of recoveries. x


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## Sarah Sum1 (25 April 2010)

Oh the poor but brave lady


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## teapot (25 April 2010)

What a well written but heart breaking article  

Thoughts go out to her and her family


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## Rosiefan (25 April 2010)

Oh dear God - poor poor woman but how brave of her to record how she feels.  

I hope nobody lets her know about the cruel comments.  Rosie was quite upset when she eventually read a few of the comments about her accident (I think it was the Times on-line one).


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## measles (25 April 2010)

Melanie did not want anyone outside her close friends and associates to know about her accident initially and so it was kept quieter than it might otherwise have been.   She is an incredibly brave and strong woman and those of us who know her have her very much in our thoughts.


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## louisesb (25 April 2010)

Oh my goodness, I've practically been brought to tears. That is such a sad story and just brings it home how fortunate we all are when we fall and get up and walk away in one piece. 
She has written her story brilliantly and I am amazed at how brave she is being. I just hope and pray that she gets her feeling back in her legs, it will take time, but hopefully it will happen. I hope she gets to read this and realises that many people are out there wishing her the very best of luck for the coming days, weeks and months.


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## Quadro (25 April 2010)

What a brave woman, i really hope everything goes right for her in the end she deserves it !


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## WeeBrown (25 April 2010)

I hadn't seen that article - it completely moved me though.  First thought was "God how awful", then "She's so brave!" and finally "What an amazing writer!" Best wishes to her and I hope she makes a great recovery.


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## CastleMouse (25 April 2010)

She is so brave  I hope she makes a good recovery


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## AutumnRose (25 April 2010)

I hadn't seen this either and it brought me to tears. 

It takes so little to go so wrong.

It puts life into perspective really doesn't it? All those time we moan about run outs and poles off and eliminations mean nothing at all when you remember how fragile life is.


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## AnShanDan (27 April 2010)

Just seen this today. What an excellent piece of writing, but what a sad story.
It's terrible, but knowing the venue that the accident happened at, and having watched my kids jump every jump there, makes it so much more real.
One of the worst falls I've ever seen was of a mature adult; horse stopped at a small fence, she fell off head first in slow motion and broke her neck.
Let's hope Melanie can make much more progress, 3 weeks is very early days.


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## Darkly_Dreaming_Dex (27 April 2010)

_April_ said:



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/melanie_reid/article7106702.ece

Apologies if this is a duplicate, I searched HHO but it doesn't seem to have been picked up anywhere else and I thought it should be.   
Also CR is less scary than the news section sorry!

A friend sent this to me today and I just wanted to share it on here.  
Melanie was in a bad XC accident at Strathearn on the same day we were schooling there and we've since found out she's in the local RC.

It's a very emotional article and what I find most upsetting is that she seems to suggest it's her own fault.

It's definitely not and I'm positive age has nothing to do with it, it's just a terrible accident that could happen to anyone 

Click to expand...

I do hope Melanie continues her battle with her injury- when my OH broke his back last year- similar type of break to hers except his was L1&2. The surgeon said there are ultimately only 2 ways to deal with this kind of lifechanging event- you either give up and spend the rest of your life being an invalid or you fight it every inch of the way...well he had quite a few wobbly moments but he fought and fought. He set himself so many achievable goals- eg attending the Hho party last year, strapped into a body brace- completely exhausted him but he did it  the right leg is not right and probably will not ever be but he has just started riding my old showcob and this morning we went for a hoolie round the woods  He has even been turned down for a blue badge as he has regained so much mobilty  he plans to get himself a P2 at Badminton as he wants to going hunting (his passion) this autumn (old showcob seems happy to be out of semiretirement and is rock steady so why not..)

Kerrilli and NeilM have done so much to pioneer the "old school" of how to fall off properly  i do feel that all the paranoia of H&S have actually made us LESS safe as the risk with learning to get on - and off- a horse has been legislated into oblivion. Sadly i dont think "tuck & roll" would have helped my OH as he was on a big 17.1hh horse and came straight down out of the saddle, almost landed on his feet but actually landed squarely on his bottom  i dont think any body protector could have helped either


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