# Desert Island ridden by Louise Lockwood sadly been put down



## Gucci_b (2 May 2010)

Desert Island, ridden by Louisa Lockwood, was sadly put down after a fall at fence 9 (the corner at Huntmans Close). Louisa is with the Red Cross, but isn't believed to have sustained a serious injury.  So sad


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## doratheexplorer (2 May 2010)

What happened to DI, they did not show the fence on the tv coverage...
R.I.P xx


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## PeanutButterDragon (2 May 2010)

Poor Desert Island, a relief that Louise is okay but how very, very sad  Nothing was mentioned on the coverage but we were all worried by how long the hold on course was


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## SonnysHumanSlave (2 May 2010)

poor desert island.


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## DarkHorseB (2 May 2010)

How sad for all her connections 
Did wonder by what they weren't saying about the hold


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## Blaise (2 May 2010)

RIP Desert Island, so very sad  Glad to hear Louisa isn't badly injured though.


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## brighteyes (2 May 2010)

How utterly awful for Louisa.  How do you carry on after something like this?


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## aregona (2 May 2010)

this is heartbreaking fr all concerned. my thoughts are with them. so sad.

R.I.P Desert Island x


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## sea_view (2 May 2010)

RIP Desert Island, hope Louisa makes a full recovery, how terribly sad


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## teddyt (2 May 2010)

I thought it was serious as they held the course for ages. My sympathies to all connected, very sad.


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## FFF (2 May 2010)

Oh no  I sa wthis horse grazing in front of the house this morning and it trotted towards my mum because her bag was rustling

So sad  RIP


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## MegaBeast (2 May 2010)

Aw s**t, I wondered when the hold was for so long, thought it couldn't be good news but hoped it might just be that he was winded.  Real shame.  RIP Desert Island


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## cloudandmatrix (2 May 2010)

oh thats so sad  RIP desert island


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## vikkiandmonica (2 May 2010)

OMG! I did work experience with Louisa, and Desert Island (or Sonja as I knew her), was such a nice horse, and even a less experienced rider like me could ride her. Such a shame, she really was a great horse, and I feel very privaledged to have known and ridden her. RIP Sonja, you were amazing


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## mik (2 May 2010)

What happened?  My thoughts go to all. So sorry.


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## FestiveSpirit (2 May 2010)

Thought it couldnt be good news as the course was held for so long, they said something over the tannoy about the horse being taken away for further treatment.  Poor Louisa, many condolences to her and all DI's connections


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## Holidays_are_coming (2 May 2010)

just heard from a good source that he hasnt been put down yet, they think he has fractured his leg and is bandaged up for the moment so fingers crossed


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## MrsMozart (2 May 2010)

Oh sh!t. So sorry. RIP beautiful brave girl. Thoughts to all who knew her. I hope Louise is okay.


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## Kiribati_uk (2 May 2010)

lui23456 said:



			just heard from a good source that he hasnt been put down yet, they think he has fractured his leg and is bandaged up for the moment so fingers crossed
		
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i do hope your right but why do alll the websites say different?


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## aregona (2 May 2010)

lui23456 i so hope your source is right. im really praying they are. fingers crossed!!!


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## event (2 May 2010)

no unfortunately your source isn't right. I am a close friend of Louisa and the owners. Sonja (Desert Island) broke her neck and unfortunately had to be put to sleep. So sad.


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## Kiribati_uk (2 May 2010)

Sorry to here that, my thoughts are with louisa and DIs connections so very sad!


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## aregona (2 May 2010)

event - would you please pass our thoughts onto louisa, owners etc...., feel so deaply for them all


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## aregona (2 May 2010)

Sorry - spelling mistakes!!!


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## JenTaz (2 May 2010)

all thoughts go to louisa and the horses owners, was a lovely horse i got to ride at my interview for a job with her unfortunately i felt i couldnt work 400 miles from home. She was a lovely horse rest in piece sonja


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## RuthnMeg (2 May 2010)

Sorry to hear this news. Its never nice for all involved and that also includes the spectators. Louisa used to ride 'my' old horse Kiama, so do know her - hope she is ok. Poor Sonia, hope it was quick and she didn't suffer.


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## mik (2 May 2010)

Sympahty to all, a terrible loss.


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## kerilli (2 May 2010)

poor mare, that is so sad, terrible loss indeed. huge sympathy to all connections.


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## Thistle (2 May 2010)

How very sad for Louisa and all Sonja connections.


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## event (2 May 2010)

Have just spoken to owners again, Sonja actually broke her leg on landing, we misheard earlier and thought they said neck. She was going so well and had so much more to give. Thanks, have passed your condolences on. 
Poor Louisa, a very sad day.


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## vikkiandmonica (2 May 2010)

Yeah, I heard the same as event, that Louisa believes they landed on the corner, and then Sonja twisted and landed on her fetlock, sadly breaking her leg. She was such an amazing horse, and will be terribly missed. She even let a numpty like me ride her, and truly had a good heart. 

RIP Sonja  xxxx


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## Moggy in Manolos (2 May 2010)

How sad, life is so fragile, good to hear louisa is ok, my thoughts go out to her x


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## Vickijay (2 May 2010)

What a terrible nightmare, poor mare


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## elizabeth1 (2 May 2010)

My thoughts and prayers are with Louise tonight.So sad.


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## ElphabaFae (2 May 2010)

Poor Louisa  RIP Desert Island


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## timssister (2 May 2010)

I very sadly was standing and watching at the jump when Desert Island broke her leg. It was a horrific accident and I am so very very sorry for Louisa and the loss of such a beautiful horse.  I am afraid we couldn't bare to watch anymore and came home. My thoughts and condolences to all concerned.


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## welshchick (2 May 2010)

Poor thing, she was such a lovely mare. My thoughts go out to Louisa and her team.


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## JEP (2 May 2010)

My heart goes out to Lousia. she was so delighted with  Desert Island's dressage test yesterday. My OH has a lovely pic of her grinning from ear to ear. I just can'n t say how very sad I am for her, this was the horse who was taking her back to the top again.


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## SillySausage (2 May 2010)

I was there when it happened and my deepest sympathy goes out to Louise. She was horribly upset and so were the crowd. The image keeps hanging in my mind... so I cannot even start to know how she must be feeling tonight


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## carthorse (2 May 2010)

Very , very sad. RIP


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## lannerch (2 May 2010)

So sorry to read this louise must feel absolutely crushed its all those that events worst nightmare rip brave dessert island


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## CastleMouse (2 May 2010)

Awful to hear this 

My thoughts are with Louisa and all those who had connections with Desert Island.


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## natalia (2 May 2010)

It was awful, she landed very badly after the big brush corner and broke her fetlock, PTS at the scene within minutes. Very very sad and condolences to all involved in her team.


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## RuthnMeg (2 May 2010)

natalia said:



			It was awful, she landed very badly after the big brush corner and broke her fetlock, PTS at the scene within minutes. Very very sad and condolences to all involved in her team.
		
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poor you. Never nice for anyone, always feel for the rider and horse's connections, but often the spectators get forgotten. Its a haunting site seeing horses being PTS, then put into the trailer. I hope most turned away or were asked to leave??


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## Ranyhyn (2 May 2010)

So awful, I did wonder what the long wait was about and assumed the usual rider fall etc.  What an awful shame for everyone connected, RIP Sonja.


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## amandaco2 (2 May 2010)

how awful and traumatic for all involved  RIP brave mare


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## TinselRider (2 May 2010)

How very sad  My condolences go to all involed including the spectators who witnessed the incident.


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## Eventer96 (3 May 2010)

How very sad. Such a terrible loss. My thoughts are with Lousia, the owners and the spectators who witnessed the accident. 

Rest in peace Desert Island xx

Hope Lousia makes a speedy recovery. Poor girl, can't begin to imagine what she is going through.


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## Booboos (3 May 2010)

What a great shame and how sad for everyone involved!


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## sassybebe (3 May 2010)

I was at the fence too and it was horrific to watch. most of the crowd where we were stood walked away after it became obvious what was going to happen and i hoped the others followed too. so so sad RIP desert island


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## SJFAN (3 May 2010)

What a tragedy for all concerned.  It's always horrendous watching a fatality - the first I saw was Beau Supreme in the King George when the RIHS was at Wembley. Can never forget Derek's realisation of the catastrophic nature of the break, and the distress of the groom.

There is a photo of them taking a practice jump - the mare looks lovely: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?pid=86711&id=100000878634820


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## maestro (3 May 2010)

Strange I was thinking of the Beau Supreme tragedy when I heard how it happened condolences to all.


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## lizzieuk1 (3 May 2010)

i was stood by the jump before and watched it from behind it was horrific and i have to say all i wanted to do was get as far away as possible from the area.
RIP beautiful girl  and big sympathies to louisa.


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## Reindeer Rider (4 May 2010)

I was standing right at that fence and saw it all.


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## Reindeer Rider (4 May 2010)

She was jumping the 'v' corner of the fence, part way over the horse looked puzzled and dropped a leg down between the jumps (as if two narrow for a bounce, too wide for a spread), then fell shoulder first into the second part of the V.  I think the fence absorbed much of the impact as I heard it breaking.   I think Louisa went over the second part.  Desert Island didn't look too bad at first. I was more worried for Louise as she had vanished. Desert Island just looked like she was caught up in her reins.     She had a vet with her within a couple of minutes.


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## Chamfrom (5 May 2010)

Just gutting - she must have been so thrilled to be riding there and then to have it end in such tragedy. Feel devastated for all concerned including those who watched - not what any of us wish to see when we spectate.
Poor DI - RIP.


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## ajn1610 (5 May 2010)

so sad xxx


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## Xanadu22 (5 May 2010)

boogles said:



			How very sad  My condolences go to all involed including the spectators who witnessed the incident.
		
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I was there and it was awful! The poor mare staggered towards me! Why didn't they hold her still while they debated whether they could save her or not?

No, we weren't asked to leave. I was praying out loud, over and over again! I think, as a spectator, that you are utterly, totally, caught up in willing things to come out right and you desperately need any reassurance you can get. If you turn away, you lose that chance and your imagination paints the worst picture... The commentator said that DI had been taken away for vetinary examination. Afterwards I was making myself believe that, although it slowly sunk in that she couldn't be still alive...

I am a member of a mailing list for people who have lost a horse under traumatic circumstances and need support. I've found therapy in painting rainbow portraits of other people's horses, and the friends I make as a result often attibute healing powers to my paintings... I feel so much for poor Louisa and DI's other connections that I am sure I will paint Rainbow Desert Island...


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