German eventer Anna-Maria Reike had an exciting round at the European CIC** Championship on Saturday (6 August) at Aston-le-Walls, when her bit broke and the horse careered out of control.
Anna Maria and Petite Dame jumped two cars, a bicycle and a tent on their way back to the stables — but amazingly both were unhurt.
German chef d’equipe Roger Böckmann told H&H: “Her rubber bit broke early on the course and the horse set off back to the stables, through the lorry park.
“She jumped over two cars, one with its door open so that was about 1.30m, bicycles and a tent and went directly into her stable.”
He estimates the mare ran out of control for about 2.5km.
“I asked Anna-Maria why she didn’t jump off, as she was wearing an air jacket,” he added.
“She told me she was worried that the horse might carry on and injure people and felt it was safer to stay her back and shout out.”
British riders had far a better time than Anna-Maria at the championship, winning team gold for the first time, while Mary-Anne Carpenter took the individual silver medal.
Read a full report on all the action at the European CIC** Championship in today’s Horse & Hound magazine (11 August, 2011)
