George Bowman Snr is recovering after a fall at the Lowther Horse Carriage Driving Trials last month (9-10 August).
Mr Bowman, 79, was hacking quietly up to the stable area after the dressage when his horse, Barney started to kick out.
“He’d been bitten by a horsefly and suddenly kicked his leg over the trace and went mad,” said Mr Bowman.
He was knocked out for 15 minutes in the accident but was conscious when taken by air ambulance to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
At the hospital scans showed were clear, bar some bruised ribs.
After a few days of painkillers Mr Bowman was back in full training for the National Championships later this month (19-21 September).
Barney has been in the Bowman stable for three years and was used in the Queen’s Jubilee.
At Lowther he was on the rear offside wheel in a team of four when the accident happened.
A similar incident happened a couple of years ago when Barney was in a single carriage.
“He’s been such a good horse,” said Mr Bowman, “but as soon as he gets his leg over the trace he goes into machine gun mode.”
Barney has since been sold as a riding horse and his replacement is currently being sourced.
First published in H&H magazine on Thursday 3 September
