Four-star rider out of action after fall: ‘My arm was coming out of the front of my chest’

New Zealand event rider Lucy Jackson is out of action after dislocating her shoulder in a fall at Little Downham on Friday (3 June).

Lucy fell at fence 17, the first of a double of corners, with Liz Hawkesworth and Kathy Brown’s eight-year-old Mrs Browns Boy.

“I was three-quarters of the way round the intermediate course and the horse was jumping well and travelling well,” said Lucy. “He caught his toe on the top of the corner and we both ended up sitting down on the landing side.

“I was a bit winded and my arm was coming out of the front of my chest — I was hoping I’d just popped my collarbone out, but it seemed unlikely. I’ve broken both my legs and fractured my skull in separate incidents previously, but this was much more sore.”

Lucy paid tribute to the fence judges and the medics at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, who relocated her shoulder under sedation, as well as the eventing community.

Lucy’s sister, Sophie Miller, was also riding at Little Downham, so her father Ross stayed at the event to help her, while their mother Alice went to hospital with Lucy. Her boyfriend Harry Wallace drove to the hospital and picked up Lucy and Alice after she had been treated.

Back at the event Cyril Chatel, Lucy’s head lad from last year, drove her horses and his own home in her lorry. His girlfriend, Flora Labau, drove their small lorry home empty.

“Dad had 16 offers of help from people offering to assist with the horses, driving the lorry and so on,” said Lucy.

“Emily Llewellyn followed me into hospital on another stretcher and I tried to wave to her, but my arm wouldn’t work.”

Emily fell with Emirati Nightsky, also in the intermediate, but reported on Facebook afterwards that the horse was in “tip top shape” and she is “just sore”.

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Meanwhile Lucy said Mrs Browns Boy is “absolutely fine”.

“He’s a bit stiff, but he’s trotting up sound,” she said. “I think we’ll both be taking it easy for a couple of weeks.”

Lucy will miss Bramham, where she was due to have two rides. Barbury is her next big event and she hopes to be fit to compete at a prep run somewhere before that.

She plans to see chiropractor Juliet Lock, who has been working with both Lucy and fellow event rider Jodie Amos for about six years, for help with her rehabilitation.

“I’m nervous for Jodie’s shoulders over the next few weeks as we seem to do things one after the other,” joked Lucy.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.