Badminton winner Paul Tapner has left hospital following a riding fall that resulted in bleeds on the brain and a minor stroke.
The Australian event rider fell out hacking on 5 August and was taken to hospital, where scans revealed he had two minor brain bleeds, one of which caused a mild stroke.
Paul, who won Badminton in 2010 with Inonothing, is in “good spirits” and will now start his rehabilitation with specialists at the Injured Jockey Fund’s Lambourn base.
“Some great news today Paul has been discharged from hospital,” said his wife, Georgina, yesterday (26 August)
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a three weeks, but he is home!”
She added a “massive thank you” to everyone at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon “for absolutely everything”.
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“From the emergency team, then the team on Falcon ward, to the ICU team and then the team on Neptune ward, every single person has been wonderful,” said Georgina, adding that the family is “so grateful”.
“Paul is generally well, he is in good spirits and looking forward to starting his rehabilitation with Hobbs neuro team via Oaksey House.”
The specialist neurological team provides specialist rehabilitation at the IJF base.
“Thanks once again for everyone’s support,” added Georgina. “It really has pulled me through a nightmare.”
Paul has represented Australia twice at senior championship level, riding for his country at the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games. In recent years he had reduced his string, focusing on his career as chief operations director of the Event Rider Masters series, while continuing to compete as an elite amateur.
