Double Jeopardy

October 28, 2016

Jeopardy,

Noun -

hazard or risk of loss, harm, or injury

As our lovely followers will know, I don't have my own horse! But as we all know horses are expensive and I just simply cannot afford one.

But luckily I have wonderful people who allow me, in exchange for helping out, to ride out and go drag hunting.

After my steed from last year, Scully, was sold in the spring I've since gotten to know a new chap.

His name is Jeopardy and is an absolute unit! He is 17h 3in, wide as an ox and an absolute babe. Just look how handsome he is!

That face conveys just what he is like. Charming, sweet natured, no trouble to do and just a lovely soul.

I've been riding him now for the last month and I absolutely adore him. I go and collect him from the field and brush him and he just loves it. He loves the attention of being brushed and pampered. He doesn't fidget or protest he stands still, puts his head down (luckily cause it's so high up I barely reach and I'm 5'11"!) for his face to be brushed and opens his mouth so I can put his bit in.

Jeopardy was a cavalry horse, bought to be a drum horse. You know, those big horses who carry the drums on their withers for the parades; he was destined to become one of those.. but sadly he doesn't like drums. He jogged whenever the drummer started playing and threw him off his beat so therefore he didn't make the cut.

But alas he is here with the drag hunt to try his hoof at hunting. And so far so good! He is a very chipper lad who's eager to please, although he needs some reassurance to gain confidence and with every outing he gets braver and braver.  Plus he also jumps, to which I found, was enormous!

 Moments before the fall

And then it all went horribly wrong.. his jump is very big, I wasn't expecting it lost my balance, tried as hard as I could to stay on but alas, I hit the deck... hard. 
So hard in fact that I fractured my left wrist! *Note to self*- do not put your hand out to save yourself (instinctively) when falling as you will break it spectacularly.

Much like my fall in February, I didn't hit my head so was conscious and very aware; I fell, rolled and sat up. I instantly knew I'd hurt my wrist! The pain was instantaneous and looking down at my wrist I could see it was in a shape that it should not be!

I was helped back to the house (while trying to stave off shock making it hard to breathe and see) and looked after. I have to thank Scott, he was amazing! I lay there trying not to cry and unable to move without pain and he took my riding boots, spurs and tie off and helped me call my family and tell them of the accident. Thank you so much!

Now, being a stubborn mare I am I insisted on no ambulance (they're busy and I didn't want to make a fuss) and I didn't want to go to a hospital I didn't know! So no Huntingdon or Peterborough hospitals for me, I was adamant I was going to Addenbrookes! Luckily that morning I'd picked up Cambridge University Drag Hounds Field Master, Sophie Reed on the way to the yard so I laid waiting until she got back and convinced her to drive me to Cambridge!

With my arm on a pillow we set off to A&E to get me fixed up; luckily the journey went well, shock had slowed down and I wasn't in too much pain. That was until we arrived and, again, me being a stubborn mare I was adamant I was not going to have my 4 week old brand new £100 tweed jacket cut off so lets just say it was agony getting it off! 

I walked sobbing into A&E and was promptly sat down in a wheelchair and seen by a doctor, it didn't take a genius to see my arm was bent in a way it shouldn't have been! It struck me then that I had my solid silver Links of London bangle on and there was no way they could pull it off, so alas it had to be cut off, I'm devastated!

The A&E staff were amazing, I was quickly taken to x-ray and put in a consulting room. My x-rays came back and showed I had broken my radius and bent it downwards, as well as had hair line fractures down the radius head from the impact. Sorry I didn't photograph my x-ray every time I looked at it it made me feel nauseous.

It was decided by my doctors it was going to have to be set back into place and a cast put on, so some injections, gas and air and some tugging and pulling later my wrist was back where it was supposed to be and held in place.

 In a cast for the foreseeable few weeks

I have to say Addenbrookes staff were amazing! I was in and out in 4 hours and was given the best possible care; everything was explained to Dad and I, I was consulted if I didn't want anything doing or if I was in pain and just simply given top class care. I cannot thank them enough!

With Horseheath Hunter Trial the same day two other unfortunate ladies also broke their wrists so A&E had their work cut out!

I'm now well and truly out for the season, in a cast for 6 weeks or so and won't be strong enough to ride for a good couple of months after the cast is off. But that is horse riding, there are always going to be risks involved and accidents happen.I'm not mad at Jeopardy, I still adore him and would 100% ride him again I just have to not keep thinking 'What if?' about it all. It won't put me off riding but I've got a long way to go before I can ride or jump again.

I'm still going to foot follow when I can drive again and watch on enviously from the side lines.

It's been 3 days since and I'm already struggling with being one handed, so God knows how I'm going to be in 6 weeks; grumpy I suspect! 

Until next time,

Sophie