Former
Team GBR rider Rachael Claridge from Cullompton
was involved in a freak road traffic accident at
8.45am on Monday 3rd March 2008. Rachael and her
Endurance GB squad horse Blue Chip Prince Meliodas
were enjoying a morning hack prior to a routine
veterinary visit when the accident occurred on
a quite country lane between Blackborough and Sheldon
in East Devon. Rachael had just exited a public
bridleway from the Devon and Somerset’s Gliding
Club and was proceeding along the lane to Blackborough
Woods before descending back to her yard at Saint
Hill. Rachael became aware of traffic building
behind her on the lane so brought the horse into
walk in a wide section of the road with good visibility.
The first of two highways vans passed the horse
without any concerns but it was the second one
with an empty low lying trailer that was the catalyst
for the accident. The driver did pass wide and
slow but the empty trailer bounced on the tarmac
which spooked ‘Mel’ as he’s more
affectionately known to the Claridge family. Despite
Rachael’s attempts to prevent Mel was reversing
into the trailer the accident unfolded too quickly. “Mel
shot backwards before I could stop him, he’s
normally such a bomb proof horse but he was spooked
and all I could do was use my experience to contain
him and remove him from harms way as quickly as
possible”.
The driver of the vehicle stopped and assisted
Rachael when it became apparent that Mel had serious
flesh wounds to his left hock and inner thigh.
The drivers in the vehicles behind also jumped
to assist Rachael and one lady, only known as Mo,
led Mel to Geoff Fieldings yard only a few hundred
yards up the lane. Geoff and his groom Rachel assisted
Mel by applying towels to the wound to stem the
bleeding whilst Rachael contacted Western Counties
Veterinary Clinic.
Within
fifteen minutes Rachael’s vet Stuart
Altoft arrived, assessed the damage and proceeded
to stitch up the wound. Geoff kindly drove Rachael
and Mel to the Western Counties clinic in Culmstock
to enable Stuart to x-ray the limb. Fortunately
for Mel he only sustained a hairline fracture to
his left tibia in addition to tendon and artery
damage from the initial contact with the trailer.
The prognosis is very positive for this talented
10 year old part-bred Arabian gelding, who should
be back in work following 8 weeks of box rest.
Stuart and Rachael are confident that Mel will
be back competing within a 12 month period following
his success last year in his first FEI 160km one-day
ride which gave him his qualification to next years
European Championships in Italy.
Unfortunately
for Rachael, she has been forced to sell her
Ifor Williams HB505, which is currently
at Darcroft Garage in Bodmin to pay for the vets
fees following a financial ‘blip’ as
a result of her separation from her long term partner.
Rachael would however like to thank all of the
people who assisted her and Mel last week and also
to thank her sponsors Blue Chip Feed and Denis
Brinicombe for providing Mel with the supplements
he requires for a speedy recovery.
Rachael
would like to work more closely with the British
Horse Society, the police, Forest Enterprise
and other ‘off road riding’ organisations
to promote a safer environment for the UK’s
riders because “despite wearing high visibility
and being a very conscientious rider, horses are
unpredictable animals and freak accidents like
mine do unfortunately happen. Horse riders have
to take responsibility for themselves and their
livestock on the roads today. They should never
anticipate motorists because it only takes a second
for an accident to occur” said Rachael.
For further information about what to do in the
case of a road traffic accident please visit http://www.bhs.org.uk.
Author:
Rachael Claridge /
Photographer: Dan Tolchard and Rachael Claridge
