“Got Kicked Straight in the Stomach With Both Back Legs”: Equestrian Suffers Broken Ribs and a Lacerated Liver in Horrifying Turns of Event

Injuries are a part and parcel of sports, but things could get deadly at any given moment. In a terrifying incident, equestrian Lisa Marriott survived a fall from her horse, but she didn’t leave unscathed. Beaten down with multiple serious injuries, the rider had to check herself into a hospital after an accident at an international trot-up show.

In a report by Horse and Hound, the rider fell after her horse panicked and bolted. While it was completely uncharacteristic of the animal to do so, witnesses suggested that the arena wasn’t safe. Let’s take a look at the details of the accident.

Lisa Marriott and her scared horse hinted at unsafe premises and conditions

The accident occurred at the Addington CDI in Buckingham. Right off the bat, red flags flew high when the riders noticed unsafe conditions for themselves and their horses. There were chances of too many horses and ponies gathering around at the same time, and that did not sound ideal.

Organizer and Olympic rider Richard Davison confirmed their fears that came to life. The showground was large, the collection area wasn’t visible from the stables, and too many horses entered at the same time, resulting in a huge queue. In the end, the animals weren’t comfortable, and riders had a tough time controlling them.

Read More: “Ran Off Me”: Despite Being an ‘Experienced’ Horse Rider, 44-Year-Old Model Suffered Multiple Accidents Once

All hell broke loose when Marriott experienced the nightmare she feared. The equestrian did not feel safe walking her horse amidst the crowd and took a turn toward the stables. However, her horse snapped and bolted, and Marriott ended up with broken ribs and a lacerated liver. Her good friend and witness, Craig Messenger, affirmed that he knew the horse well enough to know that he wouldn’t normally behave in such a way. He stated, “She got kicked straight in the stomach with both back legs and it sent her into orbit.“

While Marriott is now on her road to recovery, the administration has pulled up its socks to investigate. Some pointed out that the stewards at the venue were responsible for releasing too many animals at the same time. Although they would still need to look into the intricacies of the situation, the British Dressage and Addington gave a joint statement, “Equine welfare and rider safety is our paramount consideration, and we want to do whatever we can to prevent similar accidents occurring in the future”.

Watch This Story: “People Don’t Realize”: Equestrian Brianna Noble Sheds Light on Bay Area Horse Culture