Rider crushed to death when horse fell on her
‘Freak tragedy’ killed experienced equestrian at competition
AN experienced rider was crushed to death by her own horse when he ‘somersaulted and fell on top of her’, an inquest was told.
Clare Bedford, 31, of Long Lawford, Rugby, had been competing in a one-day event at Solihull Riding Club near Dorridge on July 13, when tragedy struck.
She was nearing the end of the cross-country round, having successfully jumped 15 fences on her horse, Dougal.
But the animal, which weighed 500 to 600 kilos, is thought to have clipped fence 16, sending him ‘rotating upside down’ before coming to land on top of Mrs Bedford.
An inquest at Birmingham Coroner’s Court, was told Mrs Bedford had suffered unsurvivable injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene, half an hour after the fall.
The inquest heard the triangular shaped fence was just under a metre high.
Dawn Raftery, who was marshalling fence 16, was the only person to witness the incident. She told the inquest she believed it had been “a complete and utter freak tragedy”.
“Clare was approaching normally, after jumping fence 15 clear. The horse was not out of control at all,” Ms Raftery said.
“I took my eyes off her for a second to press my stop watch and heard a clattering of hooves. I looked up and the horse appeared to have stumbled and they were both rotating upside down, landing clear of the fence on the other side.
“They landed together was underneath.
“Dougal, the horse, had already recovered. I grabbed him and pulled him clear.
“I radioed through immediately to say a rider had fallen and it didn’t look good. I knelt down and placed my hand on Clare. I talked to her.
“Her mum came over and I cuddled her and moved her away a little bit.”
Mrs Raftery, a member of Solihull Riding Club with around 46 years riding experience, added: “Being a rider myself I’ve had some horrible falls. This appeared to me to be a complete and utter freak tragedy.”
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Clare
Twelve to 13 medical staff were quickly on scene after the incident, but despite their efforts there was ‘no response’ from Mrs Bedford.
Histopathologist Dr Gerald Langman gave the cause of her death as a traumatic rupture to the heart muscle and tear to a major vein.
Philippa Starkey, former centre manager at Solihull Riding Club, said the grounds team and stewards would have checked the area was safe, fences were secure and grass was an ‘adequate height’ before the event.
Ms Starkey said: “Horses are big heavy animals. He was approximately 16.2 hands high and around 500600 kilos in weight.
“From my perspective, tragic, sad accident that have been prevented.”
An inquest jury reached a verdict of accidental death.
A JustGiving fundraising page has since been launched by husband Matthew to raise money for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance who attended the accident. So far, it has raised more than £3,200.
Mr Bedford wrote: “Clare was competing on her horse at Solihull Riding Club and was injured in a fall only a few jumps from the end of the course.
“Unfortunately, although the paramedics and air ambulance attended, they were unable to save Clare’s life.
“Clare was the woman of my dreams. An amazing woman who excelled in all aspects of her life and it is a great tragedy that she had only 31 years to do so.
“She is greatly missed by all who knew her and I am lost without her.” it was a couldn’t
Clare was an amazing woman who excelled in all aspects of her life and it is a great tragedy that she had only 31 years to do so
Husband Matthew