I chose a fantastic, rewarding career that can be very dangerous. When an equestrian seeks out a trainer, they must remember that the trainer is putting themselves at risk every day for their horse. Horses can be highly unpredictable, and even the most broke horses, at times, can do something unexpected or dangerous. Trainers don’t know your horse as well as the owner, who forces us to be vigilant in assessing their knowledge and how they respond to pressure. Trainers put more pressure on the horse than a typical equestrian would, and often the horses react to the pressure before they learn to give to it. This piece can get us trainers into a lot of trouble. Horses weigh a lot more than us (1000+ pounds) and can hurt us easily if they are not paying attention to their rider.

Here’s my story: I was riding a young mare I had in training. I had six rides on her and had her over a period of two weeks. She had done wonderfully on two long trail rides with other horses, but I had her in the arena alone, targeting moving shoulders, disengaging the hindquarters, backing, and trotting. We had done all this before on the ground, but she didn't understand with me in the saddle. She was making significant progress with the shoulders and hip, but she hesitated about the backing. I kept the pressure on when asking for the backup, as that’s my job, to let them go through the process of elimination and release the pressure when they find the answer. Instead, this mare reared up to get away from the pressure of me asking her to back up. She lost balance and fell on top of me, breaking my pelvis in half with the saddle's horn. She also damaged a nerve bundle running the length of my leg.

I was emergency airlifted directly out of the arena to the hospital. To repair my pelvis, I got two screws and a plate. The nerve bundle has caused something called drop foot which causes me to trip over it when walking. The nerve bundle is waking up, and the pain is excruciating all day long. I am doing Physical Therapy, and it is helping, but my recovery will be a long road.

The horse, Monsoon, was unharmed by the fall. She had a look of concern in her eye after it happened. This tragedy goes to show that anything can happen. Monsoon was a sweet mare and wasn’t aggressive, yet this kind of accident can still occur. Trainers do what we do because we love the horse and are willing to put our lives at risk to help improve your connection with your horse. I love every single one of the horses I have the privilege of training. Everyone is so unique, and it is lovely getting to know them every day. I miss it and can’t wait to get back in the saddle. If you feel moved to help me, I would be eternally grateful. My livelihood has been hindered, and I humbly request your assistance. Thank you for reading, and God bless. Xox Leanne