RIP Mark, amputee soldier thrown from mount at Help for Heroes event
- Thread starter Ranyhyn
- Start date
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Awful, but just one of those accidents I would think, didn't someone fall off a horse at Wills and Kates wedding, just one of those things, so sad posie_honey
Well-Known Member
how awful
HihoGinger
Well-Known Member
Good grief. How awful
MadBlackLab
Well-Known Member
RIP this is sad especially as he survived in Afganistan
On another note I'm not happy with how the daily mail say the accident happened because he was on an x-racer. Not all x-racers are fruit cakes. Again its people without the knowledge making assumptions. A horse is not a robort and cannot be controlled by humans
On another note I'm not happy with how the daily mail say the accident happened because he was on an x-racer. Not all x-racers are fruit cakes. Again its people without the knowledge making assumptions. A horse is not a robort and cannot be controlled by humans
ILuvCowparsely
Well-Known Member
What a tragedy RIP such a Hero
kirstyl
Well-Known Member
Absolutely agree with you. I feel so sorry for this man and his family, but after one hour of tuition should anyone (or their horse) be put in that position
La Fiaba
Well-Known Member
What a terrible tragedy, my thoughts go out to his family.
Just wanted to point out that I think the DM report was trying to show that Sgt. Stebbing, a beginner rider, was riding an ex-race horse on a race track, with a crowd of 5000 all cheering etc, which to me sounds like a recipe for disaster. I don't think they were trying to say all ex-racers are crazy.
To be honest I cannot believe the outcome of the inquiry was 'well he probably pulled on the reins so of course the horse was going to go over'. If I had put a complete beginner on my ex-racer in my riding school and put them on the gallops, do you think I would be held accountable if there was an accident? Of course, and rightly so, however in this case HSE has ruled an unforseeable accident. I personally don't agree. Not that any other outcome would have brought Sgt. Stebbing back, sadly.
Just wanted to point out that I think the DM report was trying to show that Sgt. Stebbing, a beginner rider, was riding an ex-race horse on a race track, with a crowd of 5000 all cheering etc, which to me sounds like a recipe for disaster. I don't think they were trying to say all ex-racers are crazy.
To be honest I cannot believe the outcome of the inquiry was 'well he probably pulled on the reins so of course the horse was going to go over'. If I had put a complete beginner on my ex-racer in my riding school and put them on the gallops, do you think I would be held accountable if there was an accident? Of course, and rightly so, however in this case HSE has ruled an unforseeable accident. I personally don't agree. Not that any other outcome would have brought Sgt. Stebbing back, sadly.
kerilli
Well-Known Member
that is utterly tragic. i wouldn't put ANY rider with 1 hour's experience up on any horse in public without someone experienced leading the horse, let alone on an ex-racer - and it is possible to make fairly reliable generalisations about types of horses imho. i've never known an ex-racer that was suitable for a total beginner in such a situation. words fail me.
henryhorn
Well-Known Member
An hour's lesson? !!!!
Would anyone for instance attempt to land a plane after just an hour's instruction and having an instructor beside them? I doubt it.
This was gross misjudgement on someone's assessment of the rider's abilities and the horse's temperament and although nothing can be done now, I hope they use their brains next time.
Of course any horse can rear and get unsettled by a crowd, but there are so many obvious risks here I find it hard to believe anyone sanctioned this.
His poor family, what a dreadful experience to go through on what should have been a day of great pride. Why on earth wasn't he wearing a point two protector, if ever this was a case for one.....
Would anyone for instance attempt to land a plane after just an hour's instruction and having an instructor beside them? I doubt it.
This was gross misjudgement on someone's assessment of the rider's abilities and the horse's temperament and although nothing can be done now, I hope they use their brains next time.
Of course any horse can rear and get unsettled by a crowd, but there are so many obvious risks here I find it hard to believe anyone sanctioned this.
His poor family, what a dreadful experience to go through on what should have been a day of great pride. Why on earth wasn't he wearing a point two protector, if ever this was a case for one.....
JessPickle
Well-Known Member
Horribly Tragic, RIP
To be fair it was mentioned in the article if you read carefully he was in fact being led at the time of the incident, was just a freak accident. "As Sergeant Stebbing was being led back to the stables after the event"
To be fair it was mentioned in the article if you read carefully he was in fact being led at the time of the incident, was just a freak accident. "As Sergeant Stebbing was being led back to the stables after the event"
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
I can only say that I would never put a novice on a retrained performance animal, back in its performance environment. Be that a novice on a SJer in Olympia, or a racehorse on a racetrack or an eventer at Badminton.
I think there are too many familiar surroundings and feelings and one wrong move from a novice rider (not their fault!) and you have a dangerous situation. We all know how sensitive horses are about atmosphere, add in their sensitivity to aids, balance etc and then put them back in an environment that their whole being was trained to act a certain way in...well as someone has said I cannot believe this was passed as no-risk.
Such a huge shame, to lose a hero for a badly thought out event
I think there are too many familiar surroundings and feelings and one wrong move from a novice rider (not their fault!) and you have a dangerous situation. We all know how sensitive horses are about atmosphere, add in their sensitivity to aids, balance etc and then put them back in an environment that their whole being was trained to act a certain way in...well as someone has said I cannot believe this was passed as no-risk.
Such a huge shame, to lose a hero for a badly thought out event
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
Very very sad. To think you have your son back from war and then to lose him like this is tragic. My thoughts to his family and friends and to the Help for Heroes company too, they must feel dreadful.
kerilli
Well-Known Member
Ah right, thankyou. Even so though, to put a beginner on an ex-racer in that kind of environment absolutely beggars belief. I wonder who on earth made that decision. Esp an amputee beginner, because no way could he sit evenly etc (the weight would be different etc.)
I've seen an experienced rider whose reaction when her horse reared was to lean back and yank... trust me, terrifying.
Utterly tragic and imho utterly stupid to have been allowed to happen.
flyingfeet
Well-Known Member
This is very tragic, one of those "good ideas" gone bad. in fairness most military displays in public are well rehearsed, so cannot understand why the preparation was not done in this case.
My sympathies also go out to the person leading the horse, as I bet they are beating themselves up that they didn't manage to prevent this.
My sympathies also go out to the person leading the horse, as I bet they are beating themselves up that they didn't manage to prevent this.
Booboos
Well-Known Member
Terribly sad, poor man and what a tragedy for his family and friends.
To be honest I don't understand how putting a total beginner on an ex-racer for a public display that was likely to wind the horse up can be described as a 'freak accident'. A freak accident is a one-off, difficult to predict, unlikely accident...this was a disaster waiting to happen and sadly it did. Whoever managed the whole affair has a lot to answer for.
To be honest I don't understand how putting a total beginner on an ex-racer for a public display that was likely to wind the horse up can be described as a 'freak accident'. A freak accident is a one-off, difficult to predict, unlikely accident...this was a disaster waiting to happen and sadly it did. Whoever managed the whole affair has a lot to answer for.
Brandy
Well-Known Member
What a terrible thing to happen, and I have to say, could have been easily avoided!
Putting a beginner on an ex race horse, for a public (exciting) event at a racecourse, is asking for trouble in my opinion.
Putting a beginner on an ex race horse, for a public (exciting) event at a racecourse, is asking for trouble in my opinion.
Twiglet
Well-Known Member
Really shocking that anyone thought this was a good idea - why on earth was he riding at a public event after an hour's lesson? Poor poor man, sounds like a loss of a brave man and great soldier
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
WTF did anyone think they were doing putting not only a novice but one with a very significant physical disability up on a horse like this???
Even my old boy would have done a bit of a dance at an event like this and I think serious questions need to be asked about why he wasn't given a more suitable mount.
RIP brave soldier; and condolences to his family and friends. We'll all meet again on the other side.
Even my old boy would have done a bit of a dance at an event like this and I think serious questions need to be asked about why he wasn't given a more suitable mount.
RIP brave soldier; and condolences to his family and friends. We'll all meet again on the other side.
MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Elsbells
Well-Known Member
misswitch2
Well-Known Member
totally irresponsible and easily avoidable.
RIP Mark
RIP Mark
Alec Swan
...
How desperately sad, and as others have said, it simply shouldn't have happened. I do hope that lessons have been learned.
Alec.
Alec.
VoR
Well-Known Member
It is sad and there must be lessons learned but, do you know what, if anyone had said to this guy you can't do it because you've only had an hour lesson I bet he'd have said 'F*!k you' it's for the lads' and pressed on.
RIP
RIP
amyneave
Well-Known Member
millhouse
Well-Known Member
How very sad. Rest in pease Mark, and God bless.
springer1021
Well-Known Member
How tragic but it could have easily been avoided, someone has been serously irresponsible.
VoR
Well-Known Member
Look it's tragic, yes, but the first report is in the Daily Mail!!!! The H&H report shows that lessons have been learned and that the accident coiuldn't have been foreseen.
kerilli
Well-Known Member
You think? Seriously?
IF the bare facts have been reported correctly (1 hour's experience of riding and then put on an ex-racer for a big event with lots going on) then I think a lot of horsey people would agree that that was potentially a recipe for disaster.
If I was told I absolutely had to find a mount for such a rider with 1 hour's experience, then a rock-solid proven RDA horse or similar (and I've worked with them, I'm a qualified RDA instructor, some of those horses and ponies are bona fide SAINTS) would be the only thing I would consider, and even then I would be dubious.
the thing is, you think you can control a situation when you're leading a horse and you're experienced etc... but sometimes you just can't. 1/2 a tonne of horse is basically going to do what it wants, IF it wants to...
Booboos
Well-Known Member
Far be it from me to defend the Daily Fail, but I hardly see why the H&H report is any different. Surely they don't need a death and an inquest to conclude that horses should be matched to the rider's ability!!! Learning the lesson is the least they could do now!