A UK newspaper ‘The Independent’ has posted a report from an inquest at the Cheltanham Coroner’s Court regarding a rotational fall that resulted in the death of 15 year-old Jade South in October of 2008. The tragic accident occurred at a Pony Club cross-country rally. The case is complicated by the fact that the rotational fall happened over a portable jump that was lifted up 10 inches by the horse’s front legs. A government safety inspector said the jump should have been fixed to the ground, but the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. JER originally posted a link to the article on the Chronicle, and here is an excerpt:
Jade was riding her new horse, which her parents Paul and Claire had bought her around six weeks earlier, and was among a group of experienced teenage riders.
Karen Slaughter, an instructor for the South Hereford and Ross Harriers Pony Club, was in charge of Jade’s group and described to the inquest how Oz had briefly hesitated as he approached the 2ft 6in fence.
Mrs Slaughter, who was on foot about 15 metres away, said: “The moment before the jump Oz hesitated and Jade ‘pushed on’, which is the correct thing to do.
“Oz’s momentum took him over the fence.
“Oz’s leg clipped the jump and his momentum took him over the fence.
“I saw him somersault forwards over the fence and Jade remained on the saddle.”
She said that Oz then landed on top of Jade with the teenager still on the saddle.
Mrs Slaughter added: “It was a very solid jump but it just lifted up about 10 inches with the horse’s front legs.
“If he had been further away he would have cleared the fence.
“It was the moment of hesitation that brought him too close.
“Jade was an extremely competent rider who was confident riding Oz.
“I don’t think Jade could have done anything else to tackle the jump.”
The hearing was told that Jade had ridden the course before but on a different horse and it was the first time Oz had been round it.
Keith Lesley, a health and safety inspector for the Forest of Dean District Council, said the fence was movable and should have been fixed to the ground.
“It is clear that the best practice dictates that the fence should have been fixed to the ground and it was not,” he said.
“Although the use of the fence fell short of best practice it did not contribute to the cause of the accident.”
Mr Lesley confirmed there were no breaches of the health and safety regulations.
One of the complications in looking at whether the jump raising up contributed to the fall is the difficulty of knowing if the jump moving was actually a good thing in the sense that frangible technology suggests that a jump being fixed in place and rigid is not always a goof thing.
