Eilidh Herd broke her spine in a fall, but now she’s in training for Badminton Horse Trials – the ‘holy grail’ for eventers.
Eilidh Herd is a tough cookie.
The event rider broke her back in a fall from her former racehorse Rossie a year ago – but she’s now in training for Badminton Horse Trials 2023.
Eilidh, who’s based near Maryculter in Aberdeenshire, describes Badminton as ‘the holy grail’ for equestrian eventers – and she’s super excited to be making her debut there in May.
She had qualified for the South Gloucestershire-based event back in 2020, but it was cancelled by Covid.
“Being at Badminton will be amazing!” says Eilidh. “If I don’t go this time, I might never get another chance!”
‘Bit of a fright’
The British Horse Society accredited coach fell from Rossie while she was schooling him in her arena on December 30 2021.
What happened exactly is a bit of a blur but she remembers him spooking at something, giving himself “a bit of a fright”, and then taking off, bucking and broncing.
“I was quite out of balance, and so when he went to turn the corner, I didn’t turn with him,” she recalls.
“I ended up falling next to the arena fence. As I lay there, I just thought, ‘oh, that was quite a sore one’. I’d winded myself so I thought I’d lie there a few minutes and take a few deep breaths. I couldn’t get up; I just couldn’t stand.”
After half an hour of lying on the ground, Eilidh’s dad, a retired GP, and her sister, a paediatric oncologist, appeared.
They helped her to her feet before driving a car into the arena and taking her to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Unable to exit the vehicle, she was given gas and air by ambulance workers who then helped her on to a trolley and into the hospital.
Something not right
At first, doctors told her she was “fine” and could go home, but Eilidh felt that something was not right.
“I’ve had so many fractures and broken bones – I guess it comes with the job – but this felt different,” she says.
“I was pretty convinced something more serious was going on.”
An X-ray revealed she had broken her L1 vertebra – essentially she had fractured her spine.
She was then sent for a CT scan to see whether she would need to be operated on.
“It was bizarre – one minute I was being told I’d be sent home and then there was the possibility of needing an operation!” says Eilidh.
I was pretty convinced something more serious was going on.”
Luckily the results of the scan were positive, with doctors telling her the fracture was “stable”.
She was able to go home armed with painkillers galore and told not to lift anything – but also not to just lie around in bed.
Back in the saddle
She was advised not to ride for three to six months – but she feared if she didn’t get back in the saddle soon, she may not want to get on a horse ever again.
“I always want to get straight back on after a fall, to stop any thoughts or fears building up,” reflects Eilidh.
“I was more comfortable walking around than sitting, so I was able to teach but couldn’t move poles or jumps around, ride or clip horses.
“But after about seven or eight weeks I got on my cob Annie, who’s just super.
“My confidence had been shattered but I knew the longer I didn’t ride, the harder it would be, plus I was aware that when you lose all your muscles to keep you balanced, it can be hard to get that back again.
“I trust Annie completely. She’s such a good-natured little horse. I sat on her and walked around and it didn’t make me feel any worse. We gradually built up to trotting and then cantering.”
Eilidh then moved on to her other mare, Bridget, who’s “also pretty sensible”, and looked after her.
As her confidence grew, she decided it was time to mount her event horse Eddie, a stunning 16.1hh Dutch Warmblood.
“He’s a fabulous horse but if horses could be autistic, that would be Eddie!” she laughs.
“He’s quite dainty but he’s sporty and can be quite sharp.
“I didn’t want to get on him until I was fitter and stronger but I’d been lunging and long-reining him, plus one of my trainers, the dressage rider Charlie Hutton, rode him beautifully while I was out of action.”
Bit of a challenge
Jumping, however, presented a bit of a challenge for Eilidh.
“I didn’t really want to leave the ground – it was a scary prospect!
“I got Iona Campbell, another BHS accredited professional coach who lives up the road, to have a little jump on Eddie and then I popped him over a few raised canter poles.
“I did that for ages until I was OK with the movement, and then took lessons with five star event rider Wills Oakden.
“He’s so positive and encouraging – his ‘just get on with it’ attitude is sort of infectious. But I still felt quite worried about everything.
“I drove to compete in an 80cm showjumping class at the Cabin Equestrian Centre near Inverurie and practically threw up on the way there because I was so nervous.
“Confidence has been a big problem.
Injuries galore
“I’ve had a few injuries now – I’ve been kicked by a horse and had my arm so smashed that it had to be pinned back together again.
“I’ve also had a broken ankle, wrist and collar bone.
“As a self-employed freelance coach it’s not good not being able to earn any money so you just have to try to crack on.”
Back into competition
Eilidh was spurred on to compete at Burgie Horse Trials in July last year – barely seven months after her accident – when the Moray-based event announced its 2022 summer event would be its very last.
“Burgie was where I did my first competition in 2005; it was where it all started for me. It’s been such a big part of my life for years, so I felt I had to go to the last event,” she explains.
“I told myself to man up, find a way to be brave, and go. I popped in a late entry with Eddie (whose posh show name is Zuccheros Deff Leppard).
“We did it, and then someone persuaded me to go to Glamis Horse Trials later in July – and we ended up winning the BE90 (the British Eventing 90cm class).
“That meant we qualified for the Scottish Grassroots Eventing Festival at Blair Horse Trials in August, so we did that and came third.”
Physio
Eilidh started physio with Caroline Frew of Perform Chartered Physio and she continues to go back for regular sessions.
“I felt like a jelly in the middle and wanted to become strong again. Caroline gave me a programme of exercises to do every day, and she’s adjusting it as I progress.
“I’m so glad I did that. It’s made a huge difference to getting me back in action.”
On a mission
With just a few months until Eilidh makes her Badminton debut at the BE90 grassroots championship, she’s on a mission to get fitter and “be in better shape” by May.
The event consists of dressage, showjumping and cross country, and I wonder which discipline Eilidh is most excited about?
She doesn’t hesitate: “It has to be cross country! None of us do eventing for the dressage, that’s for sure! But just being at Badminton, which is the sort of holy grail of eventing, will be fantastic.
“When it comes to eventing, I know you need to keep on pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.”
As well as getting in loads of training, Eilidh – who is also an independent consultant for The Body Shop At Home – hopes to get a bit of financial help with the astronomical costs of competing at Badminton.
“I’m on a mission to help fundraise for the trip so any awareness I can build will help!
“The price of fuel is ridiculously high and while I’m lucky to have an HGV, it’s quite an elderly diesel one.
“I’m trying to figure out a way of doing anything alongside local companies who might want to get involved, or setting up a gofundme account.
“Horses are so expensive but this is a dream, so everything helps.”
- Badminton Horse Trials runs from May 4 to 8 within the grounds of Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire. badminton-horse.co.uk
