Horrifying moment teenager narrowly cheated death when her horse kicked her in the HEAD after she fell while showjumping

  • Rosie Morton, 18, fell off her horse Luke when he refused to take a jump
  • Arab cross spooked and kicked out when she landed close to his rear end
  • Powerful kick left student with huge gash just millimetres from her eye
  • Doctors told Welsh teen she was lucky to have survived

By Andy Dolan for the Daily Mail

Published: 07:01 EST, 8 April 2013 | Updated: 20:56 EST, 8 April 2013

96

View
comments

This is the moment a teenage rider narrowly escaped death from a kick in the face from her horse.

Rosie Morton, 18, was being filmed by a friend as she trained eight-year-old Luke over jumps at her home. But she was thrown to the ground when Luke refused to take one of the jumps.

The film shows the spooked horse turning and kicking out in fright, catching his owner above her left eye with a sickening thud. She was left with blood pouring from a gash above her eye, and the muscles needed to be stitched back together.

Scroll down for video

Kick: The moment keen rider Rosie Morton, 18, was kicked in the head by her pet horse Luke was captured on camera by a friend

Kick: The moment keen rider Rosie Morton, 18, was kicked in the head by her pet horse Luke was captured on camera

Head wound: Muscles in Rosie Morton's face had to be stitched back together after the 18-year-old was kicked in the head by her horse Luke

Head wound: Muscles in Rosie Morton's face had to be stitched back together after the 18-year-old was kicked in the head by her horse Luke

'Powerful': Arab cross Luke became spooked and kicked Rosie after she fell off him when he refused to make a jump in Brecon, South Wales

'Powerful': Arab cross Luke became spooked and kicked Rosie after she fell off him when he refused to make a jump in Brecon, South Wales

A family friend who drove the injured teenager to hospital 'thought she'd walked into a horror film – there was blood everywhere', said Miss Morton.

Doctors said she was lucky to survive and added that her riding helmet had absorbed the brunt of the blow.

Yesterday she said the incident at her home in Brecon, Mid Wales, had not put her off riding, although she will have to wait another week before she returns to the saddle because of a risk of infection to her wound.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

She said: 'I didn't really know what had happened at first, I just saw blood trickling down my face and my head was really, really sore,' she said, adding that a family friend who came to her aid thought she had 'walked into a horror film'.

'There was blood everywhere,' said Rosie.

'If I hadn't been wearing my riding hat, I would have been a lot more seriously injured, if not dead.

'I didn't always used to wear it when I was riding Luke, but I will from now on.

Doctors told the teenager she was lucky to be alive after the incident Her ordeal has not put Rosie off her dream of becoming a mounted police officer

'Amazing bond': The student, from South Wales, said she would 'never' let getting injured put her off riding

The student was taken to hospital by the friend of her mother's, where doctors stitched the muscles back together above her eye.

'I'm so lucky to have escaped with a cut to my head - once my stitches are out, I might need further plastic surgery on the scar, but the doctors are going to wait to see what it looks like,' the student said.

Despite her ordeal, Rosie said she is still determined to pursue her dream of becoming a mounted police officer.

The 18-year-old said she would 'never' let the risk of being injured put her off riding her beloved horse, and said she and Luke share an 'amazing bond'.

Rosie, who has been riding for four years, trained eight-year-old Luke herself - teaching him how to jump and perform complicated stunts.

And the student is already keen to get back in the saddle after her accident last Monday.

'I'm most upset that I can't see my horses for a week, because of the risk of infection,' she said.

'I love my horses and getting injured is a risk I have to take. I'd never let it put me off.

'I want to make everyone aware of how dangerous horses can be - they need to be respected,' the teenager said.

'I don't believe for a second that Luke would have ever meant to have hurt me. I've owned him for two years and we have an amazing bond.

'But it doesn't take much to frighten a horse, and they're flight animals - they kick out in fear or shock, not aggression.

'People need to understand how powerful they are.

'Luke very rarely refuses a jump, but on this occasion, I hadn't given him enough of a run up, and he just couldn't get over it. It wasn't his fault.

'I think my mum and dad worry about me, but I'll keep doing what I love.'

VIDEO: See the moment teenage rider Rose was kicked in the head

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKaVrMBwrdGtoJyklWJ%2FdHyUb21yZ4KkwKqxjIamq6yfo3qOu8yepa1lpJqyr63GnqlmppGnv7DDy7JknKCVlsG0ecOemK2gXZ28s7%2FEZqKim5uoeomRoH1kn5mcocBuv8eorqOtnaW2r7ONoaumpA%3D%3D