Young rider waits hours for ambulance after fall from horse

A young horse rider waited nine hours for an ambulance after falling from the horse she was riding at her college in Wales.

16-year-old student, Amy Wells fell when the mare became spooked while riding in the arena at Coleg Gwent Equestrian Centre. She then waited for hours, in agony, before being taken to hospital for treatment on Wednesday 8th September.

Following the fall Amy was unable to stand as she felt immense pain to the left side of her back. The college staff were able to assist in keeping her on the ground, warm while they waited anxiously for an ambulance to arrive. In the meantime Amy’s mother, Helen Knowles, rushed to be at her side.

The fall happened around 10am in the morning, and after a reported 10 times of calling for an update, it was 7pm by the time the emergency services arrived. The medical team then took Amy to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where scans later showed there was bruising to her back, elbow, shoulder and a small laceration to her spleen.

There was an added health concern as Amy was born with a duplex kidney which makes her susceptible to infections. Fortunately, the hospital confirmed surgery was not required.

Helen has praised the college for their response and commitment to Amy’s welfare since the accident. Amy remains at home to recover despite being eager to return to riding, alongside her normal every day life.

According to WalesOnline, Welsh Ambulance Service locality manager, Alison Woodyatt said “At the time of this incident we were in a period of very high demand and faced with several ‘red’ calls combined with resources being delayed in handing patients over to hospitals in the area.”

The statement continued:

“We apologise sincerely for the distress this delay would have caused and thank those who supported Amy in this situation.”

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Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.