Suzanne's Story

Suzanne Cargill suffered traumatic injuries and was rendered immobile after falling from her horse when it was spooked suddenly by a pigeon.

“Unfortunately, I landed square on my hip,” Suzanne, 53, reflects. “As soon as I hit the ground, I knew something was really wrong. My whole pelvis area felt like a brick – I couldn’t move it.”

She had been competing in a local dressage competition near Montrose when her new horse Sonny leaped, propelling Suzanne into the air resulting in a fall of around five feet. Due to the nature of her injuries, SCAA airlifted Suzanne to the Major Trauma Centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in just 20 minutes.

As an experienced rider, Suzanne has been horse riding for over 40 years, and admits this was the worst injury she has sustained.

“Sonny had been acting nervous when we first arrived, but I managed to settle him down and he was behaving nicely,” Suzanne continues. “That was until this pigeon flew out from a hedge and almost hit him in the head.”

In the next moment, Suzanne was on the ground unable to move without excruciating pain.

A nurse and on-site vet came to her aid first, quickly calling for ambulance assistance. They were told an ambulance would be with them in 30-40 minutes.

Shortly after, Suzanne recalls hearing the sound of a helicopter approaching from the distance.

“When I heard the helicopter approaching, my first thought was of concern for the horses and how they would react,” she comments.

After being reassured by those at the event, Suzanne watched as the SCAA pilot landed Helimed79 in a field close to the arena.

Two SCAA paramedics attended to Suzanne, distributing a quick pain relief. Shortly thereafter, a land ambulance arrived on the scene.

“They put me flat on the ground to stabilise me before placing a pelvic brace around me…which was absolute agony,” Suzanne admits.

Having never set foot in a helicopter before, she grew anxious when being transferred into the air ambulance.

“I was soon relieved and amazed at how smooth the journey was, and I was grateful to the paramedics for communicating with me continuously through the headset,” Suzanne points out.

“I did have a feeling of dread regarding the landing, I was prepared for a jolt of pain when the helicopter was descending onto the hospital helipad, but then I was told we had already landed – and I didn’t feel a thing!”

After being assessed, she was informed she had sustained broken bones at the front and back of her pelvis with parts of the coccyx shattered, and a hematoma.

“When you fall that far, it’s not easy to recognise straight away the extent of your injuries,” Suzanne comments. “Which is why it’s important to get checked as quickly as possible.”

Two weeks after her injury, while recovering at home, Suzanne found the strength to come face to face with her three horses for the first time since her accident (pictured above).

“I’d like to thank the SCAA crew…I’m so grateful for their level of professionalism on the day – I was very well looked after and constantly reassured,” she says.

Suzanne has no doubts she will be getting back on the horse when she’s better recovered and built up her confidence.

Since her accident, she has supported SCAA in a number of ways. Suzanne and husband Robert recently visited our Aberdeen base to handover a cheque for £9,200 after the pair sold their Morris Minor car and donated the proceeds to support our service.