Saturday at the horse show in Oklahoma City, many people’s worst nightmare came true for Anne Marie Bennett. Bennett was thrown from her horse and sustained major injuries and will undergo surgery Friday. GoHorseShow.com spoke with her the day before she is to be admitted to the hospital. While maintaining a very positive outlook, she credits her family of horse show friends and the horse community for getting her through the devastating accident.
GHS: So Anne Marie, please explain how the accident happened.
We were warming up for our first hunter hack class at the Oklahoma Spring Show and we had already jumped down the line once. Jerry (Erickson) wanted me to try it one more time. We were being very cautious because I had just started jumping Wyatt; it was just his second hunter hack show. It was very crowded in the pen and people were calling their way into the line. I was about three strides behind the girl in front of me and when I landed off the second jump I saw her horse fall down to his knees and then flip to his side. I was still releasing over the jump and my forward momentum was not prepared for the spook and duck that my horse did to avoid the wreck. I came off on my back a few feet from the jump and that’s when I heard my back crack.
GHS: What do you remember after you hit the ground?
I saw a few horses running around besides mine and that’s when I knew it was quite the disaster. I knew I was hurt, but I thought I was okay because the wind was not knocked out of me and I was still conscious. However, my back immediately seized up and I started dripping sweat from my face.
GHS: Did the ambulance come?
Yes, they called ambulances and since I was able to walk out of the ring I thought I was going to be okay. My little brother Michael was up visiting from OSU and I thought if I really needed to go to the hospital, he could take me. The other girl whose horse had fallen down was in bad shape. It turns out she had been run over by another horse which broke her ribs and punctured her lungs which caused internal bleeding. I felt terrible for her, and of course my injury seemed a lot less severe, so I sat it out thinking I might be able to get back on. I really wanted to show and it was my first class. I had been at the show for a few days getting ready, and I was ready to show!
GHS: So you didn’t want to go to the hospital?
No, I didn’t. I sat with ice packs on my back and my hunter friends started to try to talk me into going to the hospital. They knew I was stubborn and even though I refused the ambulance, my friends insisted I go to the hospital. Lainie DeBoer, Brad Foss, Ryan Painter, Jerry Erickson, Paula Pray, Claudette Sowers and the show staff were angels in disguise. I cannot imagine if I were at a show where I did not know anyone. I do this frequently and I would have been in big trouble if they hadn’t been there watching out for me. So I went to the hospital and all my horse show friends immediately took care of my horse, unbraided him, fed him, watered him and took care of my dogs.
GHS: What happened at the hospital?
My good friend Evie Sibert and my brother took me to the emergency room. It was awful. I sat for two hours crying and in the most terrible pain. I was thinking I just had a jammed back and I now regretted that I hadn’t taken the ambulance so I could have gotten to the hospital faster.
GHS: What did the doctor in Oklahoma City tell you?
They took an x-ray and told me I had a broken back. Then they did a CAT scan and it showed bone fragment pushing up my spinal canal which could cause paralysis. Next, I was transported to Baptist Medical at about midnight, where I stayed overnight for two nights. I saw a doctor who gave me the go-ahead to go home with a brace. I just knew this could not be right and I wanted to see my Dad’s specialist, Dr. Bill Reed in Kansas City for a second opinion. The next day my Dad flew and got me. My sister Natalie and mother drove down to get my dogs and haul my horse home. What a pain in the rear for everyone in my family! I have never really thought about the fact that when you get hurt, and you are miles away, who is going to help you? It is wonderful to have such a great family and friends as mine.
GHS: What did the Kansas City specialist tell you?
He told me that my Lumbar 1 is burst and I am having surgery tomorrow (Friday). If I were to let it heal naturally, like the second doctor in Oklahoma City told me, I would have paralysis in my legs.
GHS: You’ve had some time to reflect since the accident. What are your thoughts right now?
When lying in the hospital bed in Oklahoma City, I thought about sending my horse to a trainer. Up until that day, I had done most the work with him at home. Since I was so close to Texas where most of my friends are, it would have been the smart thing to do, but the doctor in OKC told me I was going to be okay, maybe six weeks recovery, so I decided to take him home. After meeting with the Kansas City specialist and finding out I needed surgery, Wyatt left this morning for Texas. With the recommendation of my best friend Angela Fox and some of my past trainers Ryan Painter and Jerry Erickson, I am sending him to Jan Hoskins in Whitesboro. I am excited for his new education but I’m going to miss him terribly since he has been in my back yard since the day he was born. But I realize he needs to be doing something while I am healing.
GHS: What does the future look like for you?
I have always prided myself on being a weekend warrior. Not having a huge budget to horse show with, I learn the most that I can from the tips I get from nice trainers at horse shows, weekend lessons, and I practice hard every night at home after work. I have always loved the freedom to be able to pack up your rig and hit the open country going wherever the horse show schedule takes you. After this experience, I will pick my trips more carefully. I will always make sure I know a few people at the show. Always let your family know where you are going and check in with your loved ones. Everyone has a busy life, but when things like this happen, it all comes to a screeching halt.
GHS: It sounds like the accident has forced you to put things in perspective, hasn’t it?
Definitely. I would really like to thank everyone who helped me that day. My family of horse show friends were wonderful. There is nothing scarier than being 500 miles from home with a horse, two dogs, and by yourself, and you can barely stand up. What do you do? Horse show friends are the best and I can’t wait to see everyone again when I am all healed up.
GHS: Thank you Anne Marie. Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.
Please feel free to leave Anne Marie get-well wishes in the comments section below.
