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My worst injury

30th September 2024

Amateur Jockey, Point-to-Point Trainer and Racing Groom, Ben Furnival, tells us about his worst injury...

“I did a lot of team chasing before it was quite as mainstream as it is now. Looking back to when I was injured; I was riding a novice horse for a friend, I had ridden him hundreds of times before.

The horse was jumping horrifically, which is ironic as he'd completed the Grand National two or three times in a previous life!

Fence 8 on the Fernie Novice was downhill through a bit of a gap to a log, two strides, and a palisade. The lead horse jumped in on the left, I jumped in half a length down in the middle, and the third horse jumped in a length down on my right, we were all very close together.

The lead horse jumped out, my horse slammed on the brakes and the third horse kept going. My stationary leg vs a size 11 foot and stirrup travelling at speed was not a fair fight! You know when you get a belt off a mains electric fence? It was like that but in the middle of my shin bone!

My horse then had the decency to jump the palisade. I plopped off and lay there for a moment assessing my many flawed life choices. I convinced myself I was just being soft and to get up because I had to ride in the open later on. I realised quite quickly that I was not just being soft!

I ended up in Leicester Royal Infirmary having an intramedullary rod hammered straight through the centre of my shin. I recommend avoiding this if at all possible!

It was quite a severe break, and the healing process took a long time. I was officially signed off for five and a half months. I had never thought about having an accident, so I wasn’t insured at the time.

I had a small amount of compensation for my week in the hospital from some private medical care my wife has through work. I then had to sell any horses I owned to help me financially.

I had a few horses with me being broken that I sent home so that brought a bit of money in too. Other than that, I was doing driving jobs taking horses to the races until I was signed back on to ride out again.

I took a horse named Signore Piccolo to Leicester eight weeks after breaking my leg. He was a saint until it was time to get the jockey on, and he became a whirling dervish.
We got the jockey on and going in the right direction and I was leaning over the rails about to cry or be sick because my leg hurt so much.

Although it wouldn't have made my leg any less painful, having income protection would have seriously eased the pressure of that time. Now I know better and have insurance through the BGA!"

Accidents happen to the best of us, and usually least when we expect. 

 

Are you insured?

BGA membership is for all grooms. The BGA Membership Personal Accident Insurances (Bronze, Silver and Platinum) and the Freelance Groom Liability Insurance covers all professional grooms, it makes no difference what you do.

Belong to your professional association JOIN NOW.

BGA MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

 



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What the personal accident policy covers you for:

  • Whilst at work
  • All stable duties – mucking out, grooming, washing off, turning out
  • Clipping
  • Riding – including hacking and jumping
  • Hunting
  • Lunging
  • Breaking in
  • Holding horse for a vet and other procedures
  • Travelling horses both in the UK and abroad
  • Competing in line with your job including: jumping, dressage, eventing
  • Injuries that may happen to you whilst you are teaching - but you must also be grooming as part of your duties and not be a sole instructor

What the personal accident policy doesn’t cover you for:

  • Riding in a race, point to point or team chase
  • Stunt Riding
  • Accidents occurring whilst travelling to and from work
  • Riding and competing your own horse (but you can upgrade when applying for membership to include this)
  • Public Liability – this is a separate insurance policy - the Freelance Groom Liability Insurance
  • Care Custody and Control – this is a separate policy - the Freelance Groom Liability Insurance

If you require additional cover then please contact KBIS directly.

   GROOM  RIDER  EMPLOYER

When you are working for other people you do most of the following; muck out, turn out/catch in, tack up, groom horses, exercise Horses (including hacking, jumping and schooling), in the care of your employer/client.

 
YES

 
NO

 
NO

Predominantly ride horses for other people including schooling, exercising and competing.   
NO
 
YES

YES
 Provide grooming services for someone else either full time or on a freelance basis i.e. an employer or a client.   
YES

NO

NO
Employ staff – have an employers liability policy in your name NO NO YES
Buy and sell horses NO YES YES