Again bad luck for Dutch chef d'equipe Tineke Bartels. On Sunday November 22, 2009, she fell off a youngster and fractured a vertebra in her spinal column.
Initially doctors thought she had bruised it, but after more research it showed that the vertebra was broken.
Bartels was riding the 5-year old Hunter Douglas Willow (by Floret As x Lux) when the accident happened. It was very windy that day and Tineke was on her way to the gallop track. While she was pushing the button of the automatic gate, the horse spooked and jumped round causing Tineke to fall off. The tumble was not very hard, but Tineke had a painful back afterwards and she felt urged to go to the doctor.
After a first examination and a round of X-rays doctors believed she had sprained the vertebra. There was a fracture on the X-ray but it was initially thought it was Tineke's old injury from a few years ago. Yesterday, however, a second examination showed it was fractured after all.
Tineke has to wear a neck brace again and has to rest for at least 10 weeks. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Photo © Barbara Schnell
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