The Day Jessica’s Life Changed
On December 13, 2024 my life changed and the aftermath of it all means a long personal recovery for me, and experiencing first hand a system that is broken for horse riders. I don’t say that lightly but the facts speak for themselves.
Jessica and her much loved horse.
On late Friday afternoon my friend and I were riding our horses on a stretch of road we ride regularly. It’s a rural road in Timaru and part of a block we exercise our horses on.
“We were walking single file when a combine harvester came around the corner. It was travelling fast so we signalled to it to slow down. ”
My horse got a fright and moved onto the road, my friends horse too. My horse spun around. The harvester continued past us and my horse ran. The last thing I remember is her bucking.
The rest I’ve been told by my friend. She found me unconscious on the side of the road. She made a decision to quickly catch my horse which had stopped down the road. She got back to me and called emergency services and stayed with me.
The combine harvester had gone.
Police managed traffic cordons while the Ambulance staff attended to me. I was taken to Timaru Hospital. My face was a mess, my wrist broken, my head impacted and I learned I’d sustained a concussion. I was on an IV drip for days as nausea prevented me from wanting to eat and drink. I was discharged to my home 7 days later.
During my stay in hospital I had a message and later a phone call from Julia at PWASNZ. She’d been told what had happened and was genuinely concerned for me. She asked if Police had spoken to me or my friend. “No”. She encouraged me to report the incident on the 105 number. I did with the support of a friend at my hospital bed. Days later there was no response so PWASNZ encouraged me to do it online. I did.
Julia and I stayed in touch over Christmas and the New Year and she encouraged me to see the Doctor when I got sick with vertigo.
On the 15 January, 2025 Julia asked for my permission to call NZ Police on my behalf. I said yes as I was tired. Julia called the 105 and was told to make a dissatisfaction complaint using the online system. She wrote my story and asked police to get in touch with me to make a formal report.
On the 20 January we had heard nothing and Julia wrote to the Independent Police Complaints Authority with my permission. We submitted the facts and photos of my injuries. That same day Timaru Police emailed acknowledging the 15 January dissatisfaction complaint and said it would get it touch with me. An officer did. He took the details and indicated NZ Police would like to try to locate the driver.
For me, I need to focus on my recovery and attend physio and the Concussion Clinic. The doctor told me I shouldn’t ride for a year while the physio says otherwise. Either way I have lost my confidence and have decided to take a break for as long as it takes me to feel like I can ride again. This makes me angry too.
“One persons actions and choices have forced me to completely rethink how I can live my life safely. And no accountability or follow-up with the driver makes me feel worthless.”
But I know I’m not worthless and I appreciate the support of the PWASNZ team. As riders we must standup together for our right to be respected and protected by the law on our roads.
Jessica
Written with the support of PWASNZ.