It started as any other planned fun day out with friends horse trekking in the Porangahau fields of New Zealand. I consider horse trekking to be the least risky of horse activities, but was later reminded otherwise as my friends beacon would ultimately save my life.

I’d spent the previous day and that morning telling everyone how lucky I felt to have recently purchased such a lovely, quiet horse. I have ridden all my life, but being a mature rider now, safety is more important than looking ‘cool’.

It was just after lunch when we stopped for a break, everyone was chatting and relaxing on their horses. I was so confident on my new, quiet horse. I had my reins hung over the saddle, so I was totally unprepared when we both catapulted skyward!

Even though this new horse is quiet, he is still relatively young at 6 years old. There were a lot of bees in the area, so I suspect a bee sting may have set him off. The initial surge was followed by several full-blown bucks, which I thought I stayed on pretty well – considering I had no reins – but the ground inevitably came to get me.

Brett and his group horse trekking in New Zealand

I’ve had a few falls over the years off horses, so I knew to expect the initial pain and shock of hitting the ground, then usually you just lie for a minute or two after being winded and get back on your horse.

The pain didn’t go away, only intensified, and it was agony to breathe.

I knew I had done something more severe than just being winded. It turned out to be three broken ribs and a vertebrae. It hurt like hell to breathe or move… or not to move. The two ladies, holding each of my hands, suggested deep breathing as the waves of pain came. I am pretty sure it worked. The three of us in unison must have sounded like a maternity ward.

Through all of this, I knew a friend in the group had set off their ResQLink VIEW RLS PLB, and help was on its way. (Thank goodness Brett had one)

The 40 minutes it took for the helicopter seemed like an eternity, but I knew they were coming, and I am so grateful. Later, lying in my hospital bed for 4 days, sucking on a morphine pump, I contemplated what had happened – what if the helicopter couldn’t have come?… How would they have gotten me out of there? And how long would it have taken? I dread to think. The beacon really did save my life. Again, I am so immensely grateful for that service.

THANK YOU x