Ireland's number one Grand Prix rider Anna Merveldt got injured in a car accident in Milan, Italy, on 17 November 2011. The Italian based dressage rider got hit by another car while leaving her yard.
Her injury did not become apparent for ten days, when she was diagnosed with a broken rib below her left arm last Monday.
Unfortunately Anna's quest for Olympic dressage ranking points has now run into a problem after a personal best score and Irish all-time CDI record score of 75.72% in Vienna three weeks ago. Merveldt has been forced to withdraw from the CDI Salzburg, taking place this weekend
Doctors told her to stop riding because she is risking puncturing her lung. She will be out of action for at least a couple of weeks.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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