Belgian Young Rider Jette de Jong Injured in Riding Accident

Dressage

Belgium

Belgian young rider team member Jette de Jong has been injured in a riding accident on Thursday 27 July 2023. She went to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with several injuries.

Freak Accident

"During riding my horse stumbled, I don't exactly remember what happened," Jette told Eurodressage. "I ended up under my horse with my upper body and my helmet broken. I took my helmet off, untacked my horse and was driven to the hospital."

In the local hospital the 19-year old De Jong was diagnosed with a concussion and bruised ribs. "Fortunately nothing more, but I have to watch out for bleedings they told me," Jette stated.

Jette mentioned that the riding accident happened on the "sweetest horse. One misstep and it's done. An accident can just be around the corner. I was so fortunate to have worn my helmet." On Instagram Jette joked, "luckily a small head injury, bruised ribs and a good headache," but also warned her readers and fans about the dangers of a concussion.

Slow Recovery

Four days into her recovery, Jette is home and slowly around horses again although she has to take it easy.

Jette with the broken helmet that saved her life

"My ribs still hurt a lot, on the left side my ribs are bruised in front and behind, and on the right side they were pushed back and that hurts the most now as they have pushed against my liver," Jette explained. "My left eye sight is sometimes blurry but improving. I'm taking it very easy, do a little around the horses, but can't do much as I have to prevent internal bleeding from happening."

She added,"I was very lucky. In the hospital they said that I wouldn't have made it if I hadn't wore my helped as my skull would have been seriously broken. Fortunately I was only there for a few hours and was allowed to go home on the condition to rest, not to sleep too deeply and definitely not to ride horses. With time all will be well."

De Jong is a five-time Belgian youth champion, having won the title with her pony Ico van de Beekerheide once as well as four times on the 11-year old KWPN gelding Heavenly Charming (by Charmeur x United), three times as a junior and once as a young rider. This year she was 9th with the team at the 2023 European Young Riders Championships, in 2022 she was 18th in the Kur Finals at the Europeans in Hartpury. She trains with her mother Marielle Hoefsmit and Anky van Grunsven

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