Yessin Rahmouni Injured in Riding Accident

Dressage

Morocco

Moroccan Olympian Yessin Rahmouni got injured in a riding accident on Friday 15 March 2024 which will keep him sidelined for a while.

Freak Accident

Rahmouni fell off a young horse that uncharacteristically spooked. He had to be brought to the local emergency room.

He was diagnosed with three fractured vertebrae in his neck. Fortunately the accident did not require him to be hospitalized. He has received a brace and was allowed to return home. He will have to refrain from riding for quite some time.

"I'm fine considering the circumstances. I was tremendously lucky," Yessin told Eurodressage. "It was in fact a very innocent fall of a super sweet and friendly horse. I fell really quickly and not hard, but I just made the wrong landing. It's purely bad luck. One wron step and I fell."

Yessin's 2024 Olympic campaign seems compromised by this freak accident, but the rider is hopeful for a swift recovery.

"I will get a new scan next week and will hear if I require surgery or not," Yessin explained. "The three fractures are quite complicated fractures, but I have good hope. I lie flat the entire day in a brace to heal and recover as well as and as fast as possible. I have full strength in my arms and legs."

Trailblazer

The Dutch born and based Rahmouni is a trailblazer for Moroccan dressage sport.

Rahmouni was given permission by his parents, who worked in a sewing workshop, to ride horses as long as he would also go to Islamic class. He earned some pocket money to pay for lessons by mucking stalls. He was initially taught by Tommie Visser before getting coached by Anky van Grunsven.

Yessin originally rode for The Netherlands until 2011. He switched to Morocco after meeting King Mohammed VI while jet-skiing on holiday in Tetouan. The king called his aunt, Princess Lalla Amina, who chaired the Moroccan Equestrian Federation. She bought Patrik Kittel's Floresco for Rahmouni to ride at the London Games, where he finished 49th. In 2021 he rode his second Olympics on Willeke Bos' stallion All at Once.

Rahmouni secured an individual starting place for Morocco at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.