Sophie Clifton....Update SHE'S HOME!!!!

[eggbutt]

This is a spinoff of the Dressage at Lex breed show thread...any update on Sophie other than she was airlifted to Roanoke Hospital?

[Hilltop Farm Inc]

Thank you to everyone whose been concerned about Sophie and asking about her. While I was not at Lexington, I was told about the accident. Sophie's been a good friend of mine for many years and I was able to speak with her yesterday. She's in a hospital in VA and at this point is waiting for a prognosis. I don't know a lot yet, but would be happy to gather up well-wishes to send along to her. I know she will appreciate all the thoughts and prayers.

Natalie DiBerardinis

[shea'smom]

Glad to hear that you were able to speak to her. Send her our best wishes.

[Edgewood]

Yes, Natalie, tell her that people are thinking about her and wishing her well wishes. How sad to go from the thrill of your horse winning the Grand Championship to being injured in a freak accident as you leave the arena. My best wishes to Sophie on a speedy and full recovery:yes:

[Marydell]

Sophie is my next door neighbor-literally.
I was not going to DAL this yr due to scheduled surgery but it had been cancelled. I recieved the call about Sophie about 10 minutes after the paramedics took over from Stacy and Bruce who were right there when it happened. We located her husband and Wendell and I started up the mountain to get to the showgrounds.

Many people stepped up Bob caught the loose mare, competitors took over the care of the mares and Amy made plans for Sophie's horsses to be shipped home comercially and stayed by her side.

From what I hear this morning, there is serious facial involvement and the full extent will not be know for a bit of time, while some of the swelling receeds. Sophie will be in the hospital for a while, either in VA or here in NC.

Please send jingles her way.

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[eggbutt]

THANK YOU for this update Maryanna and Natalie! PLEASE let Sophie know that so many people she knows and many, many more she doesn't know are praying very hard for her speedy recovery. The good news I'm reading in these posts is she was conscious and able to talk. Prayer DOES work wonders and she has my continued prayers until I hear she's home doing well on her on.

Yes, Maryanna is so right....breed shows can be very dangerous. Just a couple of years ago I was handing out the ribbons at the Breed Show in Raleigh when the horse swung around and kicked me in the shoulder and left arm, flinging me across the arena. (Those of you who know me know that was no small feat in itself!!) but I ended up with only several bad bruises. I immediately thought of that incident when I heard about Sophie and once again realized how very, very lucky I was that day that my neck and head hadn't been a fraction of an inch to the left. Accidents like this can happen in the blink of an eye.

Prayers and jingles for Sophie!

[Indy-lou]

My thoughts and prayers to Sophie for a full recovery.

[cottagefarm]

I don't know Sophie but prayers and well wishes for her recovery.

[VirginiaBred]

I don't know Sophie but prayers and well wishes for her recovery.


WSS!!!

[TKR]

Jingles and prayers for a full recovery for Sophie -- and a congratulations to her for the win in spite of the negative incident afterwards!
PennyG

[pixieplus]

unfortunate. perhaps time to finally change careers...

[showjumpers66]

pixieplus, why would you say that? Anything with horses can be dangerous.

[Tiki]

I don't know Sophie either, but in 2001 I received a life changing kick that resulted in 3 separate surgeries. The first to try to repair an ulna and radius that had been shattered and turned to dust for about 2 inches, mid-shaft. Amazingly, with that amount of damage, the skin was not broken. I had two plates and a whole bunch of pins put in my arm. They never did find enough pieces to put the ulna back together and the 2nd surgery, about a year and a half later was to do a bone graft. The third was to take out the plate and screws on the ulna and they wound up causing their own problems. I still have some decreased range of motion.

A few years ago at the breed show at DAD we all heard a great 'CRACK'. A girl handling a mare was walking up to the line to receive a ribbon and a mare she was crossing behind took exception to someone (in her mind) coming too close to her foal and lashed out and snapped the handler's humerus. Off to the hospital she went.

A working student at Hilltop a few years ago had finished her term and stayed on to watch the inspection. She was helping out and holding a colt who was having his picture taken. He struck out - higher than you could imagine a weanling colt could reach and smashed her in the mouth.

Prayers for Sophie for a full and speedy recovery!

[Tiki]

unfortunate. perhaps time to finally change careers... Pixieplus - that was rather rude!! :confused:

[pixieplus]

no, for me.


this stuff is just too dangerous. i think that I as well as others are getting too old for this. good thing there is health insurance, though. (i HOPE she has it!)


it was a good thing that this happened someplace that is well-populated. had this happened at some isolated little farm, things would be worse. we should be thankful we are in an age where horse shows have medical people and whatever on site.

does anyone know if this was her horse that did this? any idea what sparked this whole incident?

this is probably going to be a big mess for her and her family to deal with for some time to come.

[Tornado Run Farm]

Continued prayers for Sophie!!!


no, for me. this stuff is just too dangerous. i think that I as well as others are getting too old for this.

Pixieplus - I think I'm one of the "others" you mentioned. I don't know if it's slower reflexes with age or what, but I've had my worst injuries in the last several years - all from kicks. I was kicked in the head, and was lucky to only get 40 stitches and nerve damage in my forehead. A couple years after that my forearm was shattered in a way that Tiki described, also resulting in a couple surgeries and bone grafts from my hip. The year after that surgery, my OTHER forearm was kicked and shattered - also resulting in a surgery. So I have rods, pins and screws for both forearms now, and oh yes, a deep "wrinkle" across my forehead that I definitely didn't need. :no:

With my many "accidents" in such a relative small expanse of time, it has made me do a lot of soul searching, too - when is enough, enough?

[Marydell]

Please consider how your written words may be interperted.

Yes, this was Sophie's own horse. A mare that she rides in the 4 yr old FEI Young Horse classes successfully.

The atmosphere at breed shows is electric to say the least. Small enclosed spaces waiting for your turn to go into the ring, whips cracking( which in this case is desirable for the best in hand performance), mares reacting to strange people and horses coming near their foals, young stallions, from 2 yr old and up, around mares with foals. All of this is an accident waiting to happen.

If I am correct, last year was the first year since I have been going to DAD that someone was not taken to a hospital from a kick during the breed classes. And I have been going since 1990

A breed show is the MOST dangerous place to compete. But also the best training oppertunity a young horse will get to prepare it for it's life under saddle.

I get so annoyed at people who disount in hand show records as "beauty pagents"

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[pixieplus]

Continued prayers for Sophie!!!

With my many "accidents" in such a relative small expanse of time, it has made me do a lot of soul searching, too - when is enough, enough?

i reckon it's just a natural side effect of aging. older, wiser, but a little slower! lol. i guess you never expect it to happen to YOU. i've had a few accidents like described above, and I have, lately, been considering switching to something with safer activities, safer venues and "safer" horses...

[acottongim]

Please consider how your written words may be interperted.

Yes, this was Sophie's own horse. A mare that she rides in the 4 yr old FEI Young Horse classes successfully.

The atmosphere at breed shows is electric to say the least. Small enclosed spaces waiting for your turn to go into the ring, whips cracking( which in this case is desirable for the best in hand performance), mares reacting to strange people and horses coming near their foals, young stallions, from 2 yr old and up, around mares with foals. All of this is an accident waiting to happen.

If I am correct, last year was the first year since I have been going to DAD that someone was not taken to a hospital from a kick during the breed classes. And I have been going since 1990

A breed show is the MOST dangerous place to compete. But also the best training oppertunity a young horse will get to prepare it for it's life under saddle.

I get so annoyed at people who disount in hand show records as "beauty pagents"

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com (http://www.marydellfarm.com)
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

Amen Maryanna. You forgot to mention the young horses that are also there that are NOT properly handled and on the verge of being uncontrolled (there is always at least one LOL).

The fact that my young horses learn so much about showing and manners at shows and how to handle it all is the main/sole reason I take my youngsters to the in hand shows.

Jingles to the woman that was injured. I recently had a youngster hit me in the face with his head and had a blow out fracture. that was bad enough, I can't imagine the injuires/pain she must be in with a KICK to the face.

[eggbutt]

Sophie Pirie Clifton, NC

http://www.equestrianeducation.org/images/sophie_pirie_clifton.jpg Sophie H. Pirie Clifton, a former professor at Stanford Law School, is a graduate "A" member of the U.S. Pony Clubs, member of the winning 1979 North American Young Rider's 3- Day Championships Team and an USDF bronze and silver medalist. She grew up competing in eventing, dressage and on the "A" show circuit. Starting in 1973, she has taught these disciplines throughout the USA and overseas in such countries as Australia, Thailand and South Africa. She now trains event and dressage horses up through the FEI levels, one of which she developed under Jill Hassler Scoop's guidance from when he was a barely started 4 year old stud, first as an event horse and then as an FEI dressage horse.

In addition to giving regular clinics throughout the U.S. and internationally, Sophie spent the last 10 years teaching a select group of students and other trainers from her base in Bozeman, Montana. In the autumn of 2007, she founded her own training center at Blue Moon Farm in Tryon, North Carolina. In addition to teaching regular lessons, Blue Moon Farm accepts a limited number of horses in training and welcomes students to come with their horses for intensive training focused on both the classical -- technical and gymnastic -- training of horse and rider and on balanced movement and functionality for the rider through individualized exercises based on GYROTONIC™, Balimo™, and Functional Anatomy.

Related activities include serving on the on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource and on the U.S. Pony Clubs Board of Governors. Sophie is also certified to teach GYROTONIC™ and GYROKINESIS™, a body motion system well known in Germany and increasingly available in the USA, that she integrates into her own riding and teaching, along with the work she has done with Clete Linebarger, DCM (EES Workshop Faculty) over the last decade.

Sophie has always been involved in teaching and educational program design, even when in academia. The hallmarks of her teaching are her highly individualized approach to each horse and rider and her emphasis on interdisciplinary integration as one of the most powerful tools for creative problem solving. Because many of today's riders did not grow up, like she did, riding before they could walk, experiencing all aspects of horsemanship and riding multiple disciplines as an integral part of learning to ride, they often face special physical and/or psychological challenges. Sophie believes that Balimo™'s interdisciplinary focus on how people learn balance and movement patterns offers both riders and instructors useful tools for making significant and sustained progress in meeting riding and training goals.

Sophie is faculty member for DL & Advisor to EES

[Tiki]

The atmosphere at Breed Shows can indeed be frantic and dangerous. I went to the breed show at Lexington probably in 1997 with a yearling filly. I don't know if they've changed anything there, but I was so nervous and frightened in the holding area for the indoor arena I swore I'd never go back. You have to remember that at a breed show, as opposed to a performance show, a great many of the mares are professional broodmares and may never have been ridden. Obviously, none of the youngsters have been trained - other than in-hand, and you have young stallions who have hormones raging with all the broodmares and babies around and many of them have never been ridden (yet) either. At the breed show in Lexington, EVERYONE was in that small warmup/holding space at once!!!!

Dressage at Devon has taken extraordinary means in the past few years to improve safety. There are completely separate warm-up areas for females (mares and fillies, including colts at Mom's side) and males (stallions, colts and geldings) and they are absolutely NOT allowed to cross each other's areas and there are stewards and monitors to make sure they don't. If at all possible, in the Dixon arena, they have separate entrances and exits so the horses don't meet and clash at the in-gate.

You always, anyway, have the possibility to have problems at a breed show with mares worried about foals, youngsters becoming frightened, etc. and the occassional stallion bucking off it's rider warming up for the performance show and jumping into a mare and foal class (it happened!!), but they have taken great strides to improve people's awareness and to improve safety and I applaud them for that. Even at that, things happen, but they have taken steps to minimize that.

Morven Park has much smaller numbers and it doesn't seem to be that much of a problem there.

Has Lexington (or other breed shows) taken similar steps?

[talloaks]

Poor Sophie, our thoughts and prayers are with her for a complete and speedy recovery.

[SCFHan]

Thank you all for the updates. My husband and I are both nurses who happened to be there and helped to stablize Sophie before the paramedics arrived. I have not stopped thinking about and praying for her since then! Sophie's strong spirit was evident as we helped out and I am sure that will help her to a faster recovery then the average person!

Well wishes to her and her family! May she be out riding again soon!

[DownYonder]

Many jingles for her speedy recovery.

A friend had her face split open some years back from a kick to the mouth. Her lower jaw was fractured clean through and her upper jaw also fractured (although not all the way). She lost most of her front teeth and her jaw had to be pinned and wired together, but she is fine now - still riding 5-6 horses a day. You can see the scar on her chin if you really look for it, but she looks perfectly normal otherwise.

[Bogey2]

jingles for Sophie. I have a LOT of respect for those of you who handle the breeding and breed shows!

[kokoda]

What a dreadful accident. May she have a complete and rapid recovery. Many jingles ... and well wishes!

[Marydell]

Just heard from another neighbor( an ortho surgeon himself) that Sophie was out of bed today!!!! This is very encouraging.
Sounds like she is scheduled for surgery this coming Thursday.

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[eggbutt]

Maryanna, that is GREAT NEWS! How wonderful! Thank you for the update.

BTW, did her horses get home safely? Do they need any help at her barn while she mends?

Prayers still being directedly strongly in her direction.

Sandie

[flyinghorse]

All our Best To Sophie! Hope she continues to improve, and jingles for her upcoming surgery!

Horses are BIG dangerous animals. Those of us who love them take a chance every day. Here's hoping for a typical horse person's speedy recovery!

www.emeraldspringequestrian.com

[Marydell]

The mares are back home in their pastures. Eric seems to have everything under control.
He knows all the neighbors' numbers and will call if he needs anything.

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[sid]

Jimgles from LBRF as well.

This is a reminder that this kind of thing can happen at any time. Sophie is obviously a woman with vast experience, yet the "freak" thing happened.

Showing in hand may be looked at as a "patsy" showing venue, but the dangers are far greater than being on top.

As I recall having read some years ago, the majority of injuries to humans who deal with horses are on the ground...not u/s. I think a COTH "poll" may be in order..;)

Even the best trained horse on the ground can react negatively to outside influences, no matter how well it has been trained.

Years ago, when I showed my youngsters in hand, they were superb..often stepping out of the trailer in the dark, walking around a spooky show ground yet being so compliant and trusting. Of course, they were completely handled from birth, trusting, aware of space and were prepared for the "triangle". New things, they might side step...but with a stroke on the neck they were fine. It was good for them.

Yet, the ONLY time they acted out was in the warmup holding area when some stupid person was whacking the crap out of a nearby horse (believing that might settle is down or they might get more control..NOT! :no:)...and THAT horse's reaction and the sound of the whip startled my own horse.

They regained their composure, but often it's the others who are oblivious as to their actions that can cause even the best horse near by to freak out.

This woman was a pro. What happened here is an important reminder that anything can happen at any time due to outside influences.

My best to Sophie for a speedy recovery!

[copper bay farm]

By far some of the worst accidents I have seen have been either in the breed ring - including a handler in the oval at Devon having their leg broke (I think, maybe in 99 or 2000) by an errant kick from another horse, or when handling/turning out or loading young horses - two people I know spent time in ICU after kicks hard enough to bruise their kidney or damage their liver. If we are lucky enough to dodge all those close calls.... I can think of a few myself where a couple of inches made all the difference and I consider all of my horses to be fairly well tempered... accidents can happen to any of us.

Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery for Sophie!

[Fairview Horse Center]

THAT horse's reaction and the sound of the whip startled my own horse.

They regained their composure, but often it's the others who are oblivious as to their actions that can cause even the best horse near by to freak out.


With the babies, what also really scares them is seeing a horse under saddle coming right at them in extended canter in the schooling ring, not having a clue that it will turn when it gets to the tiny little white fence. I have been run over a few times by a baby/yearling terrified of that.

Good to hear she is up and doing well. Sending prayers for fast healing.

[CapitolDesign]

I do not know Sophie, but we were at the dressage show that weekend and someone came out of the indoor looking like they had seen a ghost. All they could say was "its terrible!" and we later found out Sophie had been kicked in the face. From the gossip that was going around the show, it sounds like she smashed her face up very seriously from the kick... though please don't take my word for it.

In that instance, we all wished we could help, but staying out of the way and letting the ambulance in was the most we could do.

I wish her the very best and hope for a speedy recovery. You never know what can happen with horses and that indoor was causing problems all weekend with the dressage classes as well. They did not post the horses that were excused, but I had at least 3 in my class and every one of my students had a very hard time inside.

[Home Again Farm]

Many, many jingles for Sophie. :yes:

I agree with those who feel that the holding area can be tremendously dangerous at breed shows. All too often the person coming out of the ring stops to chat with friends at the same time that the next person is hurrying to enter. Sometimes when the entering horse passes behind the chatting pair, things can suddenly go wrong.

Anytime you have a concentrated number of young horses, broodies, stallions, young mares in a small space things can go badly wrong.

In 1998 I broke my shoulder when an older broodie ran my young Rubinstein mare out of her space. I was caught between a wall of the barn, a wheelbarrow and an electrified cross fence. Rubi knocked me down and I hit a railroad tie that was erosion prevention on the cross fence. As she jumped over me, for the briefest second I felt a front hoof between my shoulder blades and said my goodbye to the world. Happily that sweet mare (who meant me no harm but was staying out of an alpha mare's space) picked that hoof back up and jumped over me. Otherwise I'd be long gone.

Bottom line, horses are dangerous creatures, even the best behaved of them.

[kokoda]

Any updates on Sophie's condition?

[Marydell]

Just heard that Sophie had her surgery this morning and is in recovery. Plans to come home tomorrow!!

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[YankeeLawyer]

Just heard that Sophie had her surgery this morning and is in recovery. Plans to come home tomorrow!!

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

That is fantastic news!!!! I hope she makes a very speedy recovery!

[Fairview Horse Center]

WOW! Excellent! Hope her recovery goes smoothly.

[eggbutt]

Prayers are answered! Thank you Maryanna! What great, great news!!!!!!!

[tuppysmom]

Please give her our best. We are thinking of her out here in the west.

[Lesley Feakins]

I don't know Sophie but so pleased to hear positive news and wish her all the best in her recovery.

As for showing in breed shows and handling youngsters...it only takes a momentary lapse in focus from either the handler or the horse for an incident to happen in a blink of an eye.
I handle youngsters all day, every day and you really have to be on your game all of the time and yet incidents can still occur.

[Oakstable]

Were paramedics on the grounds?

Ditto on horses being unpredictable. Probably most of us in these forums have been flattened.

The other day the trainer here was taking a young horse through the gate of the round pen to put him away. This horse is dead quiet, acts like a pensioner sometimes. Something spooked the horse after he left the gate and he mowed into the trainer who was unfortunately walking in front of him. The guy hit the dirt, face down, nothing broken fortunately. I was right there and saw and heard nothing that sent that horse into flight.

We don't have a breed show circuit but I can well imagine how electric the atmosphere is at those in-hand shows. I hope paramedics are on site and not just on call.

All the best for Sophie's healing.

[talloaks]

Bumping up for news on Sophie and at the same time sending her plenty of healing wishes!

[Marydell]

Just spoke with Eric and Sophie is at home.
She apparently is horseworman through and through--went out today for a walk to the barn.

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

[YankeeLawyer]

Just spoke with Eric and Sophie is at home.
She apparently is horseworman through and through--went out today for a walk to the barn.

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!

Wow, that is a miracle! Continued best wishes for a very speedy recovery!

[Indy-lou]

Sophie, thinking of you, and wishing you a speedy, pain free recovery.

[DownYonder]

Glad to hear she is home and feeling spunky enough to walk through the barn. Best wishes for her continued recovery.

[eggbutt]

Were paramedics on the grounds?



For this level show, EMTs are required to be on the grounds before the show can begin and stay until the last class is over.

[Peg]

Good news. I'm glad she is feeling better. Peg

[SCFHan]

SO glad to hear you are doing well Sophie! I knew it would not be long before you where back at the barn. My husband and where two of the people at the show that helped out until the paramedics arrived and you where fiesty and ready to get up even then!!

Best wishes and speedy recovery to you!