Equestrian: Olympic prospects gloomy after horse's freak accident

LONDON - New Zealand Olympic equestrian team rider Daniel Jocelyn says he needs a miracle for his horse Silence to be fully fit for the Olympics after a fall last week.

Jocelyn, who has only the one horse for Sydney, is waiting for a report from an American veterinarian later this week which could decide his Olympic future.

Silence, with a fifth at Burghley and eighth at Badminton, was only 50m from his stable in England when he fell heavily on a concrete driveway last week.

"I was competing at a horse trial and my girlfriend stayed behind to work the horse," Jocelyn said.

The horse she was riding spooked as she was leading Silence, who got a fright and fell on his wither - the uppermost point of his shoulder.

"It was a freak accident," Jocelyn said.

"I am hopeful, but a miracle will have to happen. I am keeping my spirits up and doing all we can. We should know more in the next few days."

Jocelyn is one of five members of the New Zealand team. The others are Blyth Tait, Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson and Paul O'Brien.

Silence has never had an injury before and Jocelyn was not sure how quickly he would recover.

The horse has been x-rayed, and a split in his skin stitched. Jocelyn could tell the outlook was not good just by looking at the wound. "But I have to be hopeful. I wouldn't take a half-fit horse to Sydney."

Jocelyn said he had access to an equine pool, a walker and treadmill to get Silence fit if the horse could recover in time for Sydney.

He has another month before Silence is required to be quarantined for the trip.

Meanwhile, Nicholson has shaken off the effects of a knockout fall from one of his Olympic horses, New York, at the Armathaite Hall meeting.

Nicholson spent a night in hospital after being knocked unconscious by New York, who fell on him at a fence. The horse was not injured and is on target for the Olympics.

- NZPA

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 website