26-06-2025
Scots mum had broken face 'pieced back together' after horror horse riding accident
Jennifer Landale, 31, had been helping a friend break in a young horse when she suffered a terrifying fall.
A Scots mum had her face "put back together" after a horror horse riding accident.
Jennifer Landale, 31, had been helping a friend break in a young horse at a farm near Huntly in Aberdeenshire when the freak incident took place in May 2021.
She was thrown from the horse before the animal galloped away - dragging Jennifer by the reins along the ground.
Jennifer was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) after suffering facial injuries so severe, her face had been "pushed back into her head".
She said: "I fell to the side and mistakenly held onto the reins… I should have just let go.
"I started to get dragged and was caught in the face with his back hoof. I wasn't aware of what had actually hit me, but my face took the extent of the force.'
Her friend Helen was horrified to witness the accident unfold which left the mum with a broken jaw, eye socket, cheekbones and a fractured neck.
Due to the possibility of brain damage, and the uncertainty of whether her condition would deteriorate, Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) professionals travelled with Jennifer, constantly monitoring her.
She underwent a gruelling 12-hour operation to reconstruct her face.
Jennifer said: "My face had been pushed back into my head.
"I knew my jaw was broken because I could feel it loose and moving around. I didn't realise what I had done to the rest of my face.
"I broke my top jaw, eye socket, and cheekbones were broken, and I had a fracture in my neck.
"The main concern was my right eye which was swollen shut and there was worry about the pressure on the optic nerve.
'Having a doctor-led team there, especially as they weren't sure if there was any severe brain damage, provided an extra level of reassurance for me.
'I'm so thankful to everyone on the day for helping me.'
Jennifer spent nine nights in hospital, with the first evening in high dependency and another night in intensive care.
She was cut 'ear to ear' to receive the facial surgery by specialists.
She said: 'I'm now made of metal from my top jaw upwards. My eyes are now very sunken in my head but I'm very lucky that I didn't have any permanent damage to my eyes.
'The only permanent damage was my sense of smell, and I have very poor taste. Other than the change in my appearance I don't have any other serious injuries.'
Jennifer, who recently gave birth to her son Glen, is grateful for the care she received after her equestrian injury.
She added: 'Thanks to SCAA and the land ambulance crew I was lucky I got the attention I needed on the day.
'I am forever grateful for SCAA's help and support and the care delivered between my accident and arriving at hospital. The crew were all so reassuring and calming - if felt like a real, vital lifeline.'
