Madonna back in London
Friends thought the worst after Madonna fell from her horse on to ground “as hard as concrete”, the Mirror reports. They were “afraid” as they raced to her aid as she lay motionless on her country estate. A source told how she was briefly knocked out by the shuddering impact – and that the novice rider had been on a fast thoroughbred horse.
The star came round after a few seconds and wept in agony from a broken collar bone, three smashed ribs and a fractured hand. Yesterday she was flown to London aboard a helicopter which had landed at the Ashcombe House estate, near Tollard Royal, Wilts, at 10am.
She was later thought to be under private medical care in the capital.
The riding outing was a 47th birthday present from husband Guy Ritchie, who is “absolutely mortified”.
Yesterday the source gave the Mirror a detailed account of the accident on Tuesday that could have brought tragic consequences. “When Madonna hit the ground, her friends were there like lightning,” said the insider. “She lay unconscious on the floor for a few seconds and everyone was afraid. If the horse had landed on top of Madonna or trodden on her, it could have been an awful lot worse. Although she’s in excruciating pain, she did get off quite lightly.”
Film director Ritchie, 36, had invited some friends to bring horses for Madonna, including a chestnut-red, 16-hand bay thoroughbred which she eventually rode. The insider said: “They brought four horses down in a horse box. Guy’s idea was that they could all go for a ride on the estate as part of her birthday celebrations. Unfortunately, they didn’t realise Madonna was such an inexperienced rider, and brought a horse that was too advanced for her. She was over-horsed – and basically fell off because she was going too fast. The horse went faster than Madonna expected and she simply lost her balance and fell on some very hard ground in a field – we’ve had hardly any rain and it was like concrete.
“I don’t think her riding friends even knew what had happened until they saw Madonna on the ground. Two of them caught the horse and took it back to the horsebox.”
Madonna – mother of Lourdes, eight, and five-year-old Rocco – was treated in the accident and emergency department of Salisbury Hospital. She was allowed home later that night. The source told of her husband’s anguish. “Guy has been giving Madonna lots of TLC – those two are very close to each other. It was a lovely treat which sadly went all wrong.”
From The Mirror