In December 2024, Eleanor Bravo, an experienced horseback rider from Corrales, New Mexico, was involved in a riding accident that resulted in concussions for both her and a friend. The incident occurred when the two horses they were riding became startled and threw them off.
Bravo recounted the differences between Iceland, where she had previously kept her horses Hera and Teknik (“Nikki”), and Corrales. “Iceland is very different than Corrales and other places in the U.S. They don’t have big trees,” Bravo said. “From a horse’s perspective, there are a lot of scary things here.”
Following the fall, Bravo has no memory of what happened immediately after but learned from her phone records that she called 911 at her friend’s suggestion. Emergency medical services transported both riders to The University of New Mexico Hospital through heavy traffic while they suffered symptoms such as vomiting.
“They were wonderful. I mean—they followed up with me, and I thought that was so responsible. It was a good experience after a very, very difficult incident,” Bravo said about the hospital staff.
Upon arrival at UNM Hospital’s Emergency Department, Bravo said they received immediate attention due to low patient volume at the time. Medical staff conducted brain scans which revealed that Bravo had sustained two types of brain bleeds: a subdural hematoma and a subarachnoid hemorrhage. After further monitoring showed no worsening of her condition, she was discharged with instructions for follow-up care.
According to Anthony Okamura, MD, Pediatric Sports Medicine Physician at UNM Hospital, signs of concussion can include cognitive issues, eyesight changes, headache, mood changes, neck pain and trouble balancing. He advises stopping contact sports immediately if concussion is suspected and seeing a doctor as soon as possible. To help prevent concussions during activities like horseback riding or cycling he recommends wearing helmets and following safety protocols.
Bravo attended follow-up appointments as directed by UNM Hospital staff. A month after the accident she underwent another brain scan; neurologists determined her injuries had improved sufficiently that no further treatment was necessary unless new symptoms developed.
“But I got better and better,” Bravo said. “They were wonderful. They followed up with me, and I thought that was so responsible. It was a good experience after a very, very difficult incident.”
A month after the injury Bravo returned to horseback riding under supervision from her trainer: “A month to the day, I got back on,” she said. “I have a wonderful trainer… My trainer just walked next to me in the field… And now it’s months later. I’m riding all the time.”
Both riders made full recoveries according to Bravo who now takes additional precautions including using an upgraded helmet featuring technology found in NFL helmets along with an inflatable safety vest designed for equestrian use.
“We want to live our lives as fully as we can,” Bravo said. “I’ve continued to ride… I always ride with someone… I hope I can ride for many more years to come.”
