Inquest into the death of RIHARNA LOUISE THOMSON

22y · Female·unsurvivable head injury

A 22-year-old experienced stable worker and amateur rider died from unsurvivable head injuries sustained when thrown from a horse during track work. The horse suffered a catastrophic leg fracture at approximately 66 km/h, 99 metres past the winning post on a synthetic racecourse. While the horse's fracture could have resulted from spontaneous bone failure or training-related microdamage, the coroner found that track surface inconsistencies—documented by multiple riders and later confirmed by specialist assessment—posed a potential contribution. The track was subsequently found unsafe and remediated. Clinical lessons include: ensuring safety hazards are formally reported and documented through occupational health and safety systems; maintaining formal incident reporting mechanisms; and the importance of effective communication between workers and management regarding identified safety concerns. No medical errors were identified; hospital care was optimum.