Medic ‘struggled’ helping injured horse rider
The mother of teenage horse rider Olivia Inglis held her daughter's hand as a medic "struggled" to operate his equipment and save her life following a fall, a Sydney inquest has heard.
Charlotte Inglis, a highly respected rider in her own right, told the NSW Coroners Court on Thursday she'd walked the cross country course at an equestrian event in Scone with her 17-year-old daughter twice before Olivia's accident in March 2016.
They were concerned by five of the jumps "as soon as we saw them", the mother said, including the jump at which the teenager died.
When the radio call came through that there had been a serious fall, Ms Inglis said she knew immediately it was Olivia and rushed to her side.
"When I walked towards her I asked (medic) David Keys if she was dead because she had her eyes wide open," Ms Inglis said.
"He said no she has a faint pulse … Mr Keys was struggling to work his equipment. I sat beside them and held her hand."
At the time of her daughter's fall, Ms Inglis said she and her husband had no idea that Equestrian Australia no longer provided licenced paramedics at events.
