A former rower for Team GB and army captain was killed in a fall from her spooked horse, an inquest has heard.
Tanya Brady, 49, died at the scene of the accident in Liss, Hampshire, on 28 April last year after the horse began running out of control, and threw the rider.
The animal reached speeds of an estimated 35mph (56km/h), the inquest heard on Monday, resulting in Brady, from Liphook, being thrown and killed despite the efforts of the emergency services to save her.
A scaffolder who witnessed the incident told the inquest in Winchester that they had seen the animal acting “erratically”.
“The female rider took to the grass with her horse and the horse gathered speed,” the witness said. “I estimate it got to 35mph across the green with the female rider screaming as she tried to get control of the horse. She was ejected from the horse. I heard a crack as she fell.”
Brady was discovered in a 10ft-deep ditch, where paramedics and police attempted to save her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A postmortem examination revealed that she died of several traumatic injuries to her chest.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Hampshire coroner Christopher Wilkinson said: “We cannot identify what triggered this horse as it entered on to the grass.
“It did get spooked and headed off at pace with Tanya still riding the horse before, I suspect, it came to an abrupt halt at the mound before the ditch and she was ejected from the horse and fell the 10ft [3 metres] into the ditch.”
Brady rowed for the British army when she served with the Royal Logistics corps, before becoming a full-time athlete and member of Team GB. She took part in the rowing world championships in 2005. She married in 2004 and left the army the year after.
The coroner added: “Tanya was an accomplished army officer, she was an accomplished sportswoman reaching an incredibly high level. She represented her country, the British army, and she was a dedicated mother and wife.
“She led a life through passion and drive.”
The PA Media news agency contributed to this report.
