Woman taken to hospital during horse event revival

A HORSEWOMAN was taken to hospital following a fall at the second revival of the Edinburgh Riding of the Marches.

The woman, an Edinburgh March Riding Association committee member in her 30s, was hospitalised following the fall on the march from Straiton to Mercat Cross yesterday, which also saw four other falls.

None of the riders was seriously injured and the woman was released from hospital in time for the after-show party.

Riding spokeswoman Emily McGowan said: "Falls are common in large riding events, and five falls out of around 250 riders is a good ratio.

"At the Borders ridings you would normally expect around ten falls with a similar number of horses. Yesterday's accidents were the result of a few over-enthusiastic riders."

The earlier incident failed to dampen the spirits of the riders and the hundreds of spectators who lined the Royal Mile to watch around 250 horses parade through the streets on a glorious late summer's afternoon.

The riding was revived last year after 63 years and is set to become an annual event.

Riding captain Steve McGill presented the city flag to the Lord Provost at the end of the five-hour, five-mile trot at 3.30pm to applause, whoops and cheers from the crowd.