Lucy Wiegersma lost one of her advanced horses at Burnham Market International Horse trials this weekend.

Lucy and Porloe Alvin were approaching the final fence on the course when the horse got in very deep and seemed to take off with one foreleg, and not the other, resulting in a rotational fall.

Initial reports suggest that the horse may have broken his back in the accident. He did not attempt to get up again but it is still unclear whether he was put down on the spot or sometime later that day.

Lucy was thrown some way clear and though battered and bruised, did not suffer any major injuries.

The fence – which was innocuous looking in its self – was subsequently removed from the course. Riders were held on course for around half an hour, but action had to resume due to time pressures before the screens had come down.

The ground was heavy in places, and many combinations had time faults, but the ground tam had done a lot of work on it, and most riders were satisfied with how it rode.

The accident comes on the back a nasty fall that Lucy sustained at Somerley Park Horse Trials on Tuesday of this week.

Chris Perkins owned the horse, who was not only a very good horse, but had an extremely likeable character. The gelding, who was eleven, was by Orbis.

Earlier this month, Alvin finished second to Clayton Fredericks in the CCI** at the Sinshine Tour in Spain after which Lucy said: “Alvin was returning to competition after two and a half years off through injury and I had almost forgotten what a wonderful, talented horse he is and it's such a thrill to have him back. Fingers crossed that he stays in one piece.”

Her remaining rides were all withdrawn over the weekend.