Tim Stockdale, one of Britain’s leading show jumpers, is lying in a hospital bed with a broken neck - but he still has hopes of making the Olympic team for 2012.

Tim, who competed in the Beijing Olympics on his mare Corlato, was in Wales seeking out another horse to add to his string. But the trip ended in disaster, with Tim falling from the young horse. He was left lying on the ground, knocked out cold, blood running out of his ears.

What saved him?

In an interview with the Independent, Tim said: "I remember nothing. All I can recall is trying to get on the horse and then getting off again because there was an issue with the stirrups. I was going to abort the ride altogether but the guy said: 'Sorry, get back on again. He'll be fine now.' So I started to do some work when he shot off into a flat-out gallop. The girth slipped and as he was turning left I started to slip off backwards the other way. All I could see was a fence post and horses' shoes and then I remember nothing.”

He was knocked out for half an hour, but when blood was reported to be coming out of his ears, the emergency services urged helpers to keep his head still – an instruction Tim believes may have saved him.

As well as a triple fracture of the neck, Tim is reported to have suffered multiple bruising, bruised kidneys and internal trauma requiring a catheter and morphine to manage the pain. His doctors are insisting on another month of complete immobility.

Olympic dreams

Tim is one of the nation’s most dedicated riders, and he told the Independent of his plans to still compete in London 2012; "I've got tanks of motivation now. If I can get myself up and running and if Kalico Bay takes this break to get over a few niggles, we can both come out flying. I tell you what; we could be very close to making the Olympic team.”

The consultants have reportedly told Tim’s wife he should make a full recovery, something Tim’s army of fans will be relieved to hear. Following the accident social networking sites were overwhelmed with messages of concern for Tim.

H&C would like to wish Tim a speedy recovery and wish all the best to him and his family.