Within 24 hours, everything changed. Former amateur rider David Ingle reflects on the life-changing support he received from the Injured Jockeys Fund after a serious accident in Ireland left him physically and mentally struggling. The charity’s intervention not only supported his recovery, but also led to the discovery of a brain tumour that may otherwise have gone undetected.
“I rode as an amateur in the 90s, and although life moved on, racing has always been part of my family. My dad and I both trained, and Mum was a huge supporter of the Injured Jockeys Fund. Every Christmas our house was full of IJF cards, calendars and anything else she could buy. My parents always valued the charity, but I never imagined I’d one day need their help.
After an accident in Ireland, I found myself in a situation I never expected. The fall happened while I was judging on horseback. The show offered no support at all. Although I was in a lot of pain, I was told I was fine and sent on my way. Back home, I tried to carry on, but things gradually got worse. We were stuck — physically and mentally with nowhere to turn.
I didn’t even realise I was eligible. It took a friend — Caroline Bailey, Dick Saunders’ daughter — to point me in the right direction. Dick had been an trustee for the original IJF team, and Caroline knew exactly where to send me. Even then, I felt embarrassed to ask for help.
Eventually, we called the Injured Jockeys Fund. Kerry answered the phone, and within 24 hours everything changed. Suddenly things started happening. Julia arrived at the door, and it felt like she had a magic wand. She sorted things, she understood, and she was someone I could trust. It was like she knew what I needed before I did. We were at our wits’ end when she came — mentally I was struggling, physically I was broken — and the relief was enormous.
Once the IJF stepped in, the whole machine started turning. Anna the physio rang, then the nutritionist, then others. They were there every step of the way.
At Oaksey House, Anna and her team were incredible. She told me not to worry, that they’d sort the dates and the plan, and they did. Being there felt like stepping into a bubble where all the pressures of home and work disappeared. You can just focus on getting better.
I didn’t realise how close I came to being paralysed — my T1 was smashed — and I struggled with that. Before surgery, Anna was adamant everything would come right, and her professionalism, along with Joe, Hannah and the whole gym team, made such a difference. I’d never been a gym person, but they made it feel possible.
Along the way, we discovered I’d had a significant brain haemorrhage and that I have a brain tumour — something we wouldn’t have found without Anna insisting on a brain scan. They even found the right consultant for me. Knowing the IJF is there gives me the strength to face this.
All this happened while my partner Garry was undergoing open-heart surgery, and the IJF supported me through that too. It has been quite a journey.
The little touches mean so much. The tea-for-two set that arrived in the post, the seeds in spring — when you’re stuck at home trying to recover, those things lift you. Everyone keeps in touch, and no matter what their role is, they genuinely care.
What’s lovely about Oaksey House is seeing the day-to-day jockeys working so hard to keep themselves right. They encourage you, they chat, and you feel part of something. The connection between current and former jockeys means a lot.
Being involved with the Injured Jockeys Fund has been life-changing — in the best possible way. They’re more special than I ever imagined.”