A British woman has been left stranded in Thailand after falling from a horse and breaking her back in three places. Joanna Ingram, 57, from Belton, Norfolk, travelled to the southeast Asian country with her husband Stuart, 57, on 21 February 2026 for a two-week winter sun holiday. However, on 8 March, she fell off a horse in Krabi, sustaining devastating spinal injuries.
Emergency surgery and recovery
Joanna was initially unsure if she would ever walk again, but after emergency spinal fusion surgery, she is expected to make a full recovery. 'One minute I was on the back of the horse, the next I was laying on my back on the ground. I've got no recollection of how I got there,' she said. 'Doctors said I'd broken my back in three places. I was devastated. Me and Stuart were both terrified, we didn't know if I'd be able to walk or move again.'
Thankfully, the surgery was successful. 'I went into emergency surgery, and thankfully, I do have full movement, which is an absolute miracle,' she added. She now has seven screws in her back and is undergoing physiotherapy to regain the ability to walk short distances.
Insurance dispute
Despite her progress, Joanna faces a mounting financial burden. Her travel insurance company, JOURNY, has refused to cover her medical expenses, classifying horse riding as a 'high-risk' activity. This leaves Joanna with a £2,000 daily hospital bill. 'Our insurance won't cover us, they say horse riding is a high-risk activity, which I had no idea about. We've had to fund all of our medical treatment ourselves; it's cost over £30,000 so far, and it's climbing every day, it's really scary,' she said.
Return journey and support
Joanna hopes to fly home within the next 10 days, but the flight will cost an additional £10,000. Upon returning to the UK, she will need a private ambulance costing around £2,000, as she cannot sit in a normal car due to her condition. Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the expenses. 'I can't express how grateful I am to everyone who has donated so far,' she said. JOURNY has been contacted for comment.
