A British woman who was left stranded in Thailand for over two months after a horse riding accident that broke her back in three places has finally returned home, but now faces a staggering £60,000 medical bill. Joanna Ingram, 57, from Belton, Norfolk, travelled to the Southeast Asian country with her husband Stuart, also 57, in February 2026 for a winter sun holiday.
Towards the end of their trip, Ingram fell from a horse while on a beach trek in Krabi, sustaining severe spinal injuries. She underwent emergency spinal fusion surgery, which successfully stabilised her spine, and she is now expected to make a full recovery. However, her travel insurance provider, JOURNY, refused to cover the costs, classifying horse riding as a “high-risk” activity.
Accident and Emergency Surgery
Ingram recalled the incident: “One minute I was on the back of the horse, the next I was lying on my back on the ground. I’ve got no recollection of how I got there. 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, or if we’d be able to get home.”
She was rushed into emergency surgery, which involved inserting seven screws to hold her spine together. “I went into emergency surgery, and thankfully, I do have full movement, which is an absolute miracle,” she said.
Insurance Dispute and Financial Burden
Ingram’s travel insurance policy with JOURNY did not cover horse riding, leaving the couple to fund all medical treatment themselves. The total bill reached £60,000, which Ingram described as “our life savings”. She added: “Our insurance won’t cover us, they say horse riding is a high-risk activity, which I had no idea about. We had to fund all of our medical treatment ourselves; it’s cost us £60,000.”
After spending three weeks in hospital, Ingram moved to a hotel to recover until she was fit to fly. However, during her stay, she contracted dengue fever, a mosquito-borne infection causing high fever, severe headaches, and swollen glands. “Unfortunately, I then contracted dengue fever, which was terrifying, I’ve never felt so ill in my life,” she said. She spent another 10 days in hospital before being cleared to travel.
Return Home and Recovery
The couple finally flew home in May, after being stranded for 11 weeks. “I can’t describe how it felt to finally be going home, there was so much relief and excitement at finally being able to see family and friends again,” Ingram said. She is currently using a walking frame and expects to make a full recovery within three to six months.
Friends and family set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the medical costs, raising £19,000 so far. “We can’t believe the generosity of people that have contributed, it’s down to them that we’ve been able to get the funds to get home,” she said. JOURNY has been contacted for comment.
