Georgia Hill, from Burley-in-Wharfedale, was an accomplished rider who had ridden as a young child, Leeds Coroner's Court heard yesterday.

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The 31-year-old regularly visited Brentwood Farm in Guiseley, where her horse was stabled.

While riding a friend's horse last October, she slipped off the animal and banged against a wall. Two hours later she was pronounced dead in hospital after a broken rib ruptured a main artery near her lungs.

"My conclusion has to be that this is the most tragic of accidents," West Yorkshire coroner David Hinchliff told the hearing. "In nine times out of 10, the person would be a little bruised and battered and their dignity may have been hurt.

"In this instance, the internal injuries arising from the fall were serious and led to her bleeding to death."

Georgia, the hearing was told, had been riding a friend's horse called Dotty – which she had ridden many times – on October 16 last year in a floodlit, enclosed area at the stables.

Her foot slipped out of a stirrup and she told another rider, almost in a jokey way, that she was about to fall. As she fell, she landed against a wall, knocking her unconscious.

An ambulance was called, although when Georgia regained consciousness she insisted she was fine and was reluctant to go to hospital.

She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary, where her condition quickly deteriorated.

An hour after arriving she was pronounced dead. Only a specialist surgeon could have saved her life, the hearing was told.

"Normally, a rib fracture would not be life threatening," said Mr Hinchliff. "A sharp piece of rib had punctured the lung and tore a major artery."

Her recorded a verdict of accidental death.