Joanna Ingram broke her back in three places before then contracting dengue fever08:49, 20 May 2026Updated 08:50, 20 May 2026A British woman who was left stranded in Thailand for over two months after she fell from a horse and broke her back in three places is home - but facing a £60,000 medical bill. Joanna Ingram, 57, jetted off to the Southeast Asian country with her husband Stuart, 57, in February 2026, for some relaxing winter sun.‌However, towards the end of the trip, the receptionist, from Belton, Norfolk, fell from a horse, leaving her with devastating spinal injuries. Joanna was unsure if she would be able to walk again, but thankfully, following emergency surgery, she is on the way to making a full recovery.‌However, her travel insurance company, JOURNY, would not cover the cost of her medical bills, as they reportedly deem horse riding to be a “high-risk” activity, meaning she racked up a £60,000 bill.‌She initially spent three weeks in hospital, before moving to a hotel until she was fit to fly, but then contracted dengue fever, which further delayed her return home. Joanna said: “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.‌“I went into emergency surgery, and thankfully, I do have full movement, which is an absolute miracle. 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. Unfortunately, I then contracted dengue fever, which was terrifying, I’ve never felt so ill in my life.”Joanna and Stuart, a supervisor at a building company, flew out to Thailand for a two-week holiday, on February 21, and spent the first chunk of the trip soaking up the sun on the beaches in Phuket and Koh Samui.‌READ MORE: 'My rare brain condition means I think I'm friends with everyone - even complete strangers'READ MORE: Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary gives price 'rise' warningFor the final few days, they travelled to Krabi, and on Sunday, March 8 Joanna embarked on a pony trek along the beach. Joanna said her memory of the incident is hazy and that all she can remember is being on the back of the horse one minute, and on the floor the next.Despite being in a lot of pain, Joanna assumed that she had just winded herself. She managed to sit down on a log, but then it became too painful for her to move, so the staff running the pony trek helped her into a car, and drove her back to her hotel.Once at the hotel, Stuart called for an ambulance, and she was rushed for hospital, before doctors told her she had broken her back in three different places. The news left Joanna and Stuart devastated, as they were unsure whether Joanna would be able to walk again.‌She was rushed into emergency surgery for a spinal fusion surgery, to stabilise the spine and reduce pain. “I think I have seven different screws in my back, holding it together," she said.Thankfully, the surgery was a success, and Joanna has full movement, which she described as a “miracle”. However, unfortunately, Joanna’s travel insurance company won’t cover the cost of her medical treatment, as they deem horse riding to be a “high risk activity”.‌Because of this, the company have had to fund their medical treatment entirely themselves, leaving them with a huge bill of £60,000. “It’s our life savings, it’s such a ridiculous amount of money," Joanna said.Joanna spent three weeks in hospital before moving to a hotel until she was fit to fly. However, during her time in the hotel, she contracted dengue fever, an infection spread by mosquitos with symptoms including high temperature, severe headaches, and swollen glands.‌There is no cure, and Joanna said she was so ill she was unsure at points if she would be able to “pull through”. After another 10 days in hospital, and on May, the couple were finally able to fly home, 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.”Joanna is still using a walking frame at the moment but hopes to be fully recovered within the next three to six months. Friends and family all rallied around to support Joanna, and set up a GoFundMe page, so far raising £19,000 towards her medical costs.Article continues below“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.You can see Joanna's fundraiser here