A coroner is writing to the British Horse Society (BHS) to register his concerns about the safety of sharing ex-racehorses after the death of a 28-year-old woman.
East Sussex coroner Alan Craze recorded a verdict of accidental death on Caitriona O’Leary, of Tideswell Road, Eastbourne yesterday (20 December), who died after 12-year-old Mister bolted on a country road on 28 May.
An inquest in Eastbourne, heard that Miss O’Leary was found on her back in the middle of the road in Hailsham by a passerby.
It was unclear whether she had fallen or jumped off.
Miss O’Leary, shared the horse with another woman, was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital but died on 1 June.
She had suffered multiple skull fractures, despite wearing a riding hat.
Mr Craze said: “Our concern was to make sure that if there were lessons which can help other people then those lessons are learnt.
“If there is a difficulty in a racehorse’s temperament, which isn’t there in other horses, then the equestrian world needs to have that underlined.”
The BHS said it had not yet heard from Mr Craze.
