The owners of a horse who suffered catastrophic injuries when his leg went through a horsebox floor are sharing his heartbreaking story in hopes of saving others from the same fate.
Thoroughbred Sunset Over Loule (Kevin) had to be put down on 18 July as his injuries were so severe he could not be saved. Owner Lilly Thompson posted about it on social media, explaining that if this prompts one owner to check their lorry floor, “his life will have saved another”.
Kevin lived at a yard owned by a friend of Lilly’s mother Emma, who told H&H the incident happened just at the bottom of the drive.
“He nearly made it home,” she said. “It was just a nightmare; it still is.”
Emma said Kevin had been given a lift to the show, as her own horsebox was out of action, and she had driven in her car.
“It was his first ever show, and he never even made his class,” she said, explaining that when they arrived, they found that the former racehorses and Irish Draughts had been swapped, so Kevin could not compete in hand as planned. He then bumped a leg slightly on the lorry steps, so Emma did not compete under saddle either.
“So he basically got walked round, we stood with him so he could take everything in, grazed in hand, or stood on the box and ate, I think he had a whale of a time that day!” she said.
(Image credit: Emma)
“Then we loaded them up, and they said they’d take five minutes and then leave, so I set off to get Kevin’s stable ready for him. I was sitting in the car waiting for them to come back, and got a call, they were screaming down the phone that he was stuck.”
Kevin’s hind leg had gone through the floor, and he suffered further significant forelimb injuries freeing himself.
“It seemed like a lifetime,” Emma said. “While I was on the phone to the fire brigade, he’d got himself out and was just standing there. We were trying to keep him calm and he stood there like a champ. But I knew what had to happen, and when the vet came, she had a look at him and said: ‘I’m really sorry’.”
Emma said she and Lilly just want other people to be aware that such things can happen, and that although lorries can look safe, rot and corrosion can be hidden, on the underside of floors or under rubber matting.
“Damage isn’t always visible until it’s too late,” Lilly said. “Regular inspections and servicing by someone qualified could identify problems before they become catastrophic.
“If you own a horse box or trailer, have the floor inspected regularly, keep up with servicing and maintenance, replace worn or damaged flooring immediately and never ignore signs of damp, rust, soft spots or deterioration.
“We spend so much time making sure our horses are fit, healthy and cared for, but the vehicle that carries them deserves the same attention. They trust us every time they step on board.
“Kevin should still be here today. Please, in his memory, check your horsebox. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. It could save your horse’s life.
“Loved beyond words”
“My beautiful Kevin. You were loved beyond words, and you always will be.”
Emma said her farrier told her another of his clients had booked in her lorry for a full check.
“Lilly was over the moon to hear that as one person had listened,” she said. “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through that because it was horrific.”
Emma paid tribute to the “amazing” Caledonia Farm Vets for everything they did for Kevin, whom they bought as a three-year-old, four years ago.
“I couldn’t have asked for a kinder person to come to do what they had to do,” she said.
“Kevin loved people. You didn’t have a choice whether or not you were going to be his best friend. You were going to be his best friend. If you went close to his stable door, he’d scoop you in with his head for a hug, and if you were sad, he knew and was extra affectionate. He was an absolute angel and I think maybe he was just too good for this world.
“If this makes someone check their lorry, if it saves one horse, that’s his legacy.”
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
