A legal case involving a dog walker who was injured by cattle is a reminder to horse owners of their responsibilities when public footpaths lead through grazing fields.

A farmer was fined £5,260 having pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act in a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), when a dog walker was trampled by cattle on a public footpath.

Litigation solicitor Bridget Sanger of Clark Willmott LLP told H&H that although there is no HSE guidance for horses, the sample principles will apply and the onus is on the horse owner to assess the risk of turning out equines in areas accessed by the public.

“Landowners, including farmers and horse owners, have a legal duty to ensure the safety of anyone on their land, including walkers using public rights of way,” said Ms Sanger.

Equine lawyer Hannah Bradley, partner at Aria Grace Law CIC, told H&H that if a walker is injured by a horse on a public footpath, a claim for damages could be pursued. The court will apply a three-stage test in which the claimant must prove that the horse was likely to cause damage or if the horse caused damage, it was likely to be severe; that the damage related to a characteristic not normally found in horses and that the owner knew about the characteristic that caused the injury.

H&H asked Ms Bradley whether having warning signs at fields with public footpaths could be admitting liability and she said generally speaking, it is not possible to disclaim liability for personal injury.

“A sign that says something like ‘horse may bite’ could arguably create evidence that the owner had knowledge of a certain characteristic, but also it could be used to argue that the claimant assumed the risk,” she said.

Bulls over 10 months old cannot be kept in fields with public footpaths, but there is no restriction on stallions or colts – Ms Bradley said owners should keep in mind the knowledge test the court will apply.

“It is likely that certain behaviours which might cause injury could be said to be more prevalent – and known about – in a stallion or colt,” she said.

Ms Bradley added that owners should give consideration to public liability insurance for horses, taking into account their personal circumstances.

“It is imperative to make sure that the policy has sufficient coverage for the full possible loss caused by an injury caused by a horse. Claims relating to life-changing injuries can run into millions of pounds,” she said.

British Horse Society director of access Mark Weston reminded owners that if they keep horses in fields crossed by public rights of way they have a responsibility to help ensure the route remains safe for everyone.

“It’s vitally important to understand what type of right of way runs through your land to begin with – whether this is a footpath for pedestrian access only, or a bridleway or byway, or restricted byway or bridleway, which can mean cyclists and fellow equestrians can use the route. This helps you understand who can pass through your land and what you need to do to ensure they can do so safely,” he said.

“Owners have a responsibility to make sure that horses grazing in these fields are suitable to be around members of the public and not known to behave dangerously. Extra care should be taken when deciding which horses are turned out in these fields, and we strongly advise against keeping stallions in fields where equestrians have rights of way.

“It’s also important that gates, fencing and stiles along the route are well maintained so people can pass through safely and horses cannot escape if a gate is accidentally left open.”

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Emergency services had to use specialist equipment to free a woman who was trapped under a horse trailer.

The woman sustained leg injuries in the incident on Thursday (28 September) in Cann Woods, Plympton.

Police believe the trailer rolled back, trapping the woman underneath.

Firefighters were called to the site of the incident, a private track between a field and the main road at Fern Hill, to free the woman from under the vehicle.

“Four fire appliances from Plympton, Greenbank and Crownhill, together with the heavy rescue vehicle from Middlemoor, were mobilised following a call from the ambulance service requesting our attendance,” said a spokesman from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

“Shortly after arriving and liaising with paramedics, crews confirmed the casualty was trapped under the trailer and set to work stabilising the vehicle before attempting to extricate her.”

The woman was freed from under the trailer within 40 minutes, using stabilising equipment, airbags to lift the vehicle and a winch.

Once safely removed from under the trailer she was left in the care of paramedics.

“We sent an officer, crew, doctor and a helicopter to the scene,” a spokesman for the South West Ambulance Service told local paper The Herald.

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“The woman sustained leg injuries and was taken to Derriford Hospital via road ambulance.”

Devon and Cornwall police spokesperson Samantha Hil, added: “It appears that a vehicle and trailer had rolled back on the track, trapping a woman under the trailer.

“Police, fire service, ambulance and paramedics attended, and the woman was released. Thankfully the injuries were minor but the woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.”

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An ex-racehorse that “cheated death” after falling off a bridge has made a successful return to his showing career.

Golden Feather, a 13-year-old gelding, was being hacked out by owner Lisa Kozak near Lambourn on 17 July when the accident happened.

“We lost our way so we decided to take another route back,” Lisa told H&H. “We came to a bridge, but he’s never had an issue with them before. However, something panicked him and he ended up with his legs over the side.

“I had to get into the river to try and push him back up, but then things went from bad to worse and he fell the other side.”

Lisa called the vet and waited for friends to arrive, as the emergency services weren’t able to reach them in the remote location they were in.

“Vet Paul Ferguson was the first person to arrive. We then had the local farmer come and help us. We had to dismantle part of the bridge to drag him out. I owe everyone so much,” she added.

The accident happened at around 5.15pm, and they didn’t make it back to lambourn until 9.30am.

“I’m so surprised that it happened, normally he’s a proper ‘dope on a rope’ and as calm as anything,” he said.

Golden Feather then spent six days at the vets, suffering liver and kidney damage as well as secondary laminitis.

“He arrived in the practice in severe shock, with a heart rate of 120bpm (normal 40bpm) respiratory rate of 60bpm (normal 8-16bpm) and an extremely high temperature of 42 (normal 37.5-38). He was sweating profusely and in a severe state of distress on arrival,” said a spokesman for Valley Equine Hospital.

“He was treated for shock and dehydration.

“The next step was to get his dangerously high temperature and as Feather was still in quite an anxious state we had to sedated him to allow further treatment.

“Over the next 45min with the assitance of several people, litres of cold water were poured over him continuosly until his temperature returned to normal.

“Feather defied all the odds and was discharged six days after admission.”

He has since made a full recovery, though does have scarring on his back legs, and finished second in the Retraining of Racehorses class at the Royal Berkshire Show last month — which he won last year.

“Everyone has been amazing, I can’t believe he recovered so well in 10 weeks,” added Lisa. “He loves showing, he really shows himself off.”

The horse was in training with John Gosden as a two-year-old before being trained by Venetia Williams, Evan Williams and George Baker.

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An owner is warning others of the risks of travelling horses after her gelding suffered a “horrific” ordeal.

Bedfordshire-based Krissy Serino was taking her nine-year-old horse, Twin, to the vets at around 10.15am last Tuesday (1 September) when the incident took place.

She was travelling with a friend in a rear-facing horsebox on the A1 northbound and had just passed St Neots when she noticed something was not right.

Ms Serino had a camera in the cab of the horsebox monitoring to the horse area of the vehicle and saw the Twin rear up.

“We pulled over as quickly as we could — there wasn’t even a lay-by,” Ms Serino told H&H.

“I saw through the glass window in the back of the cab that his hind legs were in the air.

“I couldn’t open the back door because I knew if I did he might try to come out. The box was shaking and he was going berserk.

“I thought he was going to die.”

Police, firefighters and two vets came to assist at the roadside and the motorway was closed in both directions.

Twin was sedated before the horsebox was slowly driven to a field further up the road.

“Firefighters took the rear door off its hinges and amazingly he managed to get out,” said Ms Serino.

“The vet looked him over and told me I would have to prepare for the worst.”

Twin was taken to Fellowes Farm Veterinary Clinic in Huntingdon for treatment.

“He had suffered a severe fetlock injury and the main concern is that it could be infected. We are monitoring his condition,” said Ms Serino.

The 28-year-old has owned Twin for two years and enjoys competing across the disciplines with the Connemara x appaloosa.

She is now urging others to take care when travelling their horses.

“Things like weave grills could help prevent your horse from trying to jump the partition and it would be good if there was a requirement to have a camera — I dread to think what would happen if I didn’t have one,” she added.

“There will always be freak accidents, but it’s worth putting things in place to try to prevent them from happening.”

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An H&H reader is appealing for walkers to take more care when using footpaths in paddocks after her horse was injured on a gate.

Mary Emeny, from Scaynes Hill in West Sussex, was shocked to find her three-year-old filly with a huge wound in her side on 5 June.

The three-year-old home bred, called Midwych Skylla, escaped from her field after walkers left a gate unlatched.

Her side was caught on the gate latch, causing a serious wound, 40cm long and 20cm high.

“Walkers untied and left a footpath gate open into our neighbours’ field, even though there is a stile next to the gate,” Ms Emeny told H&H.

“The filly went through the gate but caught her ribcage on the gate hook. She ripped a horizontal gash down to the bone.”

The horse had 500 stitches put in by Cinder Hill Equine Vets.

Vet Hazel Steven, who treated Skylla, told H&H she’d seen similar things in the past, but more commonly leg injuries related to fences.

“She had a serious wound on her flank,” said Ms Steven.

“I imagine a few horses tried to squeeze through and she was caught. It’s the biggest and most traumatic injury of that type I’ve seen — it took seven hours of surgery.

“She’s very lucky the latch didn’t go into her chest or abdomen. It had gone through three layers of muscle and the bone was exposed.

“She’s also fortunate she avoided any complications and has made a good recovery.”

Skylla was then on box rest and treated daily with antibiotics.

“Luckily she is recovering well and we turned her out for the first time on 29 July,” added Ms Emeny.

Skylla is bred to showjump and is being aimed at the four-year-old championship at Hickstead next year.

Ms Emeny is now urging walkers to think about the implications of leaving a gate open.

“The general rule of the countryside is if you find a gate shut then shut it and if open leave it open,” added Ms Emeny. “Be aware of any livestock in the field and respect other people’s land.”

Ms Steven added: “There are so many public footpaths in the area. People need to understand the idea of sharing land as there are so many different groups of people in the area using the paths.”

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An eventer was knocked unconscious after a near miss with a falling branch while competing.

The accident happened at British Eventing’s (BE) Smiths Lawn Horse Trials in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, on Monday (10 August).

Southerly Roberts was riding her own nine-year-old mare, Fizz IV, in the cross-country at the time of the accident.

The pair were competing in a novice section and had ridden a 36.8 penalty dressage and showjumped clear before starting the cross-country.

The combination were heading up a long, uphill gallop between the fourth and third-last fences on the course when a branch fell.

Southerly said the last thing she remembers was a noise and the branch falling before waking up in an ambulance strapped to a spinal board.

“I heard this noise and this branch, it felt like a tree, fell,” she told H&H. “I don’t actually remember it landing.”

She added she assumes the branch fell just ahead of her rather than on top of her and the horse.

A friend saw the 17.1hh bay, by Carnaval Pleasure, heading back towards the showjumping warm-up without her.

Large skid marks from the mare were found in front of the branch.

Southerly, who works for Sophie Allison Livery in Hook, Hampshire, was taken to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey with head injuries and a broken rib.

The horse was not injured.

She was kept in overnight and was discharged from hospital yesterday (Tuesday 11 August) and is recovering at home.

“It was completely freaky – when do you ever see trees falling?” Southerly added.

A BE spokeswoman said: “We understand that Southerly has now been released from hospital.

“It appears that a branch fell in front of her horse between fences on the cross-country, resulting in the rider falling from the horse.”

She is expected to be off work for two weeks and BE’s rules mean it will be three weeks before she can return to affiliated eventing.

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A 10-year-old girl is recovering from an injured ankle after being hit by a loose horse at Barbury Horse Trials.

The child was watching the cross-country phase of the CIC** on Saturday morning (11 July) when rider Jeanette Brakewell was unseated at the crocodile fence in the water.

Her horse, Lets Dance, ran loose following the fall and jumped the string, colliding with the girl, who was sitting on the ground with others.

The girl was immediately given care by the St John’s Ambulance team on site before being taken to The Great Western Hospital, Swindon, to have her ankle examined.

Her mother later confirmed to Barbury that her daughter’s ankle was badly bruised.

“It wasn’t until I got myself off the floor that I could hear a child in discomfort,” Jeanette told H&H.

“I didn’t realise she [Just Dance] had jumped over the string and landed on her ankle.

“I went over to see her to see how she was — she was in pain and her ankle was really sore.”

Jeanette explained why she thought her mare had jumped the string.

“She just carried on the line — no one told her to turn. She is normally very careful and would have tried to avoid what she could. ”

Jeannette was not injured in the fall and was able to ride her next horse, who went double clear.

“It’s good to hear [the girl’s ankle was not broken],” said Jeanette who is hoping to get in touch with the family to see how the girl is getting on.

A spokesman for Barbury Horse Trials added: “The Barbury team and Jeanette were very concerned for the welfare of all involved, particularly the girl who was injured and we all wish her a very speedy recovery.

“Barbury is organising a full refund on the girl’s family’s tickets and offering them complimentary entry to the horse trials in 2016.”

British Eventing (BE) advised that spectators at equestrian events should take care.

“We are extremely sorry to hear that this accident occurred,” a BE spokesman told H&H.

“We understand that the individual is expected to make a full recovery and that the organising team have been in touch with the family offering their support.

“We advise that a common sense approach is taken and that any spectator at a sporting event needs to be mindful of what is happening around them, especially when animals are involved.”

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A filly has had a stirrup removed from her leg under general anesthetic following a riding accident in Victoria, Australia.

The chestnut youngster was being exercised when her rider fell off and the saddle slipped back.

The horse then trod into the stirrup with her offside hind leg, snapping the stirrup leather and wedging the iron onto her leg.

Vets from Barwon Equine Hospital worked to free the iron from the filly’s leg alongside the emergency services.

“All the vets here have seen some unique injuries in their careers and this truly was another one of those ‘just how did they manage that‘ scenarios,” wrote a spokesman on the Barwon Equine Hospital’s Facebook page last Tuesday (May 5).

“As you can see from the photos, the emergency services were called in by track staff as a precaution. Thankfully, however, the stirrup iron was able to be removed intact from the leg while the filly was under a brief general anesthetic.”

The spokesman explained the stirrup was stuck above the filly’s hock and would have been difficult to remove while the distressed horse was fully conscious.

“The decision to remove the stirrup iron intact and under general anesthesia was made for several reasons.

“The filly was understandably fractious and the anesthetic allowed a full and thorough examination of all her injuries in a safe manner.

“In addition, to cut the stirrup iron would have exposed sharp metal edges capable of inflicting further injury.

“By being patient and waiting until the horse was recumbent under the anesthetic, manipulating the iron off the hock then became a relatively simple task.”

The filly suffered minor injuries from the accident and has since returned to work.

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An experienced horsewoman died as the result of being kicked by a horse she was clipping, an inquest in Norfolk heard on Monday (9 March).

Mary Hancy, 55, was helping her daughter Kelly to clip a five-year-old warmblood on 11 January when the accident happened.

In a statement made by her daughter, which was read at King’s Lynn court, the horse’s temperament was described as “good, but young”.

She also said that the horse had been given the mild sedative sedalin approximately an hour before she started clipping.

Miss Hancy said: “As my mother was clipping the horse, it kicked out into her chest. And then she banged her head on a brick wall.”

The East of England Ambulance Service was called to the scene and Mrs Hancy was airlifted to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge in a critical condition. She died later while undergoing surgery.

Mr Christopher Challand, a surgeon at Addenbrookes, said Mrs Hancy died from a lung injury caused by a blunt trauma.

Norfolk coroner Jacqueline Lake recorded a verdict of accidental death and offered her condolences to Mrs Hancy’s family.

At the time of her death Miss Hancy described by her mother as a “dedicated” horse woman.

“She was passionate about breeding Hanoverian and German warmbloods and had helped run a riding school and stud with her close friends Howard and Valerie Rose.

“She was always a familiar and friendly face at local showjumping competitions.”

The news of Mrs Hancy’s death provoked a huge response online with more than 100,000 people reading the story on the H&H website.

At the time the British Horse Society’s Jo Winfield reiterated the importance of taking all precautions possible when handling horses on the ground.

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Five horses have died after being hit by two trains in Co. Durham.

The animals had strayed onto the tracks near Dinsdale yesterday (Tuesday 10 February), when they were struck and killed by the trains.

One train was travelling from Darlington, the other from Saltburn.

“The incident happened around 7am,” a spokesman from Northern Rail, which operates the trains, told H&H.

“We are unsure how the horses got on to the tracks. No passengers or staff were injured though some disruption was caused to train services.”

It is as yet unclear who owned the horses, or how they came to be on the tracks.

A British Transport Police spokesman added: “We were called to the railway line near Teesside Airport station after reports a number of horses had been struck by two trains.

“Colleagues from Durham Police and the Environment Agency were also been in attendance.

“Five horses were killed and two other horses are now in the care of the RSPCA. It is not clear how the horses came to be on the line.”

This is the second incident involving a group of horses on railway lines in the past three months.

In November a group of 12 horses were killed after colliding with two trains in Cambridgeshire.

The horses were struck after wandering on to the Fen Road level crossing in Milton. Again, it was not discovered who owned the horses.

More than 200 passengers were travelling on the trains involved. One lady was taken to hospital with minor injuries but was later discharged. Some passengers reported a loud “bang” but no one was seriously hurt.

Although some incidents in the past months have involved animals that have been dumped and fly-grazed, in December H&H put out a warning to horse owners to secure fencing after a spate of horses escaping onto roads.

With hedges bare of leaves in the winter, many are finding it easier to get out of their fields.

Horse owners are also reminded that under the Animals Act 1971 they are liable for their animals’ actions should they cause an accident.

“We would always advise owners to ensure that their horse is kept in a field with secure fencing and if a horse is tethered, to ensure that he is tethered safely according to the Code of Practice on Tethering,” said a spokesman for World Horse Welfare.

Anyone with any information should call the police on 101.

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A spate of fatalities involving loose horses has been a stark reminder to horse owners to ensure their fields are securely fenced.

Last week H&H readers were horrified after two separate accidents — one involving a family pet, the other 12 horses whose owner has not yet been identified — were reported on the H&H website.

Details emerged last week that a horse had been killed in a road accident in West Yorkshire after escaping from its field on 5 November.

The animal had found its way onto a rural lane in the dark, at around 7pm, and was hit by two vehicles. The horse was struck with so much force that it was decapitated.

“One car was travelling towards the horse and hit it first, then the animal was struck by a second vehicle travelling in the opposite direction,” said a police spokesman.

The horse belonged to a family. H&H contacted the owner but had no response.

In the other incident, the 12 horses died when hit by two trains at Fen Road level crossing in Milton on 19 November.

The problem is a nationwide issue.

On 3 November three donkeys were killed in a crash in the New Forest, in what has been described by the Verderers as “the worst road accident in the area for 20 years”.

One animal was killed on impact; the other two were put down after sustaining serious injuries.

And last month a mare and foal were hit by a car after escaping from a field in Lancashire. The mare broke a leg but the foal survived.

Also in October four horses were killed after being hit by a lorry in Staffordshire.

But it’s not just horses that have been killed. A driver died after his car collided with a horse in South Yorkshire in September. Police had no details of where the horse had come from or why it was on the road.

Check your boundaries

Owners are urged to check their fencing to ensure there are no escape routes for animals. With hedges bare of leaves at this time of year, many are finding it easier to get out of fields.

“We would always advise owners to ensure that their horse is kept in a field with secure fencing and, if a horse is tethered, to ensure that he is tethered safely according to the Code of Practice on Tethering,” said a spokesman for World Horse Welfare.

“Always make sure that you make regular checks on your horse to ensure that he is kept in a safe and secure environment, thus reducing the chance of any harm coming to your animal or others.”

Horse owners are also reminded that under the Animals Act 1971 they are liable for their animals’ actions should they cause an accident.

“It is important to remember, however, that even the most diligent owners need to check their boundary fences are secure. Should their horse escape and cause an accident, they could be held strictly liable,” said Gemma Stanford of the BHS.

A growing issue

Animal rescue specialist Jim Green from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service told H&H loose horses are increasingly a problem — most likely due to the financial climate.

“We’re seeing more and more being dumped and then roaming loose due to these days of austerity,” he said.

He also warned that horses often escaped when gates were left open by members of the public, and that it wasn’t just road accidents that were a problem — horses falling into ditches, canals and even becoming stuck down manholes seem an increasing occurance.

“Earlier this month we were called out as a horse that had escaped from a nearby field was in a leisure centre car park,” he said.

“It was a stallion and was causing mayhem and biting people. The police were called but were struggling, so called us. The problem is that not many of them have horse experience, so they don’t appreciate the risk.”

He added that the fire service is working with the equestrian industry to encourage all emergency services responders to be aware of the dangers and to have training.

But financial cutbacks are a problem.

“Despite the number of cases the fire services are getting they are still reluctant [to act] as it takes extra training — but we must put the message out that loose animals are also a hazard to the public. Recently a motorcylist was killed in the New Forest when he hit a pony.”

In 2012 the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Association (BARTA) was set up to help fire services all over the country.

“We need to keep our profile up and urge people to support the work of the animal rescue services,” added Mr Green.

The Hampshire Animal Rescue Unit was set up 10 years ago. Last year the unit received 300 calls, 80 of which involved large animals, and the unit has provided training for firefighters in 44 of the 50 fire services in the country.

“There are significant cuts being made and animal rescue is one of the areas being scrutinised. We’ve got to be more efficient and smarter because we won’t have the resources we’ve had,” he added.

The scourge of fly-grazing

One of the major causes for the increase in road accidents is the growing issue of fly-grazing.

According to the BHS, reports of horses straying on roads, dumped on private or council land and abandonments at livery yards have all increased.

“While accidents can happen for a number of reasons, we are aware of an increase in road traffic accidents and near-misses caused by fly-grazing and poorly tethered horses straying onto the roads. These horses are often left in fields with inadequate fencing or no fencing at all,” added Roly Owers from World Horse Welfare.

In the incident in Cambridgeshire last week in which 12 horses died on a railway line, no owner has yet come forward.

“We are very keen to find out who the horses belong to,” said sergeant David Barker of Cambridgeshire Police.

“We just can’t ascertain how the horses got onto the line. There doesn’t seem to have been any obvious access point, but we’re keeping an open mind.”

Last month equine welfare charities’ battle ongoing against fly-grazing was given a boost after a private members bill to tackle the problem was proposed.

The Control of Horses Bill has been brought forward by MP for York Outer, Julian Sturdy, who has worked with local groups to try to deal with the issue in his constituency (news, 24 July).

The MP wants England to follow in the footsteps of Wales, which introduced legislation in January giving local authorities the power to seize or impound horses abandoned on public or private land, without permission.

Roly added that the organisation have been working with Norfolk and Suffolk councils after a fatal accident late last year, which prompted a coroner to warn that more deaths were inevitable unless fly-grazing was addressed.

“However, fly-grazing is still on the rise in England, so this problem is likely to get worse before it gets better,” he said.

“This is an unacceptable risk to the horses, as well as to motorists. That is why we are pressing for tougher laws on fly-grazing. It may surprise some that landowners may be liable if horses escape from their land and cause an accident.”

Ref: H&H Thursday 27 December, 2014

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A group of hounds have been killed after running onto a railway line in Devon on Saturday (22 November).

Thirty hounds from the Dartmoor hunt found their way onto the tracks between Langham Levels and Fardel Bridge (not pictured). Six of them were then hit by a passing train.

Tom Lyle, joint-master of the Dartmoor, has called it a “distressing and regrettable incident”.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to the hunt before and it was very upsetting to all involved,” he added.

A Network Rail spokesperson confirmed to H&H that at around 12.15pm on Saturday police rung to inform them that 30 unaccompanied hounds were on the line at Ivybridge.

“Sadly, at around the same time a train travelling through the area collided with six of the dogs, all of which died as a result of their injuries,” the spokesman said.

“Our staff attended the site as soon as they were able and worked with police to try and locate the other dogs and remove the remains from the track.”

This is the second fatal incident involving trains this week. On 19 November a group of 12 horses were killed after escaping onto tracks in Cambridgeshire.

The British Transport Police put out an appeal after the incident to try and trace the owner of the horses who had not come forward.

“We are very keen to find out who the horses belong to,” sergeant David Barker said.

“At the moment it is not clear how many horses died in the incident, however, we now believe that at least 12 were killed.

“We just can’t ascertain how the horses got onto the line, there doesn’t seem to have been any obvious access point, but we’re keeping an open mind.

“If anyone has any information, which they think that could help us in our investigations please get in touch.”

Anyone with information about the incident in Cambridgeshire is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference ESUB/B2 of 20/11/14. Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11.

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A total of 12 horses are now thought to have been killed after colliding with two trains in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday evening (19 November).

The British Transport Police (BTP), Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, and the ambulance service were called after the horses were struck by the trains at Fen Road level crossing in Milton (not pictured) earlier this week.

The BTP originally estimated that seven horses had been killed, but they now think that it is more than 12.

They are still appealing for information to try and trace the owner as no one has come forward.

“We are very keen to find out who the horses belong to,” sergeant David Barker reiterated.

“At the moment it is not clear how many horses died in the incident, however, we now believe that at least 12 were killed.

“We just can’t ascertain how the horses got onto the line, there doesn’t seem to have been any obvious access point, but we’re keeping an open mind.

“If anyone has any information, which they think that could help us in our investigations please get in touch.”

One local resident also told H&H that she was concerned the body parts of some of the horses are still on the tracks.

“It’s not very nice for any commuters or their children to look out the window,” she said.

She has also reported that two of the horses were decapitated in the incident and that one of the escaped group was a foal.

Several passengers reported hearing a “loud bang” in the collision but no one was seriously injured.

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A group of horses were killed after colliding with two trains in Cambridgeshire yesterday evening (Wednesday, 19 November). Police are now appealing for information to try find their owner.

The British Transport Police (BTP) , Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, and the ambulance service were called after the horses were struck by the trains at Fen Road level crossing in Milton (not pictured).

Sergeant David Barker, who is investigating, said: “We are very keen to find out who the horses belong to. At the moment it is not clear how many horses died in the incident, however, we believe that at least seven were killed.

“I also want to know how the horses came to be on the tracks. If anyone has any information, which they think that could help us in our investigations please get in touch.”

The breeds of the horses, which are believed to have come from the fields in the Fen Road area, are unknown.

More than 200 passengers were travelling on the trains involved. One lady was taken to hospital with minor injuries but was later discharged.

The trains were the cross country service from Cambridge to Birmingham, and another from Birmingham to Stansted Airport.

One passenger described hearing “loud bang” and rattling before the train decelerated.

Paul Clarke from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service added: “Although there were no injuries following the collision a number of passengers were showing signs of distress.

“The crews opened the doors of the carriages to allow fresh air to circulate and distributed water to the passengers on board.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference ESUB/B2 of 20/11/14. Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A woman has been left seriously injured after a motorbike spooked her horse on a bridleway in Sunderland last week (30 September).

The accident happened on an old railway line near Coxhoe Green in Houghton. The lady — who has been named locally as 40-year-old Gail Mawhinney — was taken to hospital with severe internal injuries.

Police are now trying to trace the bike rider who reportedly did not stop after the incident.

“Police are keen to speak to the motorcyclist who was riding the blue and white off-road style motorbike,” said a spokesman.

“He is believed to have been wearing a white helmet.”

A farmer — who employs Ms Mawhinney — has spoken out to local press warning that “next time someone could be killed”.

“We need to discourage other people from doing what has happened here,” Mr Broadwith said.

“It’s bad enough that some bikers are tormenting people by riding about at speeds of 50 or 60mph, but this person did not slow down and then sped off after it happened.

“He was somewhere he should not be and someone needs to make people aware that this is a problem.

“It’s not that we have an axe to grind against bikers, but next time, somebody could be killed.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191, quoting reference 942 300914, or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A driver whose car collided with a horse in South Yorkshire last month (18 September) has died.

The horse was killed in the accident and the driver was taken to hospital. The 22-year-old had been in intensive care since the crash but police confirmed that he died yesterday (Thursday 2 October).

Police had no details of where the horse had come from or why it was on the road.

The motorist, who has not yet been named, was driving an Audi A4 car when he hit the horse at 6.05am on a road in Askern, a town on the outskirts of Doncaster.

The road was closed in both directions afterwards to enable the recovery work to take place.

The South Yorkshire police are appealing for witnesses to the collision.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident number 111 of September 18 2014 or to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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A horse that lost its tongue in a field accident has made a full recovery after months of being taught to eat without one.

Dressage rider Jack Beeson-Smith noticed the ex-racehorse kept in his livery yard had blood on its mouth when he brought him in from the field in April.

“I looked into his mouth and it was like an empty cave — I couldn’t believe what I’d seen,” Jack told H&H. “We went straight up to the field and found the tongue, the vets think he had trodden on it.”

The vet was unable to reconnect the tongue but the horse was fed intraveneously for many weeks until he learnt how to eat without one.

“It was touch and go whether he would make it but suddenly he learnt how to eat again and after months of rest he has made a full recovery,” said Mr Beeson-Smith.

The horse was ridden in a bitless bridle and the hope is he will move on to a ported bit, which doesn’t rest on the tongue.

The previous day Jack had been on a trial EquineSkills first aid workshop, and credits the course for his fast-thinking and calm action in the crisis.

“We used the protocol from the course we’d attended just the day before and it really helped us to stay calm and put in a process of managing the situation,” he added.

The pilot workshop hosted by Lewes-based Cliffe Equine is one of a series of EquineSkills training courses run by trained veterinary surgeons and approved by the Association of British Riding Schools.

The courses cost £40, for more information visit www.equineskills.co.uk

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The Alvescot Stud in Oxfordshire is reducing its stock of youngsters after the family’s son, Duncan Hobbs, suffered a serious head injury earlier this month (1 September).

Duncan, 37, was lungeing a three-year old in the stud’s indoor school before he was found unconscious.

“We couldn’t get an air ambulance because of the low cloud, but a doctor came from RAF Brize Norton and Duncan was taken to the John Radcliffe hospital,” said his father, Stephen.

After 10 days in intensive care, Duncan was moved to the hospital’s neuroscience ward, where he will remain until he recovers.

The last scans indicate he was kicked in the head.

“He’s never been kicked seriously before and is always very careful how he backs them. He’s coming back slowly but it will take a while,” said his father.

The Hobbs family set-up the Alvescot Stud in 1981 and have 120 horses at the Burford-based farm.

The stud’s main stallion Flashpoint was champion at the Warmblood Breeders-UK stallion grading in 2012 and has been used several times by dressage rider Dan Greenwood.

“The three- and four-year-olds sold very quickly and we’re now going to try and sell the two-year-olds and yearlings before the winter,” added Stephen.

For more details visit www.alvescotstud.co.uk

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Guards Polo Club is set to introduce a rule on polo hats for next season after one of its players has been left in a coma following a serious fall earlier this summer.

From 2015 the club will enforce warnings and fines on any players who fail to wear protective headgear. However, the specific regulations are yet to be confirmed, according to Guards’ chief executive, Neil Hobday.

“We are working to adopt the minimum standard of safety required,” Mr Hobday told H&H. “Collectively as a sport we must take it [hat safety] very seriously indeed. There does not seem to be any pushback from the playing community about it. We wanted to get the process going.”

After the accident involving Brazilian four-goal player Juracy Santos at Guards, H&H polo reporter Aurora Eastwood started a campaign for the sport’s governing body — the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) — to bring in a blanket ruling. An online petition to change the rule for the 2015 season has received hundreds of signatures.

A safety hat regulation would bring the HPA in line with other equestrian bodies. Safety hats are compulsory for all British Showjumping competitors; British Dressage, except for advanced and above; and for British Eventing, except for dressage and prize-giving at novice and above. Safety hats are already compulsory for polo in the Pony Club.

Last month all four members of the British dressage team competed in crash helmets at the World Equestrian Games.

At present, the HPA enforces the wearing of “protective headgear with the chinstrap or harness correctly fastened” but many players choose to play in “low profile”, single-strap helmets.

The HPA told H&H that the issue of safer headgear is due to be discussed and a decision taken at the stewards meeting in October.

HPA chief executive David Woodd said; “The HPA is surprised to see Guards proposing to follow its own line. The HPA is considering what action it should be taking, bearing in mind its rule will apply to all players in this country and in all countries affiliated to the HPA.

“It’s a big issue: will it also apply to grooms and those umpiring? A decision is needed but it needs to be a very clear decision that makes sense to players.”

➤ To sign the polo safety hat petition visit: http://www.change.org/p/the-hurlingham-polo-association-change-rule-3c-to-insist-upon-safe-helmets-for-the-2015-season

This news story was first published in H&H magazine on 18 September 2014

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Drama struck Devon County Show at the weekend (22-24 May). Not only was it forced to cancel its last day due to safety fears caused by heavy rain, but a freak accident meant 2 horses had to be cut out of a lorry.

The horses were trapped after an out-of-control van struck a truck, which collided with a horsebox.

It has been reported by local press that the driver of the van had suffered a seizure and crashed into the lorry.

Police, ambulance and the fire service were called to the car park just after 2pm on Friday (23 May).

“5 vehicles, including a horsebox with 2 horses inside, were involved,” said a spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue. “Fire crews were called to cut the horses free and 1 of the animals had to be sedated.”

1 person was treated by paramedics with minor injuries and another was taken to hospital.

“Our horses were trapped inside for 3hr,” wrote Sarah Box on Facebook. “They were absolute stars. No one was injured, luckily, but had it been a minute or 2 later, our horses would have been tied up outside and crushed.”

Unrelated to the accident, Devon County, held at West Point Showground near Exeter, was cancelled for the first time in its 119-year history because of the wet weather. 

16 tractors were on site to tow out cars and lorries.

“Quite exceptionally heavy rainfall immediately before and during the show turned the car parks into quagmires, to the point where it would not be safe to allow people to park their cars,” said a spokesman.

“It was heartbreaking to have to make this decision, but we were left with no choice.”

First published in Horse and Hound on 29 May 2014

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A county show winner has died and another horse killed after the pair crashed into each other in their paddock.

Owner Michelle Lomas turned out Kavanaghs Royal Fanfare (Leo) on 3 May, and watched as he and his field companion, Jack, galloped happily towards each other, which led to disaster.

“They collided, stumbled over one another and rolled on the ground,” said Michelle. “I thought they were both dead.”

Jack — Beverley Mayall’s four-year-old Fell pony whom Michelle was due to start competing this season — died instantly. 

But although the eight-year-old Leo did get back on his feet, he had broken a leg and had to be put down.

“The vet couldn’t believe it,” said Michelle. “He’d seen horses collide before, but never with that result. It wasn’t slippery, it wasn’t their first turn-out — they had been going out every day.

“I was getting excited about him going to Royal International this year, but now those dreams are over.”

Michelle bought the 15hh as a £3,000 yearling from breeder Xanthe Barker-Wild. He was by Starlyte Royal Fanfare out of 2000 Horse of the Year Show pony champion Kavanaghs Dream. 

The pair went to the Royal International in 2012 and finished 5th in the amateur hack class. 

Leo had since been campaigned by Leigh Anne McNamee Sloggett and Leigh Dale, standing champion in both his classes at the North of England Show last month (report, 24 April).

First published in the Horse & Hound on 15 May 2014.

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A runaway mare has died after breaking free from her horsebox at a show and crashing into a fence.

The accident took place at Great Bookham Equestrian Centre (GBEC) in Surrey last Wednesday (7 May) during a dressage and showjumping competition.

“The horse became panicked when she broke a piece off the horsebox where she was resting,” said a spokesman from the centre. “In panic she subsequently broke through fencing on to the road and collided with a metal fence on Dorking Road.”

Staff were quick to pay tribute to the efforts of bystanders and vets, and later the police and fire service, but the injuries sustained proved fatal.

Firefighters from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene to remove the horse’s body from the fence. It took them 2 hours, using 2 winches and animal rescue equipment. The horse — which firefighters said was owned by a “young girl” — had been declared dead before the fire crews arrived.

Staff posted on the GBEC Facebook page: “We are in a state of shock and grief after such a terrible accident resulting in a beautiful horse losing her life. Our hearts go out to the owner, who loved and cherished her horse dearly.”

Another horse was injured at the show in a separate incident, while being loaded into his horsebox, and was bleeding profusely. After a vet stitched the wound and applied a pressure bandage, he was kept at GBEC under observation until 1am, and was fit to return home the next morning.

The next show at the venue is on 21 May.

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Irish shows have introduced “horse-free zones” in warm-up areas. The move comes after a woman was knocked down and paralysed by a horse that galloped in between the practice fences at Cavan Equestrian Centre’s indoor championships in September 2012 (news, 25 October 2012).

Course-designer Tom Holden, who is on Showjumping Ireland’s (SJI) health and safety committee, has driven the initiative.

Plastic traffic barriers at 1.20m are positioned between practice fences to “create a safe area where the groom or trainer can retreat after adjusting the fence”.

“It’s not legislation, but we have encouraged show centres to use them,” said Mr Holden. “People were suspicious at first, but we’ve had positive feedback from riders, grooms and trainers.”

Mr Holden added that since Dublin Show agreed to try horse-free zones last summer, “most show centres have followed on”. Tattersalls and Ballindenisk Horse Trials are also using them.

SJI chairman Georgia Stubington said the organisation is working to reduce the risk involved in warm-up arenas.

“The plan in 2014 is to trial a few options,” she said. “They include a penned area built with plastic traffic barricades and a penned area designated with poles on the ground — which provides a demarcated area for assistants to stand in.

“There were concerns about the barricades blowing over or loose horses jumping them, crashing into them and causing more injury.”

The Meadows Equestrian Centre in Co Armagh was one of the first venues to start using the barriers.

“We now wouldn’t consider running a show without them,” said director Hugh McCusker, who believes 70% of Irish centres now use them. “At first there was opposition, especially from riders, but now people can see it’s an excellent idea.

“The horses don’t even notice, and we haven’t had any problems with them trying to jump or run through them.”

But they are unlikely to be spotted in this country imminently. The subject has not been raised at British Showjumping (BS).

“Before we consider an idea like this, there would have to be stringent health and safety checks,” said BS’s Maria Clayton.

British Eventing confirmed that while the initiative “has been discussed, we are not planning anything at this stage”.

One argument for the barricades is that some insurance companies on the Continent now insist — to prevent accidents — that shows employ professionals to adjust jumps, which raises the cost of hosting a show.

Mr Holden believes that Ireland is the first country to use the horse-free zones.

Up to 6 barriers are required, at a cost of €60 (£50) each.

Hartpury College is investigating, after a vehicle collided with a competitor at its horse trials on Saturday (10 August).

Tom Rowland and his CCI2* ride W Iridium were travelling between fences 7 and 8 on the cross-country course when they were hit by the event’s director, Sarah Phillips.

The 22-year-old rider described the accident as a “terrifying experience”. Ms Phillips’ 4×4, he added, looked like it had gone “into a wall”. A picture, taken by spectator Katy Vincent (above) shows the extent of the damage.

He tweeted: “We honestly could have been killed”.

Ms Phillips said she was “completely devastated” by the incident.

The 10-year-old gelding was, said a statement released by Hartpury, “relatively unscathed” by the ordeal.

“’Viz’ is a little stiff by astonishingly normal,” Tom tweeted yesterday (11 August).

“He will be having full x-rays and scans this week and hopefully we can then start thinking about an autumn season.”

Hartpury says it will refund Tom’s entries and pay for any veterinary treatment necessary.

In a statement, college principal Russell Marchant said they would “learn from this and ensure the event organising committee takes all the steps necessary to minimise the risk of an incident like this happening again”.

The collision happened near a crossing point on the course. Competitors and spectators have asked whether it was adequately manned.

Blenheim Horse Trials (12-15 September) has since said it will be reviewing who “really needs to be driving around the site during the event and issuing new guidelines”.

Tom was able to ride another horse, The Carnival Cavalier, the next day (11 August) in the CCI*. They came eighth.

He said a mounted prize giving was “just the tonic” he needed, after Saturday’s events.

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A talented young up-and-coming showing producer – who suffered terrible head injuries when a faulty horsebox ramp fell on her head last year – is now under the care of a specialist in London.

Anna Richards, 20, from Aylesbeare, Devon, developed hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) after the accident in July last year and needed a drainage tube put in her head.

“Unfortunately, there have been problems,” her mother Jula told H&H.

“She has had about six operations to try to put it right. We moved her to London from Derriford hospital in Plymouth to get a second opinion.

“She had the operation yesterday [23 July] and will need further treatment in London once she has had a period to convalesce at home,” she added.

Anna had qualified for the Royal International (RIHS) with her working hunter pony Pebbly Role Model and Nicki McGuire’s Welsh section A stallion Sarum Japhet when the accident happened.

Mrs Richards says the pin in the hydraulic arm of their lorry ramp must have fallen out. When Anna went to unload the ponies after a cross-country session, the ramp collapsed, pinning her head to the tarmac.

She suffered multiple fractures and her hearing and vision have been affected.

“We are tremendously grateful she is still alive,” said Mrs Richards.

“There were moments of real despair when neurosurgeons in Plymouth didn’t know what to do, but she is amazingly resilient.

“She sees herself getting back on a horse – that is seeing her through,” she added.

Anna’s brother Charles is riding Pebbly Role Model. They picked up their first Horse of the Year Show ticket at NPS Area 7 on 1 July.

They also won the intermediates at Stithians. But Sarum Japhet – who was backed by Anna – is not being competed at the moment.

Owner Nicki McGuire told H&H she would not send him to another rider.

“He is her light at the end of the tunnel – when she is lying in her hospital bed, she is dreaming of what she’ll do with Japhet,” she said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (3 August)

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The respected showing judge and producer Bridget Millington is recovering after breaking both wrists while judging at the Royal Welsh (23-26 July).

Miss Millington was ride judging the heavyweight hunters on the first morning of the show (23 July) when the accident happened.

Lynn Russell, who saw the accident, told H&H: “The stirrup leather came off the saddle and she came off and put her hands out.

“I spoke to her afterwards and she was quite bright and jolly and we had a bit of a banter – at that point I hadn’t realised how serious it was.”

John Poole stepped in to ride the heavyweight hunters.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (3 August 2012)

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Six adults were injured at a Northamptonshire steam rally when a Shire horse was stung by an insect and bolted into the crowd, according to Northamptonshire police.

The horse was being paraded in the arena at the Hollowell steam rally, near Northampton, on Saturday 7 July to display old-fashioned machinery.

“The horse became distressed after being stung by a wasp or a bee, jumped up and got into the spectator area,” a spokesman for Northamptonshire police told H&H.

The spectators suffered multiple fractures and were taken to Northampton General Hospital. Five of them were released from hospital on Sunday (8 July).

The health and safety department of Daventry district council will be investigating the circumstances of the incident.

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A new app to help locate riders who have fallen off and may be injured is now available.

The Rescue Me app has been launched by PRP Rescue Services, a company that provides equestrian breakdown assistance.

It uses smartphone global satellite positioning to find you.

“Whether you are riding alone or in a group, an accident requires immediate help,” said Jon Phillips from PRP.

“You just press the Rescue Me button and it sends your exact latitude and longitude to us – and we can pinpoint your location within six feet.”

The service alerts the PRP 24hr specialist equine call handlers who can contact the emergency services and vets and inform next of kin.

“It works anywhere in the country – including in the ‘wilds’ such as the middle of Dartmoor,” said Mr Phillips, who added that the app was created due to public demand.

Sheila Hardy from the British Horse Society said: “It’s a really good idea and one that I hope many riders will take advantage of, a lot of research has gone into making sure that it works properly.”

There are Blackberry, iPhone and Android versions of the app and it costs £15 a year.

For further information, visit www.prprescue.me.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (7 June 2012)

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A woman whose horse was killed in an horrific road accident is campaigning to increase drivers’ awareness of riders on the roads.

Nicola Allen’s horse Ruby – who was out on loan – was struck by a pick-up truck and trailer while out hacking on Monday (21 May).

It is believed the driver was overtaking the seven-year-old mare when the accident happened.

Nicola, 34, from Knypersley, Staffordshire, today (25 May) urged road users to give horses more respect.

She told H&H: “The horse and road awareness campaign page on Facebook has received over 1,000 hits today and I’ve had emails from Australia, America and Lanzarote.

“I cannot believe how much publicity this has got. I wasn’t going to show the pictures [of Ruby’s body on the road], but it’s obviously struck a chord.”

Ruby was leading a group of two other horses when she was hit. She was being ridden by her loanee, a 21-year-old woman, who suffered minor injuries.

Nicky said: “The driver shouldn’t have been overtaking and he definitely wasn’t passing wide and slow.

“The front of the trailer hit the back end of Ruby when he cut in too soon.”

The accident happened shortly before 6.45pm and led to the road being closed for three hours.

Nicky arrived on the scene shortly after the vet and added: “The horse had been severed in half. I’ve never seen so much blood.

“Motorists had put their jumpers on top of her to try to stop the bleeding. The vet took one look at her and put her to sleep.”

Staffordshire Police are investigating and have urged anyone with information to get in contact on 101 quoting incident number 641 of 21 May.

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New figures have revealed the extent to which injured riders rely on air ambulances.

Figures collected by the Midlands Air Ambulance – and seen by H&H – show that riders account for more call-outs than all other sporting incidents combined.

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) account for 50% of all call-outs, followed by medical emergencies then general falls. Equestrian incidents were fourth, coming in at 8%.

The Midlands Air Ambulance team has been collating data to mark its 21st anniversary this summer.

Of the 36,547 call-outs it has received since 1991, 2,936 (8%) were equestrian. Other sporting incidents accounted for 2,238.

“It’s a combination of the danger of the sport and that riding often takes place in inaccessible places, which can’t be reached by [land] ambulance,” said spokesman Katy Rose Meaney.

Since July last year, the Midlands Air Ambulance has answered an average of 15 calls per month from injured riders.

The speed of the air ambulance is key. For example, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance – for which 5% of 2011 call-outs were equestrian – can reach any part of its area within 20min.

Last year, Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA) had the highest percentage (8.4%) of equestrian call-outs of the crews contacted by H&H – 68 incidents from 801 rescues.

The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA), which covers 10 counties, attended 91 equestrian incidents in 2011 (compared with 486 RTAs).

WNAA Coventry Airport base manager Philippa Gibbs said injuries occur predominantly schooling or hacking, but also at competitions and hunting.

“Most incidents are from falls, but five to 10 per cent are around horses being handled on the ground,” she added.

Air ambulances receive no government funding.

It costs around £5million annually to keep two air ambulances in service.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (8 March 2012)

• If you were injured in a fall and needed time off work to recover, would you be insured? For all your insurance needs, contact KBIS

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Two horses have been killed and two people seriously injured in a road accident in north Cornwall.

The crash, which involved three cars, happened at about 7.20am this morning on the B3277 between Chiverton Cross and St Agnes.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the occupants of one of the cars, a Peugeot, were badly hurt. The road was still closed at 3pm.

One of the horses died at the scene, the other had to put down as a result of its injuries.

Local reports said a father and daughter were traveling in the Peugeot – which appeared to have collided directly with the horses.

The female driver of another car was treated for shock, while the male driver of the third vehicle was uninjured.

Mark Glanville from Truro Community Fire Station said the Peugeot appeared to have hit one of the horses head on.

“The bonnet was crushed and it appeared the horse had come up and hit the windscreen, which was lying in the laps of the male driver and the female passenger.

Police are investigating why the horses were loose on the carriageway.

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A horse has been put down following an accident at Patchetts EC, Herts, last weekend (2 October).

Eloise Volk and Well I Never were competing in the 90cm amateur second round class when she fell from the horse.

Well I Never bolted out of the arena before falling and fracturing a shoulder in the car park.

The 16-year-old mare was put down on veterinary advice.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (6 October, 2011)

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A 47-year-old Royal Marine was injured when his bicycle was in collision with a 4×4 vehicle pulling a horsebox in Devon.

Police are seeking witnesses to the incident that took place between 11.40am and midday on Sunday 28 August, between the Dartmoor Diner and Roborough roundabout on the A386.

Stuart Edwards, from Plymouth, was riding his silver Certini racing bike when he was struck causing him to fall and be injured.

Police constable Abi Bedson of Devon and Cornwall Police’s serious collision investigation unit said: “We do not have any information on the make or model of the vehicle involved although it may have been brown or red and possibly may have joined the A386 from the Clearbrook direction.

“We ask that anyone who drove along this road with a horse trailer between the given times come forward so we can eliminate them from our enquires.

“We are open to the possibility that the driver was unaware that he had collided with the pedal cycle so we would ask that all drivers who may fit the description make contact.”

Mr Edwards is being treated at Derriford Hospital for two fractured ribs, a fractured right hip and a punctured lung.

Anyone with any information should ring the serious collision investigation unit on 01752 891961 quoting reference number 338 280811. Alternatively they can ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or report online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

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The dangers of handling other people’s horseboxes without their knowledge have been highlighted by a recent accident.

Showjumping course-designer and owner Brian Lear broke his back when his hydraulic horsebox ramp landed on him in the lorry park at the Royal International Horse Show on 30 July (news 4 August).

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and transferred to a specialist unit for surgery. He is still in hospital and is unable to move from the waist down.

He left the ramp down, because he had a horse inside the horsebox. But it seems that in Mr Lear’s absence someone manually lifted the ramp so that they could move their own box past, breaking the hydraulic mechanism.

When Mr Lear later lowered the ramp it fell on him.

Mr Lear’s wife, Jan, said: “We can only assume someone moved it. I’d urge people not to touch anyone’s lorry — if it is a hydraulic ramp this will happen again. He’s lucky to be alive.”

She added that Mr Lear’s phone number was in the front of the lorry, so he could have been contacted.

Chris Twemlow of Twemlow Horsebox Services is a friend of Mr Lear. He helped build Mr Lear’s horsebox while at another company.

“I checked the lorry recently — there was nothing wrong with it,” he said. “But I won’t fit hydraulic ramps in the future — it’s dangerous if people interfere with them. If you manually lift the ramp it messes with the hydraulics. Brian may never walk again — this is a life-changing accident that could have been avoided.”

And H&H reader Gill Wood told of a similar accident.

“I know someone whose electric ramp was forcibly closed in her absence and when she returned and released it, it fell on her,” she said. “She and her horse managed to jump out of the way, though she suffered concussion and her horse had cuts and bruises.”

Some riders feel stewards feed the problem by parking lorries too closely together. One eventer commented: “Sometimes at shows they pack you in like sardines.”

Jula Richards’ 19-year-old daughter Anna is in hospital with multiple head fractures after their hydraulic ramp malfunctioned three weeks ago.

“I’m keen to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. It took two of us to lift it while my husband dragged her out,” she said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (11 August, 2011)

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Two Berkshire women are locked in a legal battle after one was injured when out in a carriage the other was driving.

Sally Bodey of Beedon, Newbury, is seeking damages at the High Court from Gillian Hall of Cold Ash, Thatcham, for injuries she claims she sustained when thrown from the carriage in November 2005.

Ms Bodey says Mrs Hall’s driving was negligent and that, as owner of the horse, she is responsible for her injury in any case.

Mrs Hall denies responsibility, arguing Ms Bodey is partly responsible as she failed to wear a riding hat.

A verdict is expected at a future date.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (21 July, 2011)

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Visitors to Nowton Park Country Fair, in Bury St Edmunds, on 19 June, are being asked to check photographs and video footage they may have taken on the day to help a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation.

A spectator died at the show after being hit by a runaway horse and carriage (news, 23 June). Another seven people were injured.

The HSE is now searching for footage of the horse and carriage before the accident to help with its investigation.

The incident occured when a horse that had been giving carriage rides during the day bolted into crowds while still hitched to the vehicle.

If you can help, tel: 01603 828012.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (21 July, 2011)

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A woman died after a loose horse went on the rampage at a busy country fair in Suffolk last weekend (19 June).

Seven other people sustained injuries in the carnage that ensued at Nowton Park in Bury St Edmunds, after the horse, understood to be a Breton gelding, bolted into panicked crowds while hitched to a carriage that had been giving rides during the day.

Carole Bullett, 57, was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for treatment, but died from her injuries.

A spokesman for organisers St Edmundsbury Borough Council told H&H: “We are in the very early stages of an investigation with the police and the Health and Safety Executive and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“But we do know that the horse had been giving carriage rides during the day and was standing, being held by someone, when something happened to frighten it. It ran off, initially into the car park area away from the crowds. But then it made its way back into the event and ran down the main avenue, where everyone was enjoying themselves.”

Spectators reported seeing people throwing themselves out of the way of the horse, including one woman who flung herself out of her wheelchair, and a dog being run over.

Eyewitness Jon Kydd said: “Everyone was screaming for people to get out of the way. One lady tried to move, but it was too late. The horse, then the cart, hit her at full speed. It was horrendous.”

The council spokesman said this was the first time in the fair’s 22-year history that horse and carriage rides had been part of the event.

The rides were operated by Duncan Drye, whose company has been giving popular carriage tours around Bury St Edmunds since last summer.

Mr Drye said: “It’s difficult to comprehend that such a terrible result should come from this event and our deepest sympathies are with the family. We will not be making any further comment until the investigation is completed.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (23 June, 2011)

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A collision involving five cars occurred at one of the exit gates of the Royal Cornwall Show on Saturday evening (11 June).

Two casualties were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske, while four others suffering minor injuries were treated at the showground medical centre. Medics, police and fire crews were on scene within less than a minute.

According to witnesses, the driver of a silver Mondeo appeared to lose control of his vehicle. He crashed into the car in front, causing several vehicles to pile up and a pedestrian was injured. 

Devon and Somerset Police have confirmed that a 46-year-old pedestrian knocked over in the incident was airlifted to hospital. Following chest X-rays, his injuries were declared as not life-threatening. The driver of the silver car was taken to hospital due to an underlying illness and not as a result of any injury incurred during this incident.

There are unconfirmed reports that the driver’s blood pressure was dangerously high and that he was on the verge of a heart attack.

There are calls for more efficient marshalling at the Royal Cornwall Show, after drivers reportedly suffered queues of up to two hours to exit from this particular gate.

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A rider has died after her horse was in a collision with a car on a road in Hampshire.

The 59-year-old woman from Fareham was riding her horse along a bridleway in Warsash yesterday (Tuesday 8 February), when it galloped out onto Fleet End Road.

The horse collided with a blue Vauxhall Corsa and the rider was thrown onto the road, suffering head injuries despite wearing a riding hat. She was pronounced dead at the scene at around 4.15pm.

The 53-year-old female car driver and the horse were not seriously injured.

“The horse was caught and examined by a vet. It sustained only minor injuries and was returned to the stables,” said a spokesman for Hampshire Police.

Hampshire police is looking for witnesses following the accident. Anyone with information should contact them on 01962 841534, quoting operation celesta.

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The British Horse Society (BHS) has launched a website to record incidents involving horses.

The society says there are no specific records of accidents relating to horses by road authorities and emergency services. So it has set up a website to collate data centrally.

The site, www.horseaccidents.org.uk, was launched on 13 November for the public to record everything from dog attacks and road traffic accidents to incidents involving low-flying aircraft.

The data will be used to lobby for better riding conditions.

“Without hard evidence, it is impossible to lobby the government to make changes,” said the BHS’s Sheila Hardy.

Within three days of the launch, more than 30 incidents were reported.

Over the coming months the BHS will add its own archived records to compare the number, location and type of incidents each year.

Previously the BHS received around two reports a week.

Keith Evans, dog legislation officer for the West Midlands police, welcomed the site.

“This will enable us to collect evidence to see if the legislation regarding dangerous dogs needs amending,” he said.

There is little data currently available on road incidents.

“Many road accidents go unrecorded,” said BHS spokesman Alison Coleman.

A Highways Agency spokesman said no records on horse incidents are kept.

Lucy Killingbeck’s show hunter, Devil’s Advocate, was killed on the road in 2006.

“If data can be used for education, all the better. Knowledge is the best way to stay safe,” she said.

This article was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound, 25 November ’10

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American TV actress Kaley Cuoco nearly lost her foot after a riding accident last month, she has revealed.

Kaley, who starred in sit com Eight Simple Rules and is currently in the Big Bang Theory, fell during a lesson on 11 September and her horse trod on her foot, snapping her ankle, the star told the Ellen De Generes chat show on Tuesday (12 October).

She said the break was so severe doctors told her they may have to amputate.

The foot was saved and Kaley spent two weeks in hospital before being released with metal bars in her ankle.

But this has not put her off riding. She told DeGeneres: “If I could get this cast through the stirrup I would be on a horse right now. It was just a freak thing, I can’t wait to get out there.”

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A showjumper has broken his back in three places after falling at a senior show at Arena UK in Grantham, Lincs.

Adam Taylor was riding D Jingo S in the British novice class on Sunday, 25 July, when the horse suffered a rotational fall, landing on Mr Taylor.

Witnesses said the horse took off early and hit the top pole of the second fence, a vertical, and flipped.

A spokesman for Arena UK confirmed Mr Taylor broke three vertebrae and was attended by onsite paramedics before being taken to Lincoln Hospital.

He reportedly still has movement in his legs and arms, but as we went to press surgeons were waiting for the swelling to subside before operating. The horse was unhurt in the fall.

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An 11-year-old from Oxfordshire has been praised by the emergency services for her calm actions, after her mother had her finger pulled off by a horse.

Bella received the commendation from South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust “for demonstrating true presence of mind and exceptional bravery when calling 999.”

Bella Austin and her mother Gill were heading to a showjumping event in Berkshire last month when the accident happened.

While the pair were loading Bella’s pony on to a trailer, Gill’s finger became caught up in the pony’s lead rope.

When the pony pulled back, Gill’s finger went with it.

Surgeons were unable to reattach the finger.

Bella called for an ambulance telling Jacqui Bond, a call taker at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s Emergency Operations Centre, that her mother’s little finger on her left hand had come off.

“I told her she’d done really well and given exactly the information I needed and that I wished more adults could be as calm and brave as she was,” said Jaqui.

Medibike technician, Barry Pritchard, who attended Gill, added: “Bella’s one very brave young lady. She was stood half-way up a long drive on the phone to our Emergency Operations Centre as I arrived. She directed me and soon after the ambulance where to go. She didn’t appear upset, even when she said goodbye to her mum as the ambulance conveyed her to John Radcliffe Hospital.”

Gill added: “Bella stayed incredibly calm and gave the ambulance service directions to the remote location where the accident happened.

“Bella asked a lady who lives nearby to go and look out for the ambulance which, I’m glad to say, arrived in about 20 minutes from our call. Once I was packed off in the ambulance, Bella stayed behind with friends who had arrived by then and caught her pony — who had run back to his field. She was fantastic throughout and I am really proud of her.”

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US International dressage rider Courtney Dye (nee King) has awoken after nearly a month in a coma.

Courtney was taken to hospital on Wednesday, 3 March, after the horse she was schooling slipped and fell, at home in Loxahatchee, Florida.

She suffered a fractured skull and small brain bleeds and was airlifted to hospital in North Palm Beach.

Last week she was transferred to the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, New Jersey.

An update on her website on Monday night (29 March) read: “While Courtney is no longer in a coma she still needs more time to fully emerge. The head of the brain injury department has described her current phase as being at the higher end of a ‘minimally conscious state’.

“She has some awareness of her surroundings and responds inconsistently to requests.

“The recovery from a brain injury is much like training a top-level dressage horse — both take patience, determination, a highly-skilled team of people and time.”

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A horse was killed earlier this week after being thrown from its trailer on the M40 motorway on the way home from a competition.

The accident happened on Tuesday evening, when a van swerved in front of the Nissan pick-up truck towing a trailer with two horses.

The car and trailer were forced onto the hard shoulder causing the trailer to jack-knife and spin round, flinging the rear ramp open.

Police believe one of the horses was thrown out by the force and took off into the traffic, colliding head-on with a car and then a van.

The horse sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

The second horse became trapped in the broken trailer with the partition resting on its withers. Once freed, it was treated at the scene for bruising and minor skin wounds by vet John Brooks.

He told H&H: “It was dark and the horses were returning from a competition at Solihull. It seems that the force of the accident caused the trailer to almost break apart at the seams.

“We visited the second horse today and it’s making a good recovery.”

A spokesperson for the West Midlands ambulance service, who attended the scene, said: “Neither of the two men driving the van or car were injured. Both were assessed by ambulance staff and were discharged at the scene.”

“The woman driving the pick-up truck was also uninjured.”

The accident happened on the southbound carriageway of the M40 between Lapworth, junction 16, and Warwick, junction 15, in Warwickshire.

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A Sussex woman left paralysed after falling from her horse is seeking massive compensation, claiming a teenage motorcyclist caused her mount to bolt.

Shelley Jane Brown, 47, from Hove, claims the noise from Ian Surry’s 250cc trail bike spooked her horse, Tommy, causing him to panic, jump a gate, and throw her off.

The former social worker broke her back in the 2006 accident near Shoreham-by-Sea, and is now facing a lifetime in a wheelchair, London’s High Court has heard.

Mr Surry, 16 at the time, was uninsured and unqualified to ride such a powerful bike, Ms Brown’s counsel, Gordon Bebb QC, told the court.

Ms Brown is therefore claiming damages from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), the industry body that compensates victims of uninsured drivers.

But the MIB hotly disputes Ms Brown’s claim that Mr Surry was driving “fast, without consideration for other road users and failed to slow down and stop when he saw, or should have seen, her on her horse.”

Defence lawyers insist that Mr Surry stopped to let the horse pass, that he was not driving too fast and that, in any event, Tommy was prone to acting in a headstrong way.

Ms Brown, giving her evidence today, told Judge Richard Seymour QC she had been riding since she was a child.

She bought Tommy in 2003 when he was 10, but said she was having lessons with the horse because he had a “boisterous” nature.

Benjamin Browne QC, representing the MIB and Mr Surry, asked whether Tommy was the type of horse to be unpredictable and bolt or jump at will.

“No,” replied Ms Brown.

Mr Browne argued that, by the time Ms Brown bought Tommy, his character would already have been established and the lessons she undertook with him would not have been enough to “snuff out” his “boisterous nature”.

Ms Brown said she had not been trying to change his character, merely to gain more control over her horse.

The court heard the accident occurred close to a sharp bend on a narrow country road on Mill Hill in Shoreham-by-Sea. Ms Brown was riding with her friend, Mark Denyer, who managed to keep control of his mare, despite her rearing up.

If Judge Seymour finds Mr Surry, of Sandown Road, Southwick, to blame for the tragedy, the Motor Insurer’s Bureau will pay any damages due to Ms Brown.

No value has yet been put on her claim, however awards of more than £1m are common in such cases.

The High Court hearing continues.

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