Latest from Horse & Hound in Road-collisions

‘She was crying help but he drove off’: driver left rider stuck under catastrophically injured pony after road collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:56:47 +0000

The owner of a pony who was left catastrophically injured in the road by the driver who hit him with his rider stuck underneath hopes sharing their story may help save others.

Abby Carvosso’s daughter Sofia was uninjured when her pony Paddy landed on her on the road in Surrey last Thursday (5 June), but the 22-year-old Connemara had to be put down at the scene.

“Our gorgeous boy,” Abby told H&H. “We called him Perfect Paddy because he was just a dream, and he was even perfect then. He got up; he was so brave, he didn’t panic, he was still lovely. But the vet arrived, looked at me and just said: ‘no’. It was cut and dried, and we just had to put him down in the lane.”

Abby said Paddy, who had taught countless young riders all they know, and won “everything”; Cotswold Cup, Pony Club and national schools association championships, had just been loaned out to a 10-year-old, and Sofia, who rides professionally for Andrew Balding, was helping keep him fit by hacking out.

“I was at home, about 10 minutes away, and Sofia rang me while she was still on the ground and said ‘I think they’ve killed him’,” she said.

“It’s one of those country roads that’s narrow with high hedgerows and Sofia said she could hear a car coming so she stopped. It came round the corner, screeched its brakes, went into the hedge then smashed into Paddy and Sofia.

“She said she was crying out ‘Help’, and she heard the driver stop – and then drive off. Thank god she was ok. It was hideous enough with our darling pony but it’s not worth thinking about what could have happened.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Abby said she does not really use social media but she posted appealing for information and has had hundreds of people contacting her and police. A man has since been “assisting police with enquiries”.

“My daughter’s so lovely; she said ‘Mum, it’s going to change his life’ but people have to be accountable for their actions,” Abby said.

“We’d had Paddy 10 years and he’d taught so many little jockeys to be good riders, and was still bossing it round the 90cms. He had so much still to give.”

Abby said her children’s driving instructor, who keeps a horse at the same yard, has always spread the word on passing horses safely with her clients.

“And partly, if anything comes from this, it needs to be awareness,” she said. “It’s life-changing for the driver and that’s the risk you take by driving like that. It could be a person walking a dog. If we can do anything to drive awareness; that’s all I’d want from this, because that’s all that can come from it now. And it could save another horse’s, another rider’s life.”

A Surrey Police spokesperson told H&H the man is assisting officers, but the force is still appealing for information.

“Were you in the area at around 8.30pm on Thursday, 5 June?” she said. “Do you have any information that might assist our investigation? Please get in touch quoting PR/ SYP-202606040795 via our website or social media. In an emergency, always call 999.”

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Man arrested and police continue to appeal for information after two people and pony died in road collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:37:42 +0000

Police are continuing to appeal for any information on a road collision in Kent that caused the death of two people and a pony.

A lorry and a driven pony were involved in the collision, on the A228 Boyle Way in East Peckham, near Tonbridge, on 1 April at 6.25pm. A spokesperson for Kent Police said the white DAF tipper truck and the pony and cart were travelling in the same direction on the southbound carriageway between the Branbridges Road and Hale Street junctions.

“Patrols, South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service attended and a man in his 30s, who was in the trap, was confirmed deceased at the scene,” the spokesperson said.

“A woman and young girl who had also been riding in the trap were taken to hospital. The young girl was confirmed deceased at hospital and the woman remains in a critical condition. The pony also died at the scene.”

Irish television personality Paddy Doherty said the man who lost his life in the collision was his cousin, who had been out with his three-year-old daughter and his wife. The couple also had three sons.

The truck driver, a 29-year-old man from Kent, was arrested and taken into custody.

The police spokesperson said an appeal into the incident is ongoing and any witnesses to the collision, or who saw the truck or the pony and cart beforehand, is urged to contact officers.

Anyone with information is asked to call the serious collision investigation unit, on 01622 798538, or email sciu.td@kent.police.uk, quoting reference BN/JG/027/26.

Dashcam footage can also be uploaded, via the Kent Police website.

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Vets issue safety warnings after five loose horses killed on roads within a week

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:29:16 +0000

Owners have been urged to check their fencing after five loose horses were killed on the roads within a week.

Animed Equine Vets, Southampton, and M N Mollon & Partners vets, Alton, both issued warnings after three road incidents in Hampshire last week. Three horses were killed on the A3, one in Burseldon and one in Hambledon. It is not implied that lack of checking or maintaining boundaries was to blame in these cases.

Surrey Police were called to the northbound A3 in the early hours of 15 January, to reports of two loose horses involved in a collision with a lorry.

“Shortly after, a separate call came in regarding a collision with a car and horse,” a police spokesperson said. “Sadly, three horses were found deceased at the scene upon officer arrival. Officers are engaging with the drivers of both vehicles as part of ongoing enquiries.”

Animed cited this and the other two incidents; the practice was called to one and was aware of the other.

“In an unprecedented week where we have seen five horses killed in three separate incidents across Hampshire due to horses being loose on the road we would like to encourage everyone to take some time to check the viability of their field fencing this weekend,” a spokesperson for Animed said, adding that wet and stormy weather can damage fencing and that limited grazing could make hungry horses more likely to push their way through any weak spots.

“For the sake of our beloved equines and the innocent drivers who are involved in these events (and often unable to do anything to avoid them) please have a walk around your field boundary and ensure everything is as it should be,” the spokesperson said.

M N Mollon vet Ella Riley said the incidents are “deeply saddening reminders of how quickly a loose horse situation can escalate and why prevention is essential”.

Ms Riley echoed the call to maintain fences and boundaries, adding that other practical ways to help prevent escapes include securing and checking gates, and having a plan for safely containing any horse who gets loose.

“Loose horses pose a serious risk to equine welfare and public safety,” she said. “Thankfully, many of these situations are preventable with good fencing, secure handling, reliable routines, and awareness of the risk factors.

“Keeping horses safe starts with prevention, for their welfare, and for the safety of everyone sharing our roads.”

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Rider seriously injured in collision with three motorbikes on bridleway

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:29:33 +0000

A rider was seriously injured in a collision involving herself and her horse, and three “scrambler” motorbikes, on a bridleway.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for information after the incident on the off-road route between Devil’s Hill and Harpsden Road, near Sonning Common in Oxfordshire, on 25 September.

A spokesperson for the force said the incident occurred between 5.45pm and 6pm. A woman in her 40s sustained serious injuries and was later discharged from hospital.

Investigating officer PC Ben Rowlands, of the Thames Valley Police roads policing unit, said: “We are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a collision in which a horse rider was seriously injured.

“If you were in the area at the time and saw anything, or have any information that could assist our investigation, please get in touch.”

A scrambler motorbike is one designed for off-road as well as road use. Motorbikes are not allowed by law to use bridleways in the UK.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 43250494143, or by making a report online via the Thames Valley Police website.

Have you experienced problems with off-road motorbikes using bridleways? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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Owners of horse killed on hack campaign in her memory – as riders not mentioned in new national road safety strategy

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:03:48 +0000

The owners of a mare killed on the roads have vowed to campaign in her memory to protect other horses – as a major new Government road safety strategy does not specifically mention equestrians.

Jamie and Charlotte Willis’s eight-year-old Blaze, whom they have owned since the day she was born, suffered fatal injuries when she was involved with a collision with a car in Windsor on 13 August. Her young rider, who had Blaze on loan, was taken to hospital but not seriously injured. The two other horses and riders with her were unhurt.

The Willises have since met British Horse Society (BHS) director of safety Alan Hiscox and Windsor MP Jack Rankin as they try to ensure something positive can come from Blaze’s death.

“It’s been horrendous,” Mrs Willis told H&H. “I feel, not better, but like I’m moving forward a bit for Blaze. Some justice; so she hasn’t just been killed and forgotten about. It’s going to be a long road but we’ll do what we can. Something’s got to be done.”

The Willises want to campaign for horses, and other animals, to be classed other than as property, or chattels, in law, which would have further-reaching implications in areas such as theft, and could mean tougher punishments for offenders.

“After the accident, a police officer said something about the driver suffering the consequences, but there aren’t really going to be any consequences,” Mrs Willis said.

“Nothing’s going to be good enough because her life has been taken, but this is a living animal, and it’s classed as damage to your property. To hear that when your horse is lying on the side of the road is horrendous.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Charlotte told H&H Blaze’s birth was a surprise, the day before her own birthday in July 2017, as she had bought the mare’s dam, Blue, and the previous owners did not know she was in foal.

“She just looked like a bit of a fat cob that summer,” Charlotte said. “I went down there one morning, and there was this little chestnut foal next to her, and I thought ‘Oh, where did you come from?’! At that point, I had three boys, and I always wanted a little girl. And thought ‘This is clearly my little girl’. The day before my birthday, my favorite is a chestnut with socks and a blaze; she was just my dream.”

A few years later, Charlotte decided to put Blaze out on loan for a year as she felt the mare wanted to do something.

“I was going to have her back afterwards – but eight months in, this happened,” she said. “She was the perfect, perfect horse. I’d done everything slowly with her; let her grow and mature, backed her when she was six or seven, then turned her away for a little while, and then got her back into work and she went off on loan to do a bit of a job. She seemed to enjoy doing little bits and pieces, but obviously I didn’t have her long enough to enjoy her.

“She never got to a show, or to the beach; all these things I’d wanted to do and she never got to do any of it. “They’d been very much at home, in a quiet field, easy life – and it was cut short, which is awful.”

Charlotte said Blaze loved coming into the stable, where she would lie flat to sleep, snoring fit to burst.

“She was so funny, such a character,” she said. “She loved the children, always wanted to be the one having the attention all the time. So nice, and straightforward. She wasn’t just a horse, to me she was worth millions and millions.

Charlotte and Jamie hope that if their campaign succeeds, it will have wider benefits, such as affecting animal theft.

“We just want to make things safer for everyone,” Charlotte said. “And if Blaze can make that happen from losing her life, then amazing; it’s going to be a long road ahead but we’re going to fight.”

Particularly upsetting

Mr Hiscox told H&H the incident was particularly upsetting as it was so close to Windsor, where the BHS and Project EDWARD’s (Every Day Without A Road Death) awareness ride from Lambourn ended. It also occurred as news was emerging about the Government’s new national road safety strategy, to be published this autumn, which does not specifically mention horses.

“This incident just accentuates the fact that we need to push the Dead Slow message out, and get more buy-in from drivers, on that and the Highway Code changes, which are now three and a half years old,” Mr Hiscox said.

“The special relationship between horse and rider is something I’m trying to let the road safety world know about; it’s very special and both should be jointly dealt with as vulnerable road users. I’m pushing for equestrians to be included in the road safety strategy; it will mention vulnerable road users in general but I want the word ‘equestrians’ in there somewhere. I care so much about this.”

H&H reported in May that Newbury MP Lee Dillon had submitted an early day motion (EDM) calling for acknowledgement of horses’ role in society, concern over the number of road incidents involving them and greater awareness of changes to The Highway Code.

Mr Dillon told H&H: “The tragic incident in Windsor is yet another stark reminder of why we urgently need stronger protections for horses and riders on our roads. Living near Lambourn, the Valley of the Racehorse, I see first-hand just how vital it is that they are kept safe. That’s why I’m calling for changes to the Highway Code, for horse safety to be built into the driving test, and for greater awareness among motorists.

“Yet despite this clear need, horses are not even mentioned in the Government’s proposed new road safety strategy. That must change.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson told H&H the Government is committed to reducing the “numbers of those killed and injured on our roads”.

“We will aim to improve the safety of all road users through our road safety strategy, which is being developed and will be published in due course,” she said.

A spokesperson for Surrey Police told H&H two cars were involved in the Windsor collision; one has been served a notice of intended prosecution for dangerous driving, the other was arrested at the scene after failing a drugs swipe and has since been released under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing.

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‘That pony was her life’: horse fatally injured and rider taken to hospital after road collision

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:59:19 +0000

Tributes have been paid to a horse who “filled her rider’s heart with love”, who had to be put down after she was involved in a collision with a car.

The horse was one of three being ridden by teenage girls on Priest Hill, Windsor, on 13 August. She suffered fatal injuries and her young rider was taken to hospital.

The teenager escaped without serious injury but her yard owner Coral Sheldrake told H&H she and the other riders at the yard are devastated.

“That pony was her life,” she said. “The pair of them needed each other. It’s been very emotional”

Ms Sheldrake said the three girls are all experienced riders and they and their horses were wearing high-vis.

“I got a phone call from one of the girls’ mums saying one of them had been hit by a car,” she said. “I said ‘I’m on my way’. That’s all I remember saying.

“By the time I got there, thank goodness, two of my liveries had stopped on their way to the yard. One was holding the horse and the other trying to care for the rider. Police were arriving, the ambulance was arriving – and the horse had to be put down.”

Ms Sheldrake said the horse and rider who were injured were in the middle of the group and that the incident occurred as the car was passing them.

“She came off and the horse rolled on top of her,” she said. “She’s holding it together, they all are.”

Ms Sheldrake said there have been numerous near-misses on the road before, but it is the only route to safe off-road riding in Windsor Great Park.

“It’s very sad that drivers could prevent girls and boys enjoying that sort of ride with friends and family,” she said. “It’s just incomprehensible to think that you have to highlight it. It’s so sad.”

Ms Sheldrake added that the horse, whom the teenager had on loan, was “bombproof”.

“She filled her heart with love,” she said. “I would even say the horse loved her as much as she loved her, and she never put a foot wrong; I could never have faulted her.”

British Horse Society (BHS) director of safety Alan Hiscox visited the yard last week to support the riders. Ms Sheldrake said the plan to is to print leaflets as part of a campaign for a lower speed limit on the road.

“We’ve just got to battle on,” she said. “I don’t want any more horses put down, or any of my girls having to experience what they had to go through last week.”

Mr Hiscox told H&H the incident was particularly upsetting as it was so close to Windsor, where the BHS and Project EDWARD’s awareness ride from Lambourn ended in May.

“It just accentuates the fact that we need to push the Dead Slow message out, and get more buy-in from drivers, on that and the Highway Code changes, which are now three and a half years old,” he said.

“We’re working with local authorities, road safety partnerships and driving instructors; I’m going to motoring events and in November I’m giving a presentation at the national roads policing conference. I’m going to stress the relationship between horses and riders, and the importance of seeing horses as subjects, not objects. We’ve got good support from MPs but it needs to be pushed much more.

“I care so much about this and am always keen to go out and speak to any riders involved in these serious incidents and give them as much support as the BHS can give them. This is something that will stay with those three riders for a long time.”

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The steps horse riders can take to report bad or dangerous driving

Carol Phillips — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 15:30:11 +0000

If you’ve ever been enjoying a quiet hack along a country lane when you hear a vehicle speeding towards you, you’ll know how terrifying this can be. Will they see you in time to adjust their speed and pass wide and slow, or will they continue without a care for how their driving will affect your horse? If you’ve experienced a situation like this, you may have wondered how horse riders can report bad driving.

It’s not just speed that can cause concern for riders exercising their horses on the road. There is also dealing with aggressive or abusive drivers, unusually large or noisy traffic, slippery road surfaces, and external factors such as out-of-control dogs that can add to the problem.

How can horse riders report bad driving?

The RAC recommends people report cases of dangerous or bad driving to the police. If there is a fear that the driver is a current danger to themselves and other road users, it suggests you call 999.

If the incident does not require an immediate response, then it can be reported via 101 or online, but you should do so in a timely manner and certainly within seven days.

Many riders now chose to wear a camera to record other road users while out riding on the roads. Video evidence can be helpful when it comes to prosecuting a dangerous driver. For use in a legal case, a video should include the two minutes of footage before and after the incident took place.

Most police forces’ websites include an option to submit video footage of a road incident or near miss. If you are submitting video footage to the police for use in a court case, it should not also be shared on social media (or anywhere else in the public domain) as this may negatively affect legal proceedings.

Other information that the police will need include the date and time of the incident, the registration number and description of the vehicle, and a description of what happened. If there is an independent witness to the incident, their description of what they saw will also be useful.

The British Horse Society (BHS) encourages all riders to report any incidents or near misses to its safety department using its online form. You do not have to be a BHS member to do so. Incidents can include:

a situation that has resulted in a rider or handler feeling concerned (e.g. verbal abuse)
an event that has caused a horse to react in an unsettled way (e.g. excessive noise)
a situation that might have caused injury to a rider, handler or horse even though it may not have at this time (a near miss)
an event that has caused injury to a rider, handler or horse (a collision)

What if there has been a collision?

If there has been a collision between a vehicle and a horse or rider, that has caused injury to either party, you must call the police.

If someone is in danger, has been seriously injured, or the collision has caused a blockage or dangerous obstruction of the road, then ring 999 and request the police, plus whichever other emergency services are needed. If the horse is injured, call a vet.

Otherwise report the collision to the police on 101 while you remain at the scene. The driver of the vehicle should stay until the police arrive.

If the driver leaves the scene after the collision, try to take down the vehicle’s number plate to pass on to the police.

What other types of incident can I report?

In addition to incidents on the road, the BHS also want to receive reports of incidents and near misses involving:

Off-road users
Dogs
Slippery road surfaces
Low-flying aircraft
Drones
Fireworks

These reports help the BHS to identify hotspots, whether those are dangerous stretches of road or other problems. They can then use this data to lobby and advise MPs, road safety partnerships, the police and other safety organisations. They can also offer support in the form of local safety campaigns.

Can you report bad driving if you don’t have video evidence?

Yes, you can report an incident to the police without video evidence. How successful it may be in terms of action being taken will depend on a number of considerations, including whether there are independent witness.

Can you report bad driving without a number plate?

Yes, you can still report the incident with just a description of the vehicle, although this does make it less likely that the driver will be located. However, reporting the incident will help to identify potentially dangerous locations, or a particular vehicle that has been linked to other similar incidents.

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‘He’s taken their freedom and joy away’: jail for disqualified, uninsured driver who killed pony on the road

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 19:51:38 +0000

The owner of a “pony in a million”, who was fatally injured by a driver who was banned from the roads, has welcomed his jail sentence – although nothing will take away what he has done.

Christopher Rogers, of Bolventor, Cornwall, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on 18 March, reduced from 26 weeks owing to his guilty plea. He had admitted driving without due care, without insurance and while disqualified, at the same court last month.

The court heard, as H&H reported at the time, that Rogers, 61, was banned from driving when he hit the pony, on a narrow road near Launceston, on Sunday, 12 January. He left 18-year-old Ora with a catastrophic leg injury and her eight-year-old rider on the ground, then left the scene.

Polly Smith told H&H it was her 13-year-old daughter who was leading her beloved pony, who has been part of the family for 11 years, with a friend’s daughter in the saddle.

“I have to get into bed with my daughter most nights and the eight-year-old is petrified,” she said. “We’re trying to build them both back up, but he’s taken that fear-free child freedom and joy away from them.”

Polly was in the field by the road when Rogers’ van hit Ora.

“My daughter was screaming, ‘Mum, her leg,’” she said. “It was dangling, hanging by threads – and I saw [Rogers] driving off.

“It was horrific. We had to stand there for about an hour and a quarter before the vet got there, and Ora was so good. My elder daughter was holding her and singing to her, and she just stood there.”

Polly said that Ora went down when she was hit by the van and the young rider came off, then as Ora tried to scramble up, she stood on the girl’s leg. The rider was taken to hospital, but her injuries were not as serious as was first thought.

“The sight of [Ora’s] leg will never leave them,” Polly said. “It can’t be undone; none of his punishments will ever make it right. But at least he’s away. I think last night was the first my daughter has had a good night’s sleep since. It’s given them a bit of peace, knowing he’s not around.”

Polly paid tribute to Ora, who taught all three of her daughters to ride.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “It’s so sad, looking into the field and not seeing her. Our other pony had never been without her and was really lonely; a kind neighbour lent some sheep to keep him company. She was just a lovely pony. A little chestnut mare, a rascal, but not a bad bone in her body; she was one in a million. No horse is perfect – but she was perfect for us. She was still jumping and hacking out, and he’s taken all that away.

“The one thing is, I’ve noticed that since it happened, people have slowed down. Everybody has horses around here and people are taking more care, so that is one good thing to come out of it.

“I just don’t understand why he did it, why risk it, when he was banned. It could have been so much worse – in my mind, Ora saved the girls’ lives by losing hers.”

Rogers’ solicitor said his client was temporarily blinded as he had a sneezing fit. He said it was an error of judgement and there was no suggestion that it was a vindictive act.

He repeated what he had said in court last month, that all involved were very saddened by such a case, and that Rogers, a horse-lover who suffers with diabetes, “very much regrets what happened”.

“The defendant, although he’s pleaded guilty to poor driving, understands the tragedy, the loss of this lovely animal that has been with the family for all the life of these young girls,” he said in February.

Passing sentence, the chairman of the bench said the magistrates considered the offence at the “highest end of the scale”, and “of the highest culpability”, owing to his failure to stop and investigate how serious the accident had been, although he paused “for 20 to 30 seconds”.

“And indeed the vehicle was concealed after the event,” he said.

He added that the effect on the children and Ora was taken into account, as were aggravating factors.

“We had to consider the prejudicial comments made to probation… about horse owners, which leads us to believe that the remorse expressed by you for this case was questionably genuine,” he said.

As well as the prison sentence, Rogers was banned from driving again, effectively for 22 months and one week from 13 March, taking into account the previous ban and his prison time. He was ordered to pay costs and a surcharge.

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‘He should have had years left’: heartbreak as talented horse dies after collision with tractor trailer

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:08:11 +0000

The heartbroken owner of a horse who suffered a fatal injury when he was hit by a trailer towed by a tractor wants to “do him proud” by helping protect others on the road.

Amy Hilton had been preparing her much-loved seven-year-old gelding Archie for a season of eventing, having spent years building up their partnership. But last Tuesday (18 February), he had to be put down after the collision.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Amy told H&H. “It feels like a big part of me is missing. We backed him, I was the first person to ride him; we were such a pair. I need to try to be strong because he isn’t here any more.”

Amy was riding a route she and Archie took frequently, near Iden Green in Kent, on a road she described as wide enough for two cars to pass.

“I heard a loud noise from behind and knew there was a big vehicle coming,” she said. “I saw the big tractor and trailer and knew I needed to get into a safe space – but the tractor wasn’t holding back. It was right behind us; so intimidating and scary.”

Amy said Archie was not too bothered by the tractor’s proximity at that point, but that he was becoming slightly tense and uncertain.

“I thought ‘The safest thing will be to get off, as this tractor’s not slowing down and this could be a disaster’,” she said. “I saw a little gap and thought I’d try to stand in it, the tractor would stop and I could turn round and pass it. I got in the space and didn’t have a chance to look round; the tractor was overtaking. It was like a nightmare; it was so big and loud and I was thinking ‘Please can this end’. Then it was nearly past us, and Archie’s back end just fell. The trailer hit him, his whole leg was on the side and his body fell down.

“I was screaming so loudly. I just wanted the tractor to stop and help me but he’d gone, and Archie was just lying there.”

Amy phoned for help and somehow, Archie managed to get to his feet and was taken home.

“The vet came and said ‘What’s happened to this horse?’” she said. “The tendon had just gone. The vet said ‘I’m really sorry but we can’t even operate; we’re going to have to put him down’.”

Amy posted on a local Facebook group to try to find the driver, and reported the incident to police.

“He wasn’t stopping; it was his road and I was in his way,” she said. “I don’t understand what was going through his head, and he’s a tractor driver, he should know better.

“I had the biggest high-vis jacket on imaginable so he couldn’t have missed me, and I couldn’t have made myself stand out any more. He needs to be found because you can’t drive like that, and if he gets away with it, anyone can drive like that.”

Amy said there were other witnesses to the driver’s actions on that day, which are to be submitted to the police.

“It’s so sad because the girls at the yard are all scared to go hacking now,” she said. “They’re all in shock. He was young and talented and we knew each other inside out. For that to be taken away is so tough and I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I do want to make him proud.”

As well as helping police in hope of catching the driver, Amy wants to get warning signs put up in the area to help protect other horses – and riders.

“I hadn’t really thought about how I felt but I did think I was going to get crushed under him; if I’d been on him, I could have gone under the wheels,” she said. “My mum rode his mum, Spring Sensation, and his owner gave him to me so she and my mum were heartbroken too. He was family.

“I don’t want to scare people but I do want to raise awareness. I thought about maybe a hashtag #HackOutForArchie; I want people to enjoy hacking but for drivers to think. It’s not ‘just a horse’, it’s not one heartbeat, it’s two. If the driver had just waited, it would have been ok.”

Amy added that she has to pass the place it happened every day.

“That’s tough but that’s where I want the sign,” she said. “Then it will be a bit in remembrance of him as well. I almost wish it had been me who was hurt; I’d have had my arm in a sling for six months to save him.

“I want to do him proud because he was taken too early. He had the best life and should have had many years left. He didn’t deserve this.”

A spokesperson for Kent Police told H&H officers on patrol were flagged down after the collision.

“The driver of the tractor left the scene and enquiries into the incident are ongoing,” she said.

“Anyone with information should contact Kent Police on 01622 604100, quoting 18-0638, or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by completing the online form.”

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‘He very much regrets what happened’: guilty plea for disqualified, uninsured driver who fatally injured horse and hurt rider

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:35:14 +0000

The disqualified, uninsured driver of a van that collided with a horse, who had to be put down as a result, “understands the tragedy and the loss of this lovely animal”, a court heard.

Chris Rogers, 61, who lives in Bolventor, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, without insurance and while disqualified, at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court today (7 February).

H&H reported last month that the Transit Rogers was driving hit a horse at Higher Treween, Altarnun, near Launceston, on Sunday, 12 January. The eight-year-old rider was airlifted to hospital and the horse was fatally injured.

“The defendant is driving a Ford Transit, is disqualified from driving that, and has no insurance in place,” the prosecutor told the court. “There is a 13-year-old girl who is supervising an eight-year-old girl riding a horse along the road. The defendant has essentially collided with that horse and then driven off. That horse had to be put down as a result of that accident. That essentially is the case.”

Speaking on Rogers’ behalf, solicitor Mr Nicholls said it was right that “everyone should hear that it’s accepted this is a tragic case”.

“The defendant, although he’s pleaded guilty to poor driving, he understands the tragedy, the loss of this lovely animal that has been with the family for all the life of these young girls,” he said “And that is a tragic loss to the family as a result of his poor driving, and in those other circumstances, of being disqualified, et cetera.”

Mr Nicholls said there was no drug or alcohol involvement.

“That’s quite important because of the reason for this disqualification,” he said “But he is a diabetic; he has dialysis three times a week. He has difficulty walking because of sores on his feet, so he is rather a sad individual.”

Mr Nicholls said Rogers “very much regrets what’s happened”.

“He’s a horse lover himself,” he said. “There was a lady nearby who had a terminal illness, and he was looking after her horse for about two and a half years. So obviously he can feel the loss this family has suffered as well.”

Rogers attended court on unconditional bail; this was extended for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and he was told to return to court for sentence on 13 March.

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Horse chased on to road by loose dog ‘shattered all four legs’: heartbroken owners speak out

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 16:27:36 +0000

The heartbroken owners of a horse who suffered horrific fatal injuries after he was chased by a loose dog and ran into the road said they will campaign for law changes to protect animals and people.

Loki, an eight-year-old Welsh section C, suffered four “shattered” legs in a collision with a car, and had to be put down at the roadside in Lofthouse, West Yorkshire, on Saturday (25 January). His owners told H&H he had bolted on to the road as he was scared by a dog, whose owner refused to put him back on the lead.

“It was such a horrific accident – and it could have been avoided,” Rosita Pyne, grandmother of the two girls involved, told H&H.

Rosita explained that her 17- and 14-year-old granddaughters Lili-Ana and Maisy were riding with a friend, and another girl walking with them, in an off-road area.

“There was a man with a dog and it started running around the horses,” Rosita said. “They asked him if he could just put it back on the lead while they went past and he refused – and told them to F off. He said it was a public area and he could do what he wanted.”

Rosita said the girls waited for the man to move away, but the dog came back.

“It was chasing them,” she said. “Loki bucked and kicked to get the dog away; Lili came off and he bolted to get away from the dog. We’ve got dogs and the horses have been brought up around them so it must have been really at his heels for him to react like that; he’d never bolted before.”

Maisy, whom Loki belonged to, went after him but the smaller pony she was riding could not keep up, Rosita said.

“She got to the road and someone held the pony, someone else was trying to catch Loki – but then the car hit him, full-on,” she said. “Maisy heard the bang. It shattered all four of his legs, and one of his hooves had come off the bone. But he was in full flight mode, and still trying to get up. It was horrendous, it floored us all.”

The family asked H&H to share this very distressing picture of Loki’s injuries to show the outcome of this situation. *Warning* very graphic image – click here if you choose to view

Maisy called her mother and grandmother, and a vet, who arrived as soon as she could.

“She said she’d never seen anything like it; he had to be euthanised straight away,” Rosita said. “We needed to put him out of his pain and misery.

“I just hope that with all the adrenaline, he didn’t feel anything, but poor Maisy is only 14 and she had to see it all. They’re going to cremate him because she wants him back.

“She stayed with him until they took him away; she didn’t leave as she wanted to tell him she loved him and say goodbye, which she did. She’s so brave.”

Rosita said the family wants to speak up about what happened to raise awareness.

“We want to campaign for a law that means dogs must be on leads in public places,” she said. “It’s for the safety of people, horses and other animals. There was a fatality; Loki was part of our family, even if he wasn’t human, and the car driver could have been killed as well. If Lili hadn’t come off, it could have been fatal for her too. Something needs to be done to protect people and animals.”

The family had bought Loki as a yearling so he and Maisy had grown up together.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“He was her first horse; they were going to go to college together, they had plans,” she said. “He was so handsome, never kicked or bit. He and Maisy had done all sorts together and he was always great.

“This could have been avoided – all that man had to do is put his dog on the lead.”

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said officers were called to Leeds Road, Lofthouse, a village between Wakefield and Leeds, at just after 4.30pm, to reports a horse and a car had been involved in a collision.

“Officers attended and established the horse had thrown a female rider before bolting into the road where the collision took place,” the spokesperson said.

“The female rider was assessed by paramedics at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.

“Sadly, the horse suffered very serious injuries in the collision, and was euthanised at the roadside to stop its suffering. Collection for the horse was arranged by an attending vet.”

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Perspective change needed as 58 horses killed on our roads last year

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:34:06 +0000

A change in the way ridden and driven horses are officially perceived could boost safety – as the latest stats showed 58 horses were killed on Britain’s roads last year.

The British Horse Society (BHS) released its 2024 road incident figures yesterday (29 January), three years after changes to the Highway Code guidance on passing horses came into effect.

In total, 3,118 incidents were reported to the BHS, which the charity’s head of safety Alan Hiscox told H&H is “the tip of the iceberg”. These included 80 human and 97 equine injuries and the total number of reported incidents was 8% down on 2023 (see below). This takes the total number of recorded road incidents since November 2010 to 18,683, causing 47 human and 697 equine deaths, and 1,782 human and 1,625 equine injuries.

“These figures are still shocking,” Mr Hiscox said. “Although there’s been a slight decrease, 58 horses died on our roads last year and more than 3,100 incidents were reported to us. And we know only about 15% of incidents are reported to us.”

Mr Hiscox reiterated the call he has made before; to all those who experience an incident, whether a collision or a near-miss or similar, to report it to the BHS as this allows them to lobby local and national government, police and road safety partnerships for change, as well as identifying accident hot spots at which action can be taken.

“It’s absolutely vital equestrians let us know what’s happening on the roads,” he said.

In the updated Highway Code, which came into force in 2022, drivers are urged to pass horses no faster than 10mph and leaving at least two metres space. But 81% of the reported incidents involved drivers who did not adhere to this guidance.

Mr Hiscox said that too few drivers are aware of these changes, even now; as part of the BHS Dead Slow road safety awareness campaign, he visits motoring shows every year.

“At Carfest last summer, we asked more than 300 drivers if they knew about the specific changes relating to horses and only 2% knew,” he said. “At a national air show, it was 5%. So there’s a huge amount of work to do on awareness.”

Mr Hiscox would like to see the government department for transport (DfT) doing more to raise awareness of the changes – “they’ve really pushed the cyclist ones, which is fine, but I think it’s been to the detriment of equestrians,” he said. He will carry on with the multiple award-winning safety campaign; speaking at national conferences, visiting shows and working with driving instructors, councils, police and road safety partnerships.

“And we want to get the horse recognised as a subject, not an object,” he said. “Police consider the horse as property but we want to see the horse and rider or driver both as the vulnerable road users, not just the person. I don’t know if it needs a change of legislation or mindset. There’s lots more to do but we’ve hit the ground running.

“Only through working collaboratively and by evidencing that an issue of equestrian safety still remains, can we stop these awful incidents from happening, time and time again.”

A DfT spokesperson referred H&H to a comment made by future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood, in response to a road safety question asked in parliament.

Ms Greenwood said an awareness campaign about “the changes” to the Highway Code was launched in 2022, followed by “broader behaviour change campaigns in the summers of 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance”

“Over £2.4m has been spent on media across the campaign,” she said.

“Campaign outcomes include 86% of road users having heard of the changes by September 2023, and 81% of drivers claiming to leave a gap of 1.5m when passing a cyclist all or most of the time. We will continue to promote the Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations.”

To report an incident, visit the BHS website or the Horse i app

The numbers

2023: total incidents 3,383

People killed 3

People injured 94

Horses killed 66

Horses injured 86

2024: total incidents 3,118

People killed 0

People injured 80

Horses killed 58

Horses injured 97

Since November 2010, 18,683 incidents have been reported; 47 people have died and 1,782 have been injured, and 697 horses killed and 1,625 injured

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Horse suffers fatal injuries in car collision after rider ‘thrown’

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 15:14:33 +0000

A horse suffered fatal injuries in a collision with a car on Saturday (25 January), after its rider was ‘thrown’ and the horse ran into the road.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police were called to Leeds Road, Lofthouse, a village between Wakefield and Leeds, at just after 4.30pm, to reports a horse and a car had been involved in a collision. The injuries the horse suffered were so serious it had to be put down at the scene.

“Officers attended and established the horse had thrown a female rider before bolting into the road where the collision took place,” a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said.

“The female rider was assessed by paramedics at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.

“Sadly, the horse suffered very serious injuries in the collision, and was euthanised at the roadside to stop its suffering. Collection for the horse was arranged by an attending vet.”

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Eight-year-old in hospital and horse put down after road collision, man charged

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:00:47 +0000

A man has been charged with road offences relating to an incident after which an eight-year-old was airlifted to hospital and a horse put down.

Devon & Cornwall Police were called to reports of a collision involving a white Ford Transit van and a horse, at Higher Treween, Altarnun, near Launceston, at about 2.20pm on Sunday (12 January).

The rider, aged eight, was taken to hospital but police have confirmed that her injuries are not as serious as was first thought. A 12-year-old girl who was leading the horse was not injured.

“The horse had to be humanely put to sleep by vets at the scene,” a spokesperson for the police said.

“Christopher Rogers, 61, of Bolventor, Launceston, has been charged with driving without due care, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, failing to stop after a road accident and criminal damage.”

Mr Rogers has been released on bail and is due to appear at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on 7 February.

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Driver who hit horse and failed to stop ordered to pay over £2,200

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:20 +0000

A driver who hit a horse as he was trying to overtake it – and failed to stop after the incident – has been ordered to pay over £2,200 and given eight points on his licence.

Rob McGregor, of Hambleton near Selby, was sentenced at York Magistrates’ Court on 2 December, having pleaded guilty to two offences.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said the 77-year-old struck one of the horse’s hindlegs as he was trying to overtake in his Kia on 12 February. The horse needed veterinary treatment for leg injuries and the rider sustained whiplash in the collision.

The police said the case is an “important reminder”.

“We’re reminding motorists to take extra care when passing horse riders, cyclists and other vulnerable road users after a driver was sentenced for hitting a horse,” the spokesperson said..

“McGregor failed to stop but was followed from the scene of the collision in Hambleton to his home and the incident was reported to the police. He was prosecuted and sentenced for driving without due care and attention, and for failing to stop after a collision.”

McGregor was told to pay a fine, costs and a victim surcharge, after the victim incurred vets’ bills of over £470.

North Yorkshire Police officer Sam Potts said: “A few seconds’ loss of concentration is all it takes to cause injuries that last a lifetime and even fatalities.

“Motorists need to remember the ‘10 and two’ rule when passing horses – allow two metres and limit your speed to 10mph.

“North Yorkshire is a rural county which is popular with horse riders and cyclists, and has a lot of wildlife and livestock that can wander into the path of traffic, so it’s always important to expect the unexpected.”

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Horse killed in early-morning two-vehicle motorway collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:50:28 +0000

A loose horse was killed after it was struck by two vehicles on the M65 in the early hours of yesterday morning (28 October).

The collisions were followed by another, involving three vehicles, near junction nine of the motorway. Lancashire Police said four people were injured in total.

“We were contacted at 2.34am today following a report that two horses were loose on the westbound carriageway of the M65 at Junction 9,” a Lancashire Police spokesperson said.

“Our officers attended the scene and were made aware that one of the horses had been fatally struck by two vehicles. A passenger in one of the vehicles suffered facial injuries.

“A second collision then occurred involving three vehicles, with three people suffering minor injuries.”

The spokesperson added that the second horse was caught and taken off the motorway safely.

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Woman and four horses die in early-morning road collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:07:00 +0000

A woman and four horses died in a road collision in the early hours of yesterday morning (23 September).

Police Scotland’s road policing team is appealing for information about the fatal crash, on the A737 near Howwood, Renfrewshire.

“Around 3.10am, officers were called to the crash involving a Mercedes A-class car and a MAN box van,” a spokesperson for police said. “A number of calls around that time also reported six horses running loose on the A737.

“Police and ambulance attended and a 59-year-old woman, a passenger in the Mercedes, was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The driver of the car, a 52-year-old man, was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. A 33-year-old man who was a passenger in the car, and the 59-year-old driver of the van were taken to Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, for assessment.

Four of the horses were struck by vehicles and died but two more were taken to a safe place.

Sergeant Jack Swindells said: “We are providing support to the family of the woman who died as our enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances of this crash.

“We would appeal to anyone who was driving on the A737 on Monday morning around the time of the crash who either witnessed the crash take place or saw the horses running on the road. Anyone with dash-cam footage is also asked to please contact us as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 0291 of 23 September.

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‘She didn’t deserve to go like that’: heartbroken owner’s awareness ride after horse put down on the road

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:51:38 +0000

The owner of a horse who broke a leg and had to be put down when a car collided with them on the road is organising an awareness ride she hopes will be a fitting legacy of her “best friend”.

Hope Jarvis broke her wrist when her part-bred trotter Holly died on the Dungeness Road in Lydd, Kent, on 27 July. She is still in a cast but hopes to be mobile in time for the ride, on 14 September in Bethersden, Kent.

“Rather than anger or revenge, I’m trying to channel all my grief into trying to do something to stop this happening to someone else,” Hope told H&H. “Holly was one of a kind and did not deserve to go like that. I feel if I can do something for her, I’ll have done her justice.”

Hope and Holly were out for a normal Saturday ride when they met a large number of motorbikes coming the other way.

“They were so respectful,” Hope said. “They all slowed right down, put their hazard lights on and got behind each other. She was a saint on the road, nothing fazed her, but there were so many of them, I think the noise made her a bit uneasy. I got her on the verge to let her see, and they all disappeared. But of course as they did, they got faster and louder and she got a bit agitated.”

Hope said it is a straight road, so she saw the car coming and tried to get back on the verge but Holly may still have been upset by the encounter with the bikes.

“The car went straight into her,” Hope said. “It broke her leg, and she had to be put down at the scene.”

Hope said the police did not prosecute the driver and she wants to raise awareness herself of the risks riders face.

“It’s not until something happens to you that you realise how often it does happen,” she said. “I’ve organised the ride and it’s just blown up; the BBC has contacted me and the British Horse Society has been in touch. I want to do something about how drivers see horses; I saw what was going to happen before it did and screamed at the driver to slow down but she said she couldn’t see me.

“The message I’m trying to get out is that people need to be aware, of what horses are and their natural instincts. And maybe we can get them to think twice.

“Accidents happen and this was a freak accident; as much as I could say it’s her fault and I’ve lost my best friend, it was still an accident and I don’t want backlash against the driver. I just want to raise awareness.”

Picture by Jem Pryke Photography (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Hope has also been in touch with the council in hopes of installing warning signs on that road, in memory of the mare she had owned for five years.

“She was the first horse I saved up for and bought myself,” she said. “She wasn’t really anything I was looking for when I bought her but she went from being a horse who was scared of her own shadow to flying round Hickstead. She was just magical.

“She was a real mare; sassy and dominant. When I got her, she’d been passed around, then left in a field, but in the end she was the most trusting horse – she was an absolute diamond. I taught her to give me a kiss and a high-five, she’d follow me round the field. She just needed someone to understand her and prove her worth.”

Hope said she posted on Facebook when Holly “gained her wings”, and was overwhelmed with the response.

“I’m so glad I posted as I hadn’t realised how much she’d made an impression on people she’d met, or we’d been on yards with, and it made me feel better,” she said. “She wasn’t just a horse; that’s another message. You see all the time ‘It’s just a horse’ but she was my life. She was beautiful.”

Similar rides will be held across the country that weekend as part of the Pass Wide and Slow awareness campaign; at Hope’s, there will be a raffle and ice cream van, and numbers will be limited.

“As it’s an awareness ride for road safety, the last thing we want to do is block the road,” Hope said. “I’ve been blown away by the response, I think it’s something close to everybody’s hearts.”

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‘He loves his job’: police horse hit by car back on the beat – as drivers warned about safe passing

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:13:45 +0000

A 17.3hh part-Clydesdale police horse who “loves his job” is back on the beat, three months after he was injured in a collision with a car while on patrol.

Police Horse Ledston, part of the West Yorkshire Police mounted section, has made a full recovery after the incident on 1 March.

Police Constable Helen Jackson said that at 19, PH Ledston is one of the unit’s longest-serving equine members, and he will retire next year.

“We’ve had him since he was four so his whole life has been the police, and he loves his job,” she said. “He loves to work, he loves to go out; he’s a very active boy for his age.”

PC Jackson said the incident in March occurred when a car passed too close and caught PH Ledston’s hindquarters. He has since had extensive physio and rehab.

“It could have been a lot worse but luckily he was just a bit stiff,” she said. “He’s been doing a bit of school work, and started going back out with another police horse, and now he’s happy to be back out on his own.”

The driver of the vehicle was required to attend a National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme educational course as a result of the collision.

Chief Inspector James Farrar said: “I’m delighted to see Ledston has made a full recovery and has returned to duty.

“The collision he was involved in could have resulted in serious injuries or even worse for Ledston, his rider and other road users and it demonstrates the caution all motorists need to take when passing horses.

“I’d urge all motorists to follow the Highway Code and slow right down and give all horses a wide berth of at least two metres when passing them. Avoid any actions likely to spook a horse such as splashing them or sounding your horn, and accelerate gently once you’ve passed.

“Remember, not all horses and riders will be as experienced in traffic as our police horse and riders are.”

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‘A lesson to road users’: jail for lorry driver who killed a horse in motorway collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:29:30 +0000

A driver who killed a horse when his lorry ploughed into a broken-down horsebox has been sent to prison and banned from the road.

Nicholas Cole, of Harrison Road, Wordsley, Stourbridge, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously, at Northampton Magistrates Court in February. Last week (9 May) he was sentenced, at Northampton Crown Court, to 42 weeks in prison and suspended from driving for 21 months.

The 47-year-old was driving north on the M1 at about 6.30pm on 17 July last year, between junctions 14 and 15. National Highways had closed lane one of the motorway as the horsebox had broken down.

“However, despite a red X gantry sign and the fact that highways officers had parked a vehicle a short distance behind the horsebox which displayed flashing amber and red lights, Cole failed to move out of lane one,” a Northamptonshire Police spokesman said.

“Realising at the last moment, he tried to steer his lorry out of the path of the stationary vehicles, however clipped the highways vehicle before crashing straight into the horsebox.

“Thankfully, the driver and passengers were waiting on the bank and were unharmed, however their horse was sadly killed.”

The spokesman said that at the scene, Cole said he had been listening to the radio and “the next thing he knew, he saw the highways vehicle and swerved to avoid it”.

PS Richard Hill from Northamptonshire Police’s roads policing team said: “As people will be able to see from the footage, this was a shocking collision that sadly resulted in a horse being killed.

“It’s a stark example of how important it is to keep your focus on the road when you’re driving and to ensure you read the gantry signs displayed on the motorway. Cole would have had plenty of time to see the red X and yet still caused this collision.

“I hope this sentence is a lesson to him and to other road users. Driving a vehicle is a big responsibility and it is paramount that you are always aware of your surroundings.”

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‘Ilove you so very much’:ownerheartbroken as pony scared by vehicle suffers fatal injury

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:21:08 +0000

The owner of a pony who was “part of the family”, and who had to be put down after a vehicle passing inappropriately scared her on to a cattle grid said she wished it was she who had broken her leg instead.

Laura Grant has shared what happened to her beloved Katie, a rescued Welsh section A, to raise awareness of the dangers horses and riders face, and in hope of change to prevent anyone else suffering such a loss.

“She had a lovely life, for a few short years,” Laura told H&H. “But she had so much more to look forward to, and it’s been taken away.”

Laura took Katie for a carriage drive on 2 April last year, with her 15-year-old friend Ellie riding Billy, Laura’s Welsh cob, behind.

“We decided that we would avoid Lon Ffoslas as a pony and carriage had been hit there only days earlier, causing serious damage and injuries to pony, occupants and carriage,” she said.

“Better safe than sorry, supposedly, we were high-vissed up to the hilt with three sets of lights on the rear of carriage, lights on Billy, and Ellie always wears a signalling light vest.”

Laura said she, Ellie and the ponies left the yard at about noon, and that all were pleased to be out. They were approaching a dip, with a bend, a “nasty camber” and a farm gateway, when they heard a vehicle coming down the hill behind them.

“Its brakes were screeching, spooking Billy and Katie, so we calmed them back to a walk and I turned to see what the vehicle was,” Laura said. “The driver was keeping back but revving; you could hear and feel his intention was to speed past as soon as possible, so I said to Ellie to signal left that we intended to pull into Mudlescwm gateway, thinking it would be safer for us.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Both indicated to the driver that they were pulling in but as they did, the driver came past, Laura said, increasing his speed both to tackle the hill and to pass them before an oncoming car.

“If only he had waited, if only he had been patient,” Laura said. “Why were we not worthy of two seconds of his time? Sadly, Katie was scared by his passing at speed and so close to her, she bolted.”

Laura said the area was big enough to pull into and avoid the cattle grid, but that the driver did not give her the time to do so.

“We were just pulling in when he overtook, and cut in tight in front, and she just turned and headed to the cattle grid,” Laura said. “I couldn’t stop her.

“She hit the cattle grid and I flew out, I hit the ground and must have been knocked out. As I woke up and tried to get up, so did Katie; she’d stayed next to me and was looking at me, and when I tried to move, so did she. But her leg was swinging. It was awful. And the driver just drove off and left us in the cattle grid.”

She added: “How I wish I’d managed to stop her, or pulled her into the wall, but it happened so quickly. How I wish it was me that broke a leg; I would mend but not so for my Katie, it meant death for her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t pull harder, I’m sorry I was being considerate and pulling in to allow traffic to pass us, I’m sorry I decided to go that route, decided to go out, I’m just so very sorry and these decisions have cost Katie her life. Billy has lost his partner, Sandra and I have lost a perfect little friend, our pocket rocket. I’m also so sorry my 15-year-old friend Ellie had to witness this; she should never have seen such an awful thing or have been put in this sort of situation.”

Laura thanked all those who came to her aid; a man who stopped, her best friend Sandra who joint-owns all her animals, her neighbours, the vet and the emergency services.

“I know you were all worried for me and I apologise for being awkward but there was no way I was leaving Katie to face her end without me, even though you were all very kind and considerate,” she said. “Thank you is really not enough but thank you.”

Laura reported the incident to police, but said she was told they would not take it further, as the driver had breached the Highway Code, not broken the law. She submitted an official complaint, but this was dismissed.

“So I told them once that had finished, I’d make it public because I’ve had enough,” she said. “It’s not right that this can happen, and there have since been other accidents where carriage drivers, riders and horses have been hurt. Enough is enough, and if the Highway Code is just advisory, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.”

Laura said she asked police for the chance to ask the driver some questions. This did not happen.

“I’d ask him why didn’t he wait to let us pull in,” she said. “Why didn’t he wait till we were safe? It would have taken seconds, why were we not worth thinking about?

“I just want a difference made; if people don’t come out and say what’s happening – report everything to the police and the British Horse Society – nothing will change.”

Laura will be organising her third Pass Wide and Slow awareness ride this September, this one in Katie’s memory.

“Please don’t let someone else’s pony go through what Katie did, she deserved so much better,” she said.

“Katie, I will always miss you, you taking yourself for walks when we first had you, the love you and Billy had, like an old married couple; I will cuddle him for you. The freedom and enjoyment you have given me is immeasurable, I will miss all the waves and smiles we got when out and about together and I know you will miss all the fuss and treats. Rest easy, Katie I will see you again and I love you so very much.”

‘I wouldn’t wish this on anyone’: rider seriously injured in road crash that killed her horse

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:03:33 +0000

A rider who was seriously injured in a road collision that killed her horse said she “would not wish what I’ve been through on anyone”.

Rubrics, a 13-year-old former racehorse owned by Sarah Cunningham from Handsacre, Staffordshire, had to be put down after the incident involving a 4×4 on a lane in Nethertown in December 2022. Sarah suffered four broken ribs and six other fractures, and had to use a wheelchair for 12 weeks.

At a hearing at Stafford Crown Court on 15 December 2023, the uninsured driver of the vehicle was sentenced to 120 hours’ community service and an 18-month community order. He was fined £300 and was banned from driving for 12 months. He had pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Cathryn Godfrey, specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who represented Sarah, said: “The past year has been incredibly difficult for Sarah as she attempts to come to terms with the impact of her injuries.

“Understandably, she also remains heartbroken by the loss of her beloved horse Rubrics. She was unable to say goodbye to him due to her injuries and suspected spinal damage at the scene.

“While Sarah continues to progress with her recovery, she faces many challenges. We’re determined to support her so she can access the treatment she needs to move forward with her life as best she can.

“Horse riders are among the most vulnerable of road users, and road traffic incidents can cause not only serious physical injuries but also emotional trauma for the rider and life-ending injuries to the horse. The impact can be devastating and remain with the injured person life-long.”

Sarah suffered a head injury as well as the broken ribs, and fractures to her right shoulder, left ankle and left foot.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

She said: “I am still haunted by the collision and losing Rubrics so suddenly due to someone else’s actions. It was devastating. He was my horse of a lifetime and I really struggle to imagine myself ever getting back to riding without him.

“I’ve spent the past year focusing on my recovery. Riding was my main hobby, but I was also a runner, and enjoyed going to the gym and boxing. I have not been able to return to these activities yet.

“I really wish I could turn back the clock and change what happened that day, but I know that’s not possible. All I can do is continue to work hard on my recovery. I hope that by sharing my story, I can urge road users to be safe and take care at all times.

“I wouldn’t wish what I’ve been through on anyone.”

Police hunt driver who left injured foal to die in the road

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:09:14 +0000

A foal was hit by a vehicle and left to die on the roadside by a driver who left the scene.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary is appealing for any witnesses to or information about the hit-and-run death of the young donkey in the New Forest last week.

“This occurred in Brook, on the B3078 Roger Penny Way near the junction with Longcross Plain Road at around 5pm on Sunday, 3 December in dark and wet conditions,” a police spokesman said.

“The offending vehicle left the scene in the direction of Fordingbridge and Downton, leaving a broken mirror and headlight glass on the carriageway. The foal was later put down by agisters due to injuries received.”

Police said it is thought the vehicle involved in the incident was an older variety, as it had a glass rather than a plastic headlight.

“We would like to thank the members of the public who stopped, called police and then remained to look after the foal,” the spokesman said.

“If you witnessed the incident or have seen a vehicle with recent damage similar to this, please call 101 quoting reference 44230494153.”

Roger Penny Way is one of the worst roads in the forest for collisions involving animals. H&H reported on a trial of putting salt licks in the area to try to keep animals away from the road, in January 2022.

Driver killed and two horses injured in A-road collision

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:46:32 +0000

A driver has been killed and two horses injured in a collision between a car and a horsebox near York.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for any witnesses to or dashcam footage of the fatal collision on the A64 at 3.05pm yesterday (5 December), at the junction with Towthorpe Moor Lane and Common Lane.

The incident involved a blue Mazda 2, which was travelling on Common Lane towards the A64, and a blue DAF lorry, which was heading westbound, towards York, on the A64.

“Sadly, the driver of the Mazda, a local man aged in his late 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene and the front-seat passenger, a local woman aged in her 70s, was transported to Hull Royal Infirmary in a critical condition,” a spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said.

“The driver of the DAF horsebox, a woman aged in her 50s from the Leeds area, has minor injuries.

“Two horses in the vehicle had to be treated by a vet for minor injuries.”

The road was closed until nearly 9pm, as police investigated the scene and both vehicles were recovered.

“Anyone who witnessed the collision or motorists with relevant dashcam footage are urged to come forward to assist the investigation,” the spokesman said.

Anyone with information should email Ben.Prosser-Waite@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, option 2, and ask Ben Prosser-Waite. Quote reference number 12230230786 when providing details.

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Driver left pony with fatal injuries after road collision, police believe

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:23:37 +0000

A driver whose vehicle collided with a pony, fatally injured it, then drove away leaving it in the road, police believe.

Hertfordshire Constabulary is appealing for information and witnesses to what officers suspect is a “fail to stop” collision on the southbound A10, between Ware and Hoddesdon, in the early hours of Saturday (25 November).

“Police were called at just before 1am by a member of the public who found the small brown horse, which for an unknown reason was unaccompanied on the A10, near the Great Amwell junction,” a spokesman for the force said. “It had injuries suggesting it had been struck by a vehicle.

“Officers attended, as did a vet who advised the horse had suffered non-survivable injuries and it was sadly put to sleep.”

PC Dean Watson, of the east Herts safer neighbourhood team, said it is believed the pony had been hit by a vehicle, possibly a white lorry, the driver of which had failed to report the incident or stop at the scene.

“Despite speaking to local farmers and stables, the owner of the horse, which was not microchipped, has not been located,” he said.

“If you have information about the incident, or the horse, I can be contacted by email via dean.watson@herts.police.uk”

Information can also be submitted online, via the force’s online chat, or by calling 101, quoting ISR 31 of 25 November.

Witness can also contact Crimestoppers in confidence, online or by calling 0800 555111.

Pony dies and two men seriously injured in road collision

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:53:54 +0000

A pony has died and two men were seriously injured in a collision with a car in Cornwall.

Police are appealing for witnesses to and information about the incident involving a vehicle and a driven pony, in Liskeard, last Wednesday (18 October).

“Emergency services were called around 6.55pm on Wednesday, 18 October after the collision involving a blue Mini Cooper and a pony and trap on the A390 close to Twelvewoods roundabout, Dobwalls,” a spokesman for Devon & Cornwall Police said.

“The trap was carrying two men, aged 19 and 28 from north Cornwall; both sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital.

“Sadly, the pony died after sustaining serious injuries during the incident.”

The road was closed for three and a half hours while police investigated at the scene.

“Officers are carrying out enquiries into the collision and appealing for any witnesses or those with relevant dashcam footage to contact them,” the spokesman said.

Anyone with information should contact police online or call 101, quoting log number 736 of 18 October.

Road collisions

The British Horse Society’s (BHS) 2022 statistics, which were released in January, show that 68 horses died last year, and 125 riders were injured on the roads.

The figures, described as “shocking” by BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox, show that almost 10 incidents were reported for every day last year – a total of 3,552. This is a 21% overall increase from 2021, when 66 horses were killed. The number of horses injured has decreased slightly, from 129, but the number of riders injured has gone up from 126 to 139.

Two foals die and trailer destroyed in hit-and-run motorway collision

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:36:54 +0000

A driver who caused the death of two foals when their car collided with a trailer on the M25 has been urged to “do the right thing” and own up, as police have appealed for information.

The trailer was written off in the impact and one of the weanlings was killed. The other’s injuries were so bad it had to be put down at the scene. But the driver did not stop and is yet to be identified.

William Mason, whose father James was driving the car, told H&H they were taking the months-old foals to their new home, as a favour to a friend.

“It’s been awful,” he said. “We felt like we’d been hit, didn’t know what was happening, just got chucked up in the air. We looked in the mirror and saw the horsebox travelling backwards down the M25.”

The impact had ripped the trailer free from the towbar, sending it crashing into the barrier.

“Three people who stopped told us the car hit the back right side of the trailer, ripped the tow bar off and shot it up in the air,” he said.

“The foals were rescues, and we were taking them to their new home for a friend, who is devastated. It’s horrible.”

James put an appeal for information or dashcam footage on Facebook; some information has come from this and been passed to police. A possible line of enquiry could be debris from the car left on the carriageway.

“Do the right thing,” James said, when asked what he would say to the driver. “There’s no reason not to stop.”

James added that because their immediate reaction to the impact was to see what had happened to the horses, neither he nor his father saw the vehicle responsible.

“The driver could have been anywhere, he was long gone,” he said. “A few people have come forward with information and it’s all gone to the police so fingers crossed.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police are appealing for witnesses following a fail-to-stop collision on the M25 in Enfield which resulted in the deaths of two horses.

“Police were called at about 8.50am on Saturday, 7 October to between junctions 24 and 25 following reports that a car – believed to be a dark-coloured VW Touran – had collided with a horsebox being towed by a van. The horsebox, which was carrying two five-month-old foals, overturned. The driver of the car left the scene.”

Officers have asked any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 1969/07Oct.

Update: it is thought the vehicle is a grey VW Sharan, generation two.

‘Careless and inconsiderate’ driver sentenced after collision caused horse’s death

Becky Murray — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:03:14 +0000

A “careless and inconsiderate” driver who caused the death of a horse and seriously injured a rider has been banned – and must take an extended test before returning to the roads.

Christopher John Wixey, 76, of Banbury Street, Kineton, Warwickshire, appeared at Coventry Crown Court on 22 September for sentencing, having pleaded guilty at a hearing on 4 August to causing serious injury by careless/inconsiderate driving.

The charges relate to a collision with a horse and rider at 11.30am on 2 January on Tysoe Road, Kineton.

A Warwickshire police statement said Wixey was driving a blue Seat Toleda and claimed to have been blinded by the low sun. He continued along the road without adjusting his driving for the conditions, and collided with the back of a horse being ridden by its female owner. This caused the horse to suffer “significant damage” to its hind legs and quarters, and the horse was put down by vets at the roadside. The rider “hit the ground with such force” that she sustained physical harm amounting to grievous bodily harm.

Wixey was disqualified from driving for 12 months and must take an extended test of competence before he can drive again. He was also fined £540.

“Christopher Wixey drove in a careless and inconsiderate way and this is reflected in the sentence,” said PC Adam Fletcher.

“As well as the loss of her horse, the rider suffered significant injuries both physical and psychological as a result of this collision and we hope this will offer her some closure”

PC Fletcher added that the force is taking the opportunity to remind motorists that they should always drive according to the conditions.

“This often means slowing down and expecting the unexpected on rural roads where there may be horses, cyclists and pedestrians enjoying the countryside,” he said.

“These road users are vulnerable and all drivers are expected to always take extra care to pass them safely.”

British Horse Society (BHS) director of safety Alan Hiscox, said this is the sort of incident the society “dreads hearing about”, and urged equestrians to continue to report incidents to the BHS Horse i app, or the police’s Operation Snap.

“This is why we are working hard to improve road safety for all equestrians. We already work closely with Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership on a number of road safety initiatives and will continue to do so,” he said, adding that incidents on the road are “under-reported” to the BHS and police.

“To give us a better picture we are asking equestrians to report incidents regardless of severity. This gives the BHS and road safety partners more information to be able to focus our resources where they are really needed, in order to best support equestrians.”

Carol Cotterill of Warwickshire Horse Watch/Warwickshire rural crime team added that this case “highlights how careful drivers need to be on rural roads all the time”.

“The Highway Code was updated in 2022 and is now specific about what drivers and motorcyclists need to do to safely pass horses; slow down to a maximum of 10mph, be patient, do not sound your horn or rev the engine and only when safe to do so, pass the horse wide and slow (two metres minimum if possible) and drive slowly away,” she said.

“Riders have to use rural roads for a number of reasons, so we are asking other road users to always be on the lookout for them and to be ready to slow down and stop if you need to. Never be tempted to ‘squeeze’ past a horse on the road as they are large and by passing them too closely or too fast you are risking your own life as well as the lives of the horse and rider or carriage driver.”

Two people and horse killed in collision on main road

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:48:44 +0000

Two people and a horse died in a late-night collision between a car and a carriage on an A road in Gloucestershire.

The men and the horse were declared dead at the scene on Friday (15 September).

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Constabulary said the collision happened on the A38, north of junction one of the M50, at about 11.35pm. A blue Volkswagen Golf and a horse-drawn carriage were involved.

“Two men, both from Worcestershire, who were riding in the trap, and the horse were declared dead at the scene,” the police spokesman said. “The coroner has been informed.

“No other people were believed to have been injured in the collision.”

Road closures were put in place while police carried out an investigation into the circumstances of the collision. Anyone who was in the area at the time is asked to come forward..

“Anyone who witnessed the collision or who has relevant dashcam footage is asked to contact Gloucestershire Constabulary through the website, quoting incident 563 of 15 September,” the spokesman said.

Horse put down and driver seriously injured in early-morning road collision

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 17:00:08 +0000

A horse had to be put down after a major collision in which a driver and passenger were seriously injured.

Hertfordshire Constabulary is appealing for witnesses, information and dash-cam footage relating to the incident, on the A602 early on Friday morning (18 August).

A spokesman for the force said the incident occurred at about 4.12 am on the westbound carriageway in Little Wymondley.

“A taxi was travelling along the road when it reportedly collided with a horse that had escaped a nearby field,” the spokesman said.

“The driver was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the passenger was taken to hospital with serious, non-life-changing injuries.

“The horse was sadly put to sleep at the scene.”

Sergeant Dan Newton, from the Hertfordshire Constabulary road policing unit, said enquiries are continuing and officers are appealing for information.

“If you were travelling in the area at the time and had a dash-cam fitted, please check it as you may have some crucial information to assist our enquiries,” he said.

“I would also like to thank the public’s patience as the road remained closed for several hours while our officers carried out crucial work at the scene.”

Information can be submitted online, by speaking to the force communications room via web chat or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 41/66229/23.

Reports can also be made in confidence by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the untraceable online form.

‘Cowardly’ driver sentenced for fatally injuring horse then torching van in cover-up attempt

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:09:09 +0000

A “cowardly” driver who caused the death of a horse, and injury to a rider, then set fire to his own van and claimed it had been stolen has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Alex Cole, 24, was due to stand trial at Gloucester Crown Court on 12 July but on the first day pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, careless driving and failing to stop at a collision.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said that on 7 March last year, a Vauxhall Astra van driven by Cole collided with Chunk, who was being ridden by a 19-year-old girl, in Clifford’s Mesne, near Newent.

“Gloucester Crown Court was told that the rider was thrown off the horse into a hedge and then landed in the road,” the spokesman said. “Her injured horse, Chunk, described as well-behaved and good with traffic, initially bolted.

“The horse soon returned and was then transported to stables where a vet attended, however he had sustained a fractured pelvis and was euthanised.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The spokesman said that after the collision, Cole drove to nearby Judge’s Lane and used fuel in his vehicle to set fire to it. He called police at 6.19pm that day to say the van had been stolen by a man who was interested in buying it for scrap.

Cole, of Bartwood Lane, Pontshill in Ross-on-Wye, was arrested three days later and during interview continued his lie that the vehicle had been stolen, the police spokesman said, adding that days later, he admitted he was the driver.

He said the collision happened as he was unable to see properly owing to the sun’s glare, but “Judge Ian Lawrie KC did not accept that Cole was temporarily blinded,” police said.

“In the incident the rider sustained a bruised knee, hip and elbow. She also had a spinal fracture, which she is still recovering from, discovered in an MRI scan at a later date,” the spokesman said.

In a hearing yesterday (16 August) the court heard the rider is having therapy, suffers from panic attacks and has given up riding as she could not hack out again.

The victim’s mother told the court: “It’s completely changed her life in that she had a potential riding career which has now ended. She’s lost her best friend and she’s lost her passion, so her life has changed for ever.”

A statement from the victim, read in court, said: “Emotionally I have been all over the place. Since the loss of Chunk I have days where I am in tears. I’ve had days where I’m happy to see pictures of him and then I just break down. Some days I’m so angry, I don’t know why or what to do.

“I’m angry at the driver of the Vauxhall and I can also be short when anything doesn’t go my way. This isn’t normal for me as I normally have a happy positive outlook on life.

“I know these are likely to be the stages of grief and will likely get easier in time, but I can’t help feeling this may never come back fully as Chunk was a huge part of my life and was my source of happiness.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Judge Lawrie told Cole it would have been “blindingly obvious that he had hit a horse”, police said, adding that he was “cowardly and showed heartless disregard for the victim and her horse”.

For perverting the course of justice, Cole was sentenced to 13 months, suspended for 18 months, ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work and to pay £1,500 in costs and a £156 surcharge, to be paid within 28 days.

Cole was given six points on his licence and a £2,500 fine for careless driving, and no separate penalty for failing to stop at the scene.

After sentencing, PC Rob Bolland from the specialist operations unit, said: “Cole’s careless driving led to a much-loved horse being euthanised. The impact of what happened that day and the loss of the horse has been huge for the victim and her family.

“There’s no excuse for leaving the scene of an incident, especially one as serious as this, and it’s a serious offence to then take steps to try and cover your tracks.

“No sentence will bring Chunk back for the family and my thoughts are with them while the victim continues with her physical and psychological recovery.”

Horse in transit dies and drivers injured in collision between horsebox and car

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:59:51 +0000

A horse has died and two drivers were injured in a serious road collision involving a horsebox and a car outside York.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information on and witnesses to the incident, on Friday afternoon (28 July).

“Just before 3pm, a dark-coloured VW Polo, which was travelling south on the A19 near Escrick in York, was involved in a collision with a white Peugeot 3.5T horsebox that was travelling north,” a spokesman for the police said.

“Sadly, the horse died as a result of the collision and the drivers of both vehicles were taken to Leeds General Infirmary, where they are receiving treatment for their injuries.”

Investigating officers would like anyone who saw either the white Peugeot horsebox or the dark Polo, or who has dashcam footage of either vehicle, to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to email huw.walkey@northyorkshirepolice.uk or call 101, select option two and ask to speak to Huw Walkey, quoting reference 12230140785.

‘The driver passed three signs and still hit me’: horse in collision with van on country lane

Becky Murray — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:19:49 +0000

The rider of a horse who was involved in a collision with a van on a notorious country lane has said that it was “only a matter of time” until an incident happened.

British Horse Society (BHS) accredited coach Jess Green was riding her client’s horse Aureo on Silverhill Lane, Teversal, Nottinghamshire, on Monday morning (24 July) when she heard a vehicle approaching round a bend. Jess stopped Aureo in a passing place, and when a company-branded van appeared, Aureo’s owner’s husband – who was on foot and wearing high-vis as was Jess – asked the driver to slow down but he “kept coming”.

“The road is 60mph, and thank God he wasn’t going that speed, but he wasn’t going any slower than 30mph,” Jess told H&H.

“Where we were stopped was two cards wide, so he could have given us more space but didn’t. When he passed I think due to the speed and close proximity Aureo panicked slightly, turned his hind quarters, and the van hit him.”

Jess said Aureo fell to the ground, then scrabbled to get back up, but could not at first. After a few moments, he managed to stand.

“The driver stopped and apologised, but that’s not the point. I was in shock and we needed to get Aureo home, so my client’s husband told the driver to drive slowly away,” she said.

“Luckily we were only five minutes from home so we walked Aureo back and got the vet. He has multiple wounds, but luckily they’re superficial so he’s on regular turnout and painkillers. It was such a relief when my client phoned and said Aureo was going to be ok – it wasn’t our fault, but it weighs on you.”

One of Aureo’s injuries. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Jess said the incident “didn’t come as a shock”.

“I’ve been riding that road for years, and every local rider has a story to tell you about that lane whether it’s people speeding or near-misses. The road is less than a mile long, and we have to use it to get to the trails. Once we’re there we have miles and miles of off-road hacking,” she said, adding that the incident has been reported to the police and the driver’s employer.

“There is a riding school at the end of the road and kids ride on that road – it makes me shudder to think what could happen. The riding school has a horse warning sign on the road, there’s BHS signs up, but it doesn’t make a difference – the van driver would have passed three different signs and he still hit me.”

Jess has been back on the road with another horse since the incident.

“We came across some lovely people who stopped their car for five seconds, we passed and they went on their way. That’s all it took, five seconds of their time,” she said.

A Nottingham Police spokesman told H&H the force had received reports of “a van hitting the rear of a horse after not leaving enough space while passing the animal”.

“I would like to remind motorists to leave at least the width of a car when passing and to do so slowly – please leave enough room when passing a horse rider to protect both the rider and horse,” said inspector Jon Hewitt, district commander for Ashfield.

Horse dies and another hit in collisions with two cars

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:04:29 +0000

A horse has died and another was hit in collisions with two cars on the road in Staffordshire.

Police were called at about 10pm last Thursday (13 July), to reports of five loose horses on Tixall Road, Stafford.

“The horses, which had escaped from a nearby stables, were later spotted on Holdiford Road where we continued to receive calls from concerned drivers,” a spokesman for Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

“Unfortunately, two of the horses were then involved in collisions with two cars. One of the horses sadly died after suffering serious injuries.”

The spokesman added that the other horses were “safely removed from the road by officers and members of the public”, and that they are now in a place of safety.

Fire and rescue crews also attended the scene.

Rider dies and horse injured in ‘blind bendincident’ withmotorcyclist

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:22:44 +0000

A rider has died at the scene of an “incident” involving a ridden horse and a motorcyclist in Wiltshire.

The woman, who was in her 50s, was declared dead at the scene yesterday (Sunday, 9 July), Wiltshire Police said, and the person on the motorbike and the horse both suffered minor injuries.

A spokesman for the force said the incident occurred on Bollands Hill, near Seend.

“Sadly, the horse rider – a woman in her 50s from Melksham – suffered injuries and was declared dead at the scene.

“Her next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time. Both the motorcyclist and the horse suffered minor injuries. No arrests have been made.”

Any witnesses to the incident are asked to contact the force’s serious collision investigation team on 01225 694597, quoting log number 221 of Sunday’s date. Alternatively, they can contact the team directly at SCIT@wiltshire.police.uk.

Man jailed for driving into woman with children on ponies

Becky Murray — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:16:46 +0000

A man who drove his pick-up truck into a woman who asked him to slow down as he approached children on ponies has been jailed, and banned from driving for 10 years.

Jack David Brown, 27, of Leyburn Road, Hunton, North Yorkshire, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court yesterday (28 June). He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, careless driving, and breaching a restraining order.

On 15 January 2022 at around 3pm Brown was driving along Leyburn Road in his new Ford Ranger pick-up truck. The victim, a woman in her 50s, was walking at the rear of a group of children on ponies and tried to get Brown to slow down.

A North Yorkshire Police statement stated that a witness said Brown was approaching at speed with lots of engine noise.

“The victim feared he would spook the ponies and put the three children in danger of being thrown off. The woman attempted to slow Brown by waving her arms towards him,” it read.

“As the vehicle got closer to the victim, who had stepped out slightly into the road to get Brown’s attention, he started to rev the vehicle’s engine. Due to this the victim stepped back towards the side of the road. Brown then turned his vehicle towards the victim and hit her, causing the victim to fall onto her back.”

Brown continued to his home without stopping at the scene.

“When the victim attended hospital, it was confirmed she had broken a vertebra in her back. The matter was reported to the police and a collision investigation was undertaken,” read the statement.

Although Brown initially pleaded not guilty, claiming the victim had “thrown herself” at his vehicle, he changed his plea to guilty before a trial was due to get under way.

He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, and disqualified from driving for 10 years, which begins on his release from prison.

PC Mike McVay of the Richmondshire and Hambleton response team said “only responsible and safe drivers should have a driving licence”.

“This is a privilege that has rightly been taken away from Jack Brown for a considerable time, as well as his liberty while he serves his prison sentence,” he said.

“His aggressive and dangerous driving caused serious injury to the victim. He also could so easily have placed the three children, the ponies and the other person who was with the group at great risk of injury or worse.

“I hope he and other drivers learn from this incident and the outcome at court. Dangerous driving will not be tolerated on our roads.”

Injured horse put down after road collision

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 18:51:18 +0000

A horse ridden by a teenage girl had to be put down after a collision with a car in Worcestershire.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said officers were called to Atch Lench Road in the village Church Lench at shortly after 9.35am last Saturday (3 June).

“The horse was injured and sadly had to be put to sleep by a vet,” the police spokesman said.

“None of the people involved sustained any injuries. The road was closed while the horse was recovered.”

The spokesman added that the rider of the horse was a 17-year-old girl, who was not injured in the collision.

Road collisions

H&H has reported on eight horses who have been killed on Britain’s roads this year. The British Horse Society’s (BHS) 2022 statistics, which were released in January, show that this followed the deaths of 68 horses last year, and injuries to 125 riders on the roads.

The figures, described as “shocking” by BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox, show that almost 10 incidents were reported for every day last year – a total of 3,552. This is a 21% overall increase from 2021, when 66 horses were killed. The number of horses injured has decreased slightly, from 129, but the number of riders injured has gone up from 126 to 139.

“Horses are still being killed and injured on our roads, riders continue to be seriously injured and too many drivers underestimate the importance of driving carefully around horses,” Mr Hiscox said. “This is detrimental to the safety of equestrians. You only have to look at the two horses who were tragically killed in just two weeks at the beginning of 2023.”

Three horses killed in collision with car on A road

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 29 May 2023 18:51:26 +0000

Three horses were killed and a driver injured on an A road in Wiltshire late last night (28 May), in a collision with a car.

Officers from Wilshire Police were called to reports of loose horses, and the collision involving one vehicle, on the A36 at about 11pm.

“Sadly, three of the animals died at the scene,” a spokesperson for the force said.

“The driver of the vehicle suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution.”

The road was closed for hours between Stapleford and Steeple Langford, while emergency services were at the scene.

“Another horse was tracked down, and was safely contained while the owners were contacted,” the Wiltshire Police spokesperson added.

“If you see anything that could cause a road traffic collision, or anything suspicious please contact us on 101 or in an emergency 999.”

It was reported at the end of April that 10 horses had been running loose on the A36 in the same area, having escaped from their field. They were caught and reunited with their owners.

Horse diesincollision with caron A-road roundabout

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:40:49 +0000

A carriage horse died on the road in a crash involving a car in Worcestershire.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, West Mercia Police and the West Midlands Ambulance Service were called to the collision, on the A46 at Twyford roundabout, near Evesham, at just after 5pm on Saturday (20 May).

A spokesman for the fire service told H&H the horse was “sadly found deceased in the carriageway”.

“A crew from Evesham Fire Station attended the scene after the collision involving one horse and cart and a car,” he said. “A female casualty from the car was left in the care of the ambulance service.”

The incident was left in the care of the police, a spokesman for which told H&H: “The collision involved a horse and a Hyundai car. Sadly the horse died at the scene. The 66-year-old female driver of the car was initially trapped but treated at the scene by paramedics for minor injuries.

“The road had to be closed in both directions while the scene was cleared and was reopened shortly after 2am on Sunday, 21 May.”

Owner of horse killed on the road campaigns for speed change ‘so she hasn’t died for nothing’

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 13 May 2023 19:31:36 +0000

The owner of a horse who died as a result of catastrophic injuries caused by a car hopes to get the speed limit lowered on the road concerned so “she hasn’t died for nothing”.

Treena McKelvie’s thoroughbred mare Alma was put down on 3 May. Treena and her vets had been battling to save her since the accident, in January, but her most recent scans showed worse damage than had been thought.

“The vet said the kindest thing was to put her to sleep,” Treena told H&H. “She fought so hard, she really did.”

Treena was leading the 18-year-old mare, whom she had owned for eight years, along the short stretch of road to her field on 19 January. It was about 9am, Treena said, and she was wearing high-vis gear.

“It’s a straight bit of road with no obstacles, nothing to stop someone seeing us,” she said.

Picture by Jane Evans Photography (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Some cars passed us and slowed down, then I could hear traffic. There’s a motorway bridge, so I looked behind thinking it was that, and saw the Land Rover coming.

“I could see he wasn’t going to slow down. He was quite close and I tried to get off the road but he caught her back legs and she just flew straight up in the air, and down on to the road.”

Treena said she thought Alma’s “horrific” leg injuries meant she would have to be put down there and then. But Alma got to her feet and was weight-bearing, and the vets were hopeful.

“But then the vet came out again and said there were further fractures and one had gone near enough all the way through her leg,” Treena said. “They couldn’t risk operating so the kindest thing was to put her to sleep.”

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Treena said she gave a statement to the police, as did the driver, but the case has been dropped.

“I can’t believe the police are treating her like a vehicle when she’s a living, breathing animal,” she said. “The driver apparently claimed he had the sun in his eyes but if he did, why was he still travelling at that speed? If I hadn’t looked back, there could have been a fatality. The police said the reason is lack of evidence, no dash cam or witnesses, but there was a witness, they just didn’t take a statement from her.”

Treena has started a petition calling for the speed limit on the road to be reduced from 60mph to 30mph.

“I know most people think this about their horses but she was such a kind soul, so gentle,” Treena said. “If I could get this changed it would be something; then she hasn’t died for nothing.”

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary told H&H: “Police were called just before 8.55am on Thursday 19 January following a road traffic collision on Norton Road, Baldock, involving a car and a horse which was being walked along the road. The horse received veterinary treatment but sadly had to be put to sleep at a later date.

“A witness was spoken to at the scene and the circumstances of the collision were investigated. It was concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the driver of the car involved had been driving at a standard below that of a competent driver, and that his view of the horse was obscured by the low sun.

“A complaint has been made in relation to the investigation and this is being reviewed.”

The devastating effects of speed: driver sentenced after pony’s death

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 16:09:56 +0000

The death of a pony after a collision with a car shows the “devastating” consequences of travelling at inappropriate speeds, police said.

The man who caused the death of the pony, in the New Forest last year, has been banned from driving and given a hefty fine, a punishment that “sends a strong message” to others.

Oliver William Haywood, of Woodgreen Common Road, Ringwood, had a small child in the back of the car when he hit the pony on Roger Penny Way on 7 August last year. Heywood and the infant sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision – but the pony died from its injuries at the scene.

The 25-year-old was convicted of driving without due care and attention. At West Hampshire Magistrates’ Court on 6 April, he was disqualified from driving for six months, fined £1,600 and ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge.

Hampshire Constabulary PC Dan Channer said: “This incident shows the devastating effects of travelling at inappropriate speeds on our forest roads. While an animal has lost its life, the consequences could have been graver – there could have been a loss of human life too.

“The gravity of the fine handed down by the judge, coinciding with a driving ban, sends out a strong message. Drivers who see the forest’s wild animals must be mindful, react and slow down to give plenty of time and space. They do not have road sense, and the Highway Code gives them implicit right of way. It is our duty as road users to afford them safe passage by driving carefully and considerately when in the forest.

“Speed limits are put in place for a reason – and it is exactly that, a limit – not a target. Ponies, horses and other wild animals cross New Forest roads day and night and it is well signposted in these high-risk areas.”

‘There will never be another Patch’: owner of horse killed in hit-and-run speaks out after driver sentenced

Becky Murray — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:48:36 +0000

Two riders involved in a hit-and-run that killed one of their horses have spoken out about the tragedy – as the driver is banned from the roads.

Karen Harvey, 62, and Charlotte Speer, 28, were riding Patch and Alfie along Church Lane, in Earl Soham, Suffolk, on the morning of Saturday 22 October 2022, when a car came “hurtling” towards them.

Charlotte told H&H that Alfie reacted and she was thrown off into a ditch. As Patch spun around the driver “ploughed into” his back legs, and although Patch remained on his feet and Karen stayed on, he was seriously injured and had to be put down at the scene.

“The driver obviously attempted to try and brake but he was going at such a speed there was no way he could stop,” said Charlotte.

“I wasn’t knocked out but I had hit my head, I remember grabbing tufts of grass and pulling myself out of the ditch – and as I looked up I saw the car accelerate away. It then dawned on me what had happened and I could hear Karen screaming.

“Alfie had stopped on a verge and I brought him back while we dealt with Patch. But having to walk him away from Patch at the scene afterwards was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. He’s not been the same since.”

On 21 March 2023 Edgaras Tilmantas, 34, of Kesgrave, was sentenced at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to driving without due care and attention, failing to report a collision, and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

He was banned from driving for nine months and given a one-year community order which states he must complete 250 hours of unpaid work. He was fined £854, and must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £105 costs.

“I’d never been to a court hearing before, and it was not a nice experience to be faced with someone that’s done that to you. He didn’t look at us,” said Charlotte.

“We had been speaking to the British Horse Society director of safety Alan Hiscox and we were briefed on roughly what the driver could get, and although the sentence sounds very tame, I think we are lucky as so many cases have been dropped and not made it to court. So we’re grateful for that.”

Karen added that she would have liked the driver to be made to re-sit his driving test.

“I don’t want anyone to go to prison, but clearly his driving is a concern and very dangerous, and I feel he should have to take his test again before he’s allowed back on the road,” she said.

“In court his defence was that he didn’t stop because he was frightened, and you just hope he’s scared himself enough to never ever behave like that again behind the wheel of a car.”

Karen has not bought another horse since losing Patch, who she had owned for 13 years.

“He was 20, but he was fit and fabulous. There will never be another Patch, he was great fun and loved by all of our family,” she said.

“Where we live we have to use that lane to get to any bridleways and I just can’t imagine ever riding there again. I want to be brave, but I just can’t. I can’t walk up it let alone ride up it. I’ve now got a very sad stable yard and lovely fields with nothing in them, apart from Alfie.”

Karen said she and Charlotte want to make people aware of what happened and keep talking about Patch.

“There’s got to be some sort of legacy. I think that’s why we feel we need to keep talking because otherwise, he’s just gone and I feel more people should be aware,” she said.

“We live in a very horsey community and lots of people have told me they won’t ride on the roads now after what happened and that really makes me so sad. It’s such a shame because as riders we should feel safe enough to ride on the road.”

Teenage rider and two ‘stolen’ horses die in early-morning road collision

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:31:52 +0000

A teenage rider and two horses have died in an early-morning crash on a major road in the US.

Dallas Police were called to a collision at Great Trinity Forest and Julius Schepps Freeway at about 5.30am on 14 March.

“The preliminary investigation determined the crash involved three horses and three riders,” a spokesman for Dallas Police said. “One rider died at the scene, the two others were taken to local hospitals in stable condition.

“The preliminary investigation has determined that the three riders appear to be juveniles and the horses were stolen.”

The rider who died at the scene was 14, the police said, and those taken to hospital were aged 16 and 17. One horse died at the scene, and another had to be put down by a vet. The third horse was injured but police said it was expected to survive.

“Preliminary information provided was the involved driver left the scene, however, the driver did not leave and stayed at the location,” the police said.

“The investigation is ongoing – no charges are expected for the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.

“Information will be released when it becomes available.”

Horse killed and another injured in multi-vehicle collision

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:38:09 +0000

One horse was killed and another injured in a multi-vehicle incident on a dual carriageway in North Tyneside this morning (17 February).

Police were called at just before 6.45am to reports of two horses running loose on the westbound carriageway of the Coast Road near the Battle Hill slip road.

“It was reported that both horses had come in collision with vehicles, with one driver becoming trapped in a vehicle with reported minor injuries,” a spokesman for Northumbria Police said.

“Emergency services attended the scene but one horse had already sadly died of injuries sustained during the collision. The second horse is receiving veterinary treatment.”

The road was closed to allow the horses and vehicles involved to be moved from the scene.

Equine deaths on the roads

The British Horse Society (BHS) last month released its 2022 incident statistics, which confirmed that 68 horses died on Britain’s roads last year and 125 were injured. Two horses had already died in January this year.

The figures, described as “shocking” by BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox, show that almost 10 incidents were reported for every day last year – a total of 3,552. This is a 21% overall increase from 2021, when 66 horses were killed. The number of horses injured has decreased slightly, from 129, but the number of riders injured has gone up from 126 to 139.

‘Great sadness’ as police horse Rocky put down five months after road collision

Becky Murray — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 17:51:17 +0000

A police horse has been put down five months after he was seriously injured in a road traffic collision.

Avon & Somerset Police announced with “great sadness” that police horse Rocky was put down on Monday (28 November).

Rocky and his rider were involved in the collision with a blue Ford Focus at Beggars Bush Lane, Bristol, on 8 July. The five-year-old gelding sustained a “significant leg injury” and was taken to an equine hospital. Rocky’s rider and the driver, a man in his 70s, were taken to hospital, but allowed home to recover.

A week after the collision the force said Rocky had been in “good spirits and had got over the first hurdle”, but that his road to recovery would “likely be a long one”.

In a statement yesterday (30 November) an Avon & Somerset spokesman said officers and grooms had “said their final goodbyes to Rocky” and made “every effort to make him comfortable” before he was put down.

“Many of you have followed us through Rocky’s journey to recovery and we thank you for your support. Although we had hoped to return Rocky to service, we’d aimed to at least get him to a stage where retirement to a field would have been an option .

“Our officers and grooms dedicated themselves to his rehabilitation, providing him with expert care. Although one of his injuries showed signs of improvement, Rocky did not respond to treatment as we’d hoped in relation to the other injury. This severely impacted on his quality of life, meaning even retirement to the field pain-free was no longer possible.”

The spokesman added that the mounted section is “truly devastated at this outcome”.

“We ask for your understanding during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.

“Thank you for your service, Rocky.”

‘Millimetres from going under the tyres’: terrifying moment lorry hit horse and rider caught on video

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:38:21 +0000

The mother of a young rider who was hit by a lorry in a “horrendous” hacking incident said the teenager and her horse were “millimetres from going under the tyres”.

Zoe Jarosiewicz’s 15-year-old daughter Grace Crofts was riding her four-year-old mare Bella in Barnsley, Yorkshire, on 2 October when the lorry passed them without braking.

The vehicle hit both Bella and Grace, as the spooked mare tried to spin away from it, but the driver made no attempt to stop or slow down.

Zoe, who has since been sent dashcam and CCTV footage of the incident, told H&H: “It was horrendous. Bad enough for me, but my daughter – she was crying in pain.”

The videos show some cars passing Grace, Bella and another horse and rider safely. As the lorry approaches, Bella spooks, her quarters going right, and the side of the vehicle hits horse and rider with an audible bang.

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“The lorry hit Grace’s leg,” Zoe said. “She’s got muscle pain and it hit her arm too, and she’s in shock, not sleeping at all. Bella has no swelling but a very hot left foreleg from top to bottom; it spun her brushing boot round. She’s very jumpy and spooky; jumping whenever people walk past her stable. Will she be ok, will Grace get back on? I don’t know.”

Zoe described the mare, whom Grace has had since January, as “an absolute saint”, but that the driver of the lorry made no attempt to slow down.

Asked what she would say to him if she had the chance, Zoe said: “I could have been organising my daughter’s funeral this week.

“The major issue is that he didn’t slow down and didn’t stop. He didn’t know if my daughter had collapsed or the horse was ok – the wagon hit the horse’s head. The bang was horrendous; he must have been aware but he just carried on driving. They were millimetres from going under the tyres.”

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police told H&H: “We received a call at 7:08pm on 2 October for reports of a horse being spooked by an HGV driver on Windhill Lane in Staincross.

“The caller reporter that the driver’s inappropriate driving manner while passing the horse caused the horse to spook. The rider, a 15 year-old girl, suffered minor injuries to her leg.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to provide information via the SYP website and reporting portal quoting incident number 669 of 2 October, or call 101.”

‘It’s ruined my life’: rider wins personal injury case four years after car hit her horse

Becky Murray — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:29:34 +0000

A rider whose “life was ruined” after she and her horse were struck by a car has won her personal injury case in court.

In January 2018 Meg Hart and her Irish sport horse Dave were almost back at her yard in Lincolnshire when she heard a car approaching from behind.

Meg, 26, told H&H the driver ignored her requests for him to slow down and when Dave spooked ino the path of the car, he was struck and Meg was thrown over the top and landed on the road.

“Dave ran home and stopped outside his field gate. I didn’t want to go in the ambulance at the time because I was too concerned about how he was,” she said.

“The driver wasn’t very nice and said ‘Look what your horse has done to my car’.”

Dave broke his shoulder, and his jaw in three places. Meg sustained soft tissue damage to her back, neck and knee, and has suffered permanent damage to her right hip – which may have to be replaced in future.

“When I landed on the road I landed directly on my hip and the doctors think the bone went through the membrane in the socket. I was supposed to be joining the army, but I can’t get in now because my hip is shot to bits,” said Meg.

“The first few weeks were touch and go for Dave. Because of his jaw he couldn’t eat very well and he struggled with colic and choke a couple of times. He had a lot of X-rays and call-outs and when he was eventually allowed to go back out again, I took his shoes off and gave him time in the field to just be a horse. I didn’t bring him back into work until two years later.”

Meg reported the incident to the police and was given an incident number, but she said no one took a statement or followed up on the case, despite her contacting them again.

She was advised by a solicitor she might have a personal injury case, and court proceedings were launched in 2018. The case concluded last month, having been delayed by the pandemic. Meg won her case after the driver admitted negligence of a number of points raised in the proceedings. She has been awarded compensation of around £15,000.

“I have mixed feelings about everything,” said Meg. “I’m glad it’s all over but at the same time I really wish the police had been involved and at least given the driver points or a fine to deter him from doing it again.

“He’s no worse off really, but it’s ruined my life.”

Meg said Dave has made a full recovery physically, but is “not the same horse he used to be”.

“Just recently he spooked at something and decked me,“ she said.

“I don’t ride on the roads any more – I categorically won’t do it. It’s ruined my confidence, I used to ride for some owners and I’ve been riding in California, but I won’t ride any horse other than Dave now.”

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman told H&H any report of a road traffic collision is “treated seriously” and the circumstances reported are fully considered before the force makes a decision on whether to investigate.

“With collisions, there is a requirement by law for all parties involved to stop, exchange details, and report the incident. When there are no reported injuries, and no allegations of criminal behaviour, such as careless or dangerous driving, we would not attend as this then becomes a civil matter,” said the spokesman.

“We received two reports relating to this incident, and it was determined there would be no police enquiry as there were no reported injuries to the horse rider or driver, or criminal allegations, recorded on the log. The incident was therefore closed with no further action. If an individual is ever dissatisfied with a policing response, we welcome feedback through our complaints system so that we can continually review our practices and ensure we are providing the best service to our community.”

‘The accident brought them closer together’: horse and rider hit by drunk driver complete first international event

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:56:16 +0000

A horse and his young rider who were hit on the road by a drunk driver have come back stronger than ever to complete their first international event.

H&H reported this spring that Emma Marshall, then 17, and Ballysax Cotterstown (Jasper) were driven into from behind, on 30 March, by a man who later pleaded guilty to two driving offences.

At the time, Emma and her family hoped the Irish-bred 14-year-old “Jasper” had not sustained any permanent damage. This was proved to be the case, as he and Emma, after a few preliminary runs, completed the one-star at Blair Castle International Horse Trials at the end of August.

Emma’s mother Jennifer Fairbairn said Emma was “thrilled” to have completed.

“She said afterwards ‘Mum, when you remember where we were in March, I’m just so pleased to do this’,” she said.

Jennifer said Jasper was brought back to fitness very slowly, and did his first event since the accident, an open under-18 BE90, at Floors Castle in May.

“They did a couple of 90s, then stepped up to 100 at Hopetoun and did really well, and were fourth at Warwick Hall, then Emma said ‘If I do another one, maybe I can do the one-star’,” Jennifer said. “They were just loving the cross-country and I thought that was quite a big step but after everything they’d been through and overcome, it would be good to have that ambition. She had a really good run at Burgham and her trainers said absolutely she should go.”

Emma and Jasper had a 37.4 dressage then three poles showjumping, on what Jennifer said was the biggest track they had contested together.

“I don’t like the term ‘unlucky poles’, but they were just scuffs, it was a lovely round,” she said. “Poor Emma was terrified before the cross-country; we had a moment in the lorry and I said ‘Do you feel like jumping the first fence?’ and she said yes, so I said ‘Do that, and if you feel like jumping the second fence, do that, and so on, and if at any time you feel overwhelmed, you put your hand up and walk home and know it was a brave thing to do’ – and they pinged round.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“She cried in the lorry before, and cried as they crossed the finish line. She was just thrilled.”

Jennifer said Jasper, who evented up to two-star level with Emma’s brother Lewis, “knows his job”.

“But the pair of them as a partnership were just super,” she said. “I genuinely feel the accident has brought them closer together and they’ve bonded more.”

Jennifer explained that Jasper had always maintained his own space to a degree, but that since the accident, there has been a difference.

“It’s almost like seven years on [since he arrived], the accident has convinced him that we’re on Team Jasper,” she said. “His physio says ‘He lets me in now’, that she can get much deeper; it’s like something has changed in him. He’s a self-reliant horse but I think he’s realised that people are here to help him, and he lets them.

“And I think he lets us in more too; when you go to catch him, he used to look up and go ‘Oh, ok’, now he comes up to the fence to say hello, and get the attention. He was self-sufficient but he’s finally realised he needed help.”

Jennifer added that there was a degree of relief when Jasper and Emma crossed the finish line.

“I trust the horse implicitly, and I trust Emma, but you never have any guarantee,” she said. “Blair was awesome. I watched the first half, and the last bit, and I was next to a jump judge and asked if I could listen in on her radio when I couldn’t see Emma, and she was brilliant.

“When they came in sight, Emma saw a long one to the last and Jasper being the clever one he is, chipped in. It didn’t look the best but it was him saying ‘I’ve got this’. I was so thrilled; I was in tears. It was fabulous.”

Horsebox driver seriously injured and horse dies in road collision

Becky Murray — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 16:41:40 +0000

A horse has died and a woman remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries as a result of a road traffic collision between a horsebox and a 4×4.

Norfolk Police is appealing for witnesses to the incident that occurred yesterday (21 August) on the A47 Acle New Road, known as the Acle Straight, which runs between Acle and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

“Officers were called to Acle New Road at approximately 3.45pm following reports of a collision involving a black Range Rover and a red Renault Master horsebox, which was carrying a horse,” the spokesman said.

“Emergency services were called to the scene and a full road closure was put in place at the location. The road was reopened shortly before 11pm.

“The driver of the Renault, a woman aged in her 40s, was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where she remains with life-threatening injuries. Sadly, the horse died at the scene, as a result of the incident.”

The spokesman added that the driver of the Range Rover, a man in his 20s, was taken to the James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth, with serious injuries. A passenger in the vehicle, a woman in her 20s, suffered minor injuries.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is asked to contact PC Callum Walchester by calling 101 or emailing callum.walchester@suffolk.police.uk, quoting incident number NC-21082022-292.

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Police horse seriously injured in road accident is in ‘good spirits’ as he recovers in hospital

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:20:53 +0000

The police horse who suffered serious injuries in a road accident last week is in “good spirits” in hospital as he faces a long road to recovery.

Avon and Somerset Police mounted branch member Rocky and his rider were hurt in a collision with a car in Bristol last Friday (8 July).

The five-year-old part-bred Irish draught gelding, who has yet to be given his official police name, was taken to an equine hospital for treatment, where he remains.

This week (12 July) the force shared video of Rocky and his rider reunited in the clinic, adding: “It’s fair to say they were pleased to see each other.

“Our vets have advised that it will be around a month before we have an update on his prognosis however he is in good spirits and has got over the first hurdle.”

Today we visited Rocky in hospital and it’s fair to say he and his rider were pleased to see each other ?
Our vets have advised that it will be around a month before we have an update on his prognosis however he is in good spirits and has got over the first hurdle ? pic.twitter.com/UbjMeFfRZuToday we visited Rocky in hospital and it’s fair to say he and his rider were pleased to see each other ?
Our vets have advised that it will be around a month before we have an update on his prognosis however he is in good spirits and has got over the first hurdle ? pic.twitter.com/UbjMeFfRZu— ASPoliceHorses (@ASPoliceHorses) July 12, 2022— ASPoliceHorses (@ASPoliceHorses) July 12, 2022

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said Rocky, who was shown enjoying an apple as he stood in cross-ties, had sustained a “significant leg injury”, so it is likely his road to recovery will be a long one.

His rider was also taken to hospital after the incident but was then discharged to recover at home, as was the driver of the Ford Focus involved, a man in his 70s. Fellow mounted branch member Platinum and his rider, who were at the scene, were unharmed.