Foaling mare kills stable girl
Lucie Simpson, 20, of Carlton, Nottingham, has died after being kicked in the head by a mare she was helping to foal.
She received the fatal blow while helping the vet who had been called out for the foaling at West Bridgford Equestrian Centre in Nottingham on 4 May. She had been working at the yard for only a few weeks.
Some newspapers reported that the mare in question, Treacle, was known for being difficult. But proprietor Lorraine Kirkman denied this.
She told H&H: “It was her first foal, she endured a difficult labour and was being very, very protective.”
A Nottinghamshire police spokesman told H&H an investigation had been launched, but that Miss Simpson’s death was not being treated as suspicious.
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (17 May, ’07)
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A Cambridge graduate and big racing fan, Karen joined H&H in 2006 first as deputy news editor, and rose to managing editor, via a stint as acting editor of our sister title, Horse. Alongside being vet page editor and running our annual Young Rider special issue, she oversaw our media agreements, round table features, reader panel and more. Karen left Horse & Hound in 2014.