Trailer owners have been warned of the importance of checking their towing vehicle after a horse had to be cut free from a trailer after the towbar snapped.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the incident on 22 September near Cassington, Oxfordshire, where the trailer had become separated from the vehicle and crashed into a tree on the side of the road.
A spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service told H&H: “The trailer left the road and struck a large tree, severely damaging the trailer. A large branch narrowly missed injuring the horse.”
The fire and rescue crew worked for two hours using a makeshift ramp and an HGV platform to release the horse with the assistance of the horse’s owner and vet Sam Cutts of Hook Norton Veterinary Group.
Ms Cutts told H&H: “I’m very keen to say thank you to the fire service, who did such a fantastic job. Often in this type of situation it can be quite difficult to see very much of the horse, but the fire brigade used a camera that they are able to drop in to assess the inside of the trailer. I was able to stand with them and see the horse.
“The horse’s temperament was fantastic, he was an absolute saint and remarkably calm and had suffered no obvious significant injures. I’m delighted we were able to get a good ending and it didn’t turn out a lot worse.”
The horses were lucky to escape with only minor injuries when their trailer fell down a steep slope
The spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service added: “Accidents while towing are rare, but instances like this show the importance of not only checking your vehicle’s towing capacity, but also regularly inspecting the towbar and towing equipment.
“While the cause of this accident is unclear, any driver needs to ensure they confident and competent in towing a trailer and should follow the rules of the road, including observing speed limits and height restrictions.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
