A horse who broke her leg in a collision with a vehicle after she got loose from a field had to be put down at the scene.
The skewbald cob escaped from a field near the RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre on Guildford Road in Woking, Surrey at 4.50pm on Monday (29 April), although the horse was not in the care of the charity.
Staff from the centre attended the scene and a spokesman for the charity said it was a “tragic accident”.
“Our team at Millbrook Animal Centre was made aware that a loose horse from a nearby field had been injured in a traffic collision on the road close to the centre on Monday,” he said.
“Two staff members waited with the horse and the driver until the emergency services arrived. Sadly, an independent vet who came to treat the horse found her leg was badly broken and made the difficult decision to put her to sleep at the scene.”
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The spokesman said the owner of the horse had not been traced.
“This is a stark reminder for owners to check their horses are safely secured when turned out,” he added.
A spokesman for Surrey Police, which attended the scene, said the driver of the vehicle involved did not suffer any injuries.
Anyone with information on the horse’s owner should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234999.
In this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out on Thursday 2 May 2019, don’t miss our ‘Royal Windsor preview’ including features on the most memorable winners and how the 2019 show is celebrating Queen Victoria’s legacy, plus don’t forget our must-have form guide for all Badminton spectators. In this week’s ‘Vet clinic’ we have all you need to know about ear surgery, and in ‘H&H interview’ we talk to Badminton first-timer and vet Katie Preston. Read reports from across the disciplines including the eventing action from Kentucky, dressage from Keysoe, showjumping from Pony of the Year Show and much more.