Horse put down after it panics in trailer on motorway
A horse was put down on the motorway after it panicked in its trailer at the weekend (Saturday, 12 September).
The rescue horse was being towed by Amy Cooper on the M5 near Taunton when it became “distraught”.
The animal had been fine when it was picked up but as soon as it was on the motorway it became very agitated.
It reportedly broke some of its teeth smashing its head against the inside of the trailer.
“It was horrific. I have never been through something like this in my life,” Ms Cooper told local press.
“The horse was nearly rocking the trailer over, it managed to rip the partition off and had turned around in the box while we drove on the M5.”
She stopped several times on the motorway to try and calm the horse down but it became so dangerous she had no choice but to pull over onto the hard shoulder.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The police and Highways Agency were called out just before 5pm and shut the M5 in both directions.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police told H&H: “We were called out at 4.45pm on Saturday 12 September a mile south before the junction 26 turnoff on the M5.
“The horse was agitated so a vet was called out and the road was shut in both directions and reopened shortly after 6pm.”
The horse was calmed by the vet before being put down.
During the delay a group of musicians on the way home from a wedding performed an impromptu concert on the carriageway.
The four professional musicians performed Pachelbel’s Canon on the central reservation for those standing outside their cars.
The roadside concert was filmed motorists on phones and viewed by thousands when posted on social media.
The concert hit the headlines on the Radio Four six o’clock news and was broadcast on local television.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
