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.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“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.”
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
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
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
