The owner of a brood mare who escaped on to a dual carriageway would like to find and thank the lorry driver whose quick thinking may have prevented a serious accident.
Brendon Stud mare Ganja was being weaned from her foal on Wednesday (21 October) when she made her way on to the A23, which runs past the stud on its way to Brighton, West Sussex.
Brendon’s Shirley Light told H&H the 15-year-old is an experienced brood mare who has had 10 or 11 foals weaned without any issues in the past.
“I think she just ran down the hill and ran out of room to stop, and went through the fence,” she said. “I don’t think she even attempted to jump.
“I was back at the stables watching the foals; we always do the easiest two first because they won’t do anything stupid, then we saw the traffic jam, and the mare cantering down the carriageway.
“I ran to the car, and turned into Lewis Hamilton!”
One of Shirley’s staff hurdled the central reservation and caught Ganja, who had been cantering coastbound but turned back.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Shirley took her back to the yard, where she was treated by a vet for cut back legs, and was lame in front, possibly from standing in a rabbit hole as she went through the fence.
“I led her off the road and it wasn’t till afterwards I realised I hadn’t thanked the driver; hadn’t even put my hand up,” she said. “She must have run out in front of him and he’d pulled across both carriageways to stop the traffic.
“It’s very probably down to him that I still have Ganja alive and no one was injured or worse. She did turn round, but would have gone straight into a car without him.
“I thought it would be really nice to find him and thank him; you never know, you can but try.”
Shirley said her family has lived at the stud for over 53 years and never known anything like the incident.
“It just goes to show, you never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “But luckily, I’ve got a great team; every single one of them was totally switched on.”
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 to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens 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.
