A rider who was left lying in the road after a car spooked her horse says what scares her most is the fact the driver saw what had happened, but drove off regardless.
Laura Barrow was almost back at her yard, riding a friend’s horse, on 17 July, when the car came “racing up” from the rear.
She told H&H the driver tried to overtake but, on seeing the way was blocked by a parked JCB, swerved back in, knocking Laura’s whip out of her hand.
“Sienna darted sideways and I came straight out of the side door,” she said.
“I was lying on the floor, my head half in the ditch. The car stopped but no one got out, then it just drove off.
“Luckily, Sienna didn’t leave my side.”
Laura said that as Sienna stayed put, some workmen to whom she had spoken as she left the yard could see her, and the fact she had no rider.
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“We’d had some banter on the way out, about the fact they couldn’t miss me in my high-vis,” she said. “So when they saw her without me, they came over.
“If it hadn’t been for them and Sienna, I could have been there hours. It was just a nightmare.”
Laura was taken to hospital, where it was found she had sustained bad bruising but no breaks, and she is now recovering, but is keen for the driver to be found.
“Something needs to be done,” she said.
“I’ve been riding for 25 years and it’s not the accident that scares me, it’s the fact the driver saw but didn’t stop to check I was ok. I could have had serious injuries.
“I’ve got mental health issues and ride to clear my head. I’ve got back on Sienna since but got to the top of the drive and had to turn round because I couldn’t go back on the main road.
“Police have got CCTV of the car but nothing seems to have happened yet.”
A spokesman for Derbyshire Constabulary said: “Enquiries are continuing regarding the circumstances of the incident and we are keen to speak to anyone with any information about the incident – in particular a red car that was in that area at the time of the incident.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Derbyshire police on 101, quoting reference 754-170719, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
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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.
